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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 9:20 am 
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Koa
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Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 8:43 am
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If a friend of mine was interested in a spalted burl headplate, or wanted to do a rosette and end wedge from such a wood where would one find such a thing?
I do see eBay has a TON of blocks, so I guess this “friend” could cut it into slabs and sand to the right thickness...
But I wanted to check
Thanks
B


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 9:36 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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First name: Brad
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Lately I’ve been using knife scales and turning blanks from woodcraft and rockler to make rosettes and end wedges from. They carry a good range of exotics and I can usually find something with an interesting pattern. Below is a rosette from a Uke I recently finished. It’s blackheart Sassafras from a knife scale. I sawed the board in half and flipped it on its end. Then glue together with some scrap binding and purfling as the “dividers”.

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These users thanked the author bcombs510 for the post: SnowManSnow (Thu Oct 26, 2017 9:52 am)
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 11:15 am 
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First name: Jay
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RC Tonewoods has a big selection of headplates and rosette squares. It might be worth a look there.

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 11:27 am 
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Koa
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I think if you limit the selection to both spalted and burl, you exclude a lot of very nice unspalted burl. Try a veneer site, such as veneer supplies.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 3:24 pm 
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Gallery Hardwoods!


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:18 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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certainly veneer in aurora ny


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:21 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Nothing wrong with ebay. I bought many board feet of flamed red maple for mandolin backs in the time...
One thing to watch out for is blocks that are waxed all over. Usually green for lathe turning. Stay away from those...


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:49 pm 
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Cocobolo
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a small 6"x6"x 4" bowl blank has provided 10, 3/32" slices so far for rosettes. Think it is Manzetta(?) burl, but pretty. Rusty red.



These users thanked the author BobHowell for the post: bcombs510 (Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:22 am)
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 1:26 pm 
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bcombs510 wrote:
Lately I’ve been using knife scales and turning blanks from woodcraft and rockler to make rosettes and end wedges from. They carry a good range of exotics and I can usually find something with an interesting pattern. Below is a rosette from a Uke I recently finished. It’s blackheart Sassafras from a knife scale. I sawed the board in half and flipped it on its end. Then glue together with some scrap binding and purfling as the “dividers”.

Image


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My local Woodcraft (an hour and a half away) has a nice selection of hardwoods and veneers as well but I find that they are pricey compared to stuff I've been able to source on Ebay. I've done really, really well with Ebay for ultra curly maple, spalts, burl etc. Sometimes I run into trouble with some of the exotics being poor quality, particularly from a seller called film4- who I believe gets seconds from some kind of mill or veneer company and re-sells them. I've bought Ebony billets from him that came with huge checks making it unsuitable for head plates but I was able to get a lot of binding out of it once I broke it down and milled it. Never buy what he lists as BRW though- it's not BRW but usually Pau Ferro or Dalbergia Cultrata from my own experience as well as a couple others here including a sponsor. I'll still buy from him despite the past though if the wood is easily identifiable via pictures (say B&W Ebony or something like that), but I'll only bid if the price is right and I also go in understanding that it's hit or miss with this guy and once you cut the wood and find flaws you can't return it. I guess that's why we pay a premium for the quality stuff that places like Woodcraft carry, at least you know exactly what you are getting. I usually find that they can't compete with with our sponsors prices though. Seems like my store is geared toward turners more than anything else.


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 4:01 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:50 pm
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First name: Bob
Last Name: Howell
City: Atlanta
State: Ga
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Most areas have a local wood that spalts beautifully or has curl or burl on the tree somewhere. Here in Georgia, soft maple is the best in my book but oak cherry magnolia dogwood and others have beautiful spots. I have been picking wood up along the side of the road for 25 years. You need a band saw to make best use of it. I have seen several post here calling it fire wood inlay or decoration, or some such. Knife scales or bowl blanks are the best source till you develop your own source. Bowl Turners around Atlanta taught me what to look for in the mid 90's. I am now cutting up small chunks I never used. Bowl blanks are so cheep You can cut up a few and experiment. Or go the firewood route. If it is wet let it dry. Maple dries very fast.

I have come across several people around the SE selling bowl blanks on Ebay. It is a great source.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:12 am 
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Koa
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I have also bought burl veneers online for fancy headstock facing. You need to be careful because they are very thin - much thinner that a usual headplate - so easy to sand through.

On the other hand, RC Tonewoods have exactly what you want already appropriately sized for headplates or rosette squares. They cut them to a more luthier-friendly thickness. Highly recommended.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 6:56 am 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 8:43 am
Posts: 1700
Mark Mc wrote:
I have also bought burl veneers online for fancy headstock facing. You need to be careful because they are very thin - much thinner that a usual headplate - so easy to sand through.

On the other hand, RC Tonewoods have exactly what you want already appropriately sized for headplates or rosette squares. They cut them to a more luthier-friendly thickness. Highly recommended.

Seems I have RC saved in my eBay sellers. I’ll check them out


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