Would it be possible to make a hollow guitar (thinline style) with hem-fir?

I have a big hunk of hem-fir that is 24" long 16 1/2" wide and 2 3/4" deep. I was going to make a solid guitar body out of it, but I was wondering if it would be possible and or a good idea to make a thinline style body out of it. My plan is to make an oversized double cut telecaster style body with the proportions being closer to an Epiphone Casino-ish size.
Here's a pic of the blank (not yet glued) because I know every thread needs pictures to be at all interesting :razz:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/sevenplacesfan13/FORWEBP1110469.jpg

Take a test sample and rout it about an inch and 3/8 deep. 3/8" inch at a time to see how she responds to the routing. Make a triangle shaped template out of 1/2 inch MDF. Put a pattern bit on your router and do it. I'm thinking she'll do just fine. Maybe some seasoned vets here know better than I do. When you put a nice top on her nobody will know what kind of wood is under it anyway.

What do you plan to cap it with? I'm lost here, help.

What do you mean by Hem-Fir? Hemlock? If so, it works fine for a solid body. I've made a couple. What you have to be careful of is "ring shake". The growth rings can have the tendency to separate. Examine your wood carefully and make sure it is completely dried. Ring shake has a nasty way of appearing after the wood had been made into something and then gets very dry.

Just go for it! Worst case you learned something you can talk about with friends at the BBQ; fueled by the experiment. "Washington(the good one)" I AGREE!

Just go for it! Worst case you learned something you can talk about with friends at the BBQ; fueled by the experiment. "Washington(the good one)" I AGREE!

Haha, I love that response!

I was thinking that since it's 2 3/4" thick that I could resaw it, and cap it with itsself. Great idea with the routing test, hadn't thought of that.

What do you mean by Hem-Fir? Hemlock? If so, it works fine for a solid body. I've made a couple. What you have to be careful of is "ring shake". The growth rings can have the tendency to separate. Examine your wood carefully and make sure it is completely dried. Ring shake has a nasty way of appearing after the wood had been made into something and then gets very dry.

Actually I don't know for sure what it is, as I understand it they sell species of hemlock and fir under the name hem-fir. The joys of home depot! :shock: One other question, how can I examine it to tell if it's dry? I have no clue how to tell, but I thought that I would go for it, and if it crapped out the wood only cost me 2.02 + tax :mrgreen:

Actually I don't know for sure what it is, as I understand it they sell species of hemlock and fir under the name hem-fir. The joys of home depot! :shock: One other question, how can I examine it to tell if it's dry? I have no clue how to tell, but I thought that I would go for it, and if it crapped out the wood only cost me 2.02 + tax :mrgreen:

Hem Fir is a blanket statement .. we call it Balsam back east. It's construction grade stuff. Ok to build a shop to build a Tele in

Hem Fir is a blanket statement .. we call it Balsam back east. It's construction grade stuff. Ok to build a shop to build a Tele in

That sounds like a challenge. I like challenges :mrgreen:
Edit: couldn't the same be said about pine, Leo's first tele wood?

Well, I hit a wall. I'm having trouble designing the concept. If I can't do it I'm kinda thinking about making a casino style guitar or a strat. Not sure which. I wish I was better at drawing, I've sucked since I was a kid. :/

That sounds like a challenge. I like challenges :mrgreen:
Edit: couldn't the same be said about pine, Leo's first tele wood?

No because you can buy pine that was properly kilned to furniture specs not put on a box car and run through a kiln for 12hrs to meet a building code.

Not to discourage your build but there are many ways to get cheap wood. Look around you would be amazed where you can find stuff.