A couple of walnut blanks

[GunsOfBrixton]

So, one of my brothers has requested that I build him a guitar. He told me that he had a stash of 30+ year old walnut out a friend of the family's house. So I made a trip out to my hometown to pick some up. The guy that has it was the high school wood shop teacher. He has a nice work shop in his backyard. And he has quite the stash of wood that he will never use. It is piled up everywhere. Anyway, this is what I ended up with.

2 pieces. Both about 2.5 inches Thick and about 15 inches wide, 20 inches Long. When I decide Which one to use , I will plane it down to 1.5 inches thick and chamber it and Put a cap on it. There are a couple of small cracks but nothing that would render the body useless.

 

[G&Lplayer]

Nice, love walnut, but chambering is required. Just finished one up and about to start two more.

 

[eallen]

Nice score! I do a lot of walnut crack filling with epoxy.

 

[crazydave911]

So, one of my brothers has requested that I build him a guitar. He told me that he had a stash of 30+ year old walnut out a friend of the family's house. So I made a trip out to my hometown to pick some up. The guy that has it was the high school wood shop teacher. He has a nice work shop in his backyard. And he has quite the stash of wood that he will never use. It is piled up everywhere. Anyway, this is what I ended up with.

View attachment 1071653
2 pieces. Both about 2.5 inches Thick and about 15 inches wide, 20 inches Long. When I decide Which one to use , I will plane it down to 1.5 inches thick and chamber it and Put a cap on it. There are a couple of small cracks but nothing that would render the body useless.

You could get someone to rip 5/16" off the blank,plane both then you have a body and top that match

 

[Telenator]

I have never heard a walnut guitar that I liked.
I spent 8 months building one myself because I thought I knew better. It's a wall hanger.

 

[bebopbrain]

I have a nice black walnut cookie from a tree that fell down in a storm. Trying to figure out what to do with it.

 

[crazydave911]

I have never heard a walnut guitar that I liked.
I spent 8 months building one myself because I thought I knew better. It's a wall hanger.

Never played a Yairi acoustic parlor have ya? That piece of walnut (used) was just a little out of reach or I'd still have it today

 

[Telenator]

I wouldn't know about walnut on an acoustic. Love the Yairis, but don't know if I ever played one with walnut sides and back.

I'll have to take your word for it.

 

[GunsOfBrixton]

You could get someone to rip 5/16" off the blank,plane both then you have a body and top that match

I Thought about that but I don't know Any one with a bandsaw that has a 15" resaw capacity.

 

[crazydave911]

I Thought about that but I don't know Any one with a bandsaw that has a 15" resaw capacity.

One of my wood suppliers has a large bandsaw and with any purchase you get 3 free cuts, even if you brought it with you. I didn't get my cedar blanks from them but they resaw them when I buy my sycamore (quartersawn )

 

[oldunc]

My 17" bandsaw has a (theoretical) 14" resaw capacity; an 18" saw could likely do it, but its not a cut I'd approach with any confidence. The way both pieces are split up the middle, I'd be tempted to rip down the split line and reglue the blanks.

 

[Masterofnocaster]

I'm going to echo the previous three responses here. About 35 years ago my father got a walnut tree that the township had chopped down. I carved out a bass from a huge slab from the crotch, so lots of great grain patterns. I didn't take advantage of the three-foot bandsaw he had or the massive thickness planer, just went ahead with a solid plank. No idea if it would have sounded any better had I routed chambers in it, but my back would have thanked me.

 

[gridlock]

My ‘79 Gibson, “The Paul” has a Walnut body and neck and an Ebony fretboard. A great guitar.

 

[GunsOfBrixton]

I will definitely be chambering the body no matter what. I Checked the moisture level in both and they are a bit high. I will need to let them sit in the workshop for a month or two before I do anything with them. Gives me time to clean and organize the shop. It needs it!

 

[GunsOfBrixton]

My 17" bandsaw has a (theoretical) 14" resaw capacity; an 18" saw could likely do it, but its not a cut I'd approach with any confidence. The way both pieces are split up the middle, I'd be tempted to rip down the split line and reglue the blanks.

Once I get around to planning them down a bit, that may be the direction I take. Time will tell.