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Thread: Rough lumber -- any way to check in the rough?

  1. #1

    Rough lumber -- any way to check in the rough?

    A local supplier has some 8/4 Bubinga on closeout due to the boards being short (4-4 1/2'). I'm building a Maloof rocker, probably Hal Taylor's and think the bubinga would be great for that.

    Plans are on there way. I need to make sure I have Bubinga boards that are long enough, and I'd like to get boards that have the most figuring on them.

    The boards are rough and I would prefer to plane then myself so I can keep them as thick as possible. Is there a way to tell whether or not there is figuring without planning the boards down?

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Honestly, I skim-plain the faces of truly rough lumber exactly to understand what I have in a board. Skimming doesn't remove much material at all...it's only really the first one or two thin passes you'll do when you process the lumber eventually. You can sometimes, with supplier approval, use a small block plane to "sample" in a spot or three, and some people have a good eye for figure and color even with rough cut material.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    Try spraying the surface with isopropyl alcohol. Approach used by e-bay sellers selling wood.

  4. #4
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    Or bring a block plane.

  5. #5
    Kenny,

    Bubinga is pretty easy imop to pick. I actually just picked up three rather large slabs of it. If I have pictures I’ll attache. Those boards will be added to my collection of probably 700-1000 bf of various thickness and figure. I’m kinda obsessed with bubinga.

    Figure is pretty easy even in the rough it can be seen when heavily figured be it bees wing, pomelle or waterfall.

    Flatsawn boards are easily distinguishible with the chandelearing. Not to say flat sawn bubinga boards can not be highly figured but often it is the QS boards with the monst figure. The flatsawn boards imop are less desirable unless in slab form with QS on either side or just crazy figured.

    Apart from figure you want boards that are a deep red. Look out for boards that are obviously brown as they can lack the bubinga look most are after. Also look for a deep contrast between the grain. Good boards will alternate from the token bubinga red to a very dark almost black red brown,

    Laquer thinner or alchohol are your friend. I don’t know a single lumber yard that will let me touch their boards with a block plane or any kind of liquid.
    Last edited by Patrick Walsh; 11-05-2018 at 8:00 PM.

  6. #6
    30D39D8E-4632-4431-AF0B-B09C4CC434A2.jpg2x24x109

    06CB57CE-FB0D-47B7-807B-D4A474B0FBE3.jpg

    1.75x16-24x13’

    A9997D31-DE42-4DB1-B88C-D6E2DF18A448.jpeg

    2x21x155

    30D39D8E-4632-4431-AF0B-B09C4CC434A2.jpg
    9A72B77B-AD3E-4DDA-978B-64A40AAFAB50.jpg

    The seller has two more of these 2x20x155 boards left that are gonna find there way to me early next week.

    I’ll get a picture of the boards wet tomorrow. They are at work at the moment..

  7. #7
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    If you haven’t worked with bubinga might want to check that your not sensitive to the dust. For me it’s almost a death sentence. Maloof rockers with create a lot of dust.
    Good Luck it would make a epic chair.
    Aj

  8. #8
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    Pretty lumber and will make an interesting chair.

    I went thru this a year ago and was looking for plans for a Maloof style rocker. I actually bought the plans and manual from two people. One was Hal Taylor and the other Bill Kappel. I also watched video of both of them.

    I finally decided on Bill Kappel. I went out and spent a week with him in Utah and got a start on it. Mine is made from Claro Walnut and has beautiful crazy grain. It was a great experience with a great teacher.

    I finally am getting close to finishing it and am excited. This last week I attached the rockers and now have to complete the shaping and sanding on the legs and rockers. My wife has sat and rocked in it and loves it. This has been a great woodworking journey of learning and meeting a great teacher.

  9. #9
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    That's rough lumber ? Those look like some beautiful boards to me.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yonak Hawkins View Post
    That's rough lumber ? Those look like some beautiful boards to me.
    Rough sawn / have bandsaw fuzz on them/ not surfaced planed.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Walsh View Post
    I don’t know a single lumber yard that will let me touch their boards with a block plane or any kind of liquid.
    Funny, I’ve never been to a lumber yard that said no to a few strokes of a block plane. But, I’ve only done it few times.

  12. #12
    No those boards have clearly been sent through a sander..

    I do have rough sawn I can snap pictures of later.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Day View Post
    Funny, I’ve never been to a lumber yard that said no to a few strokes of a block plane. But, I’ve only done it few times.
    One dealer wouldn't even let me remove a tiny shaving near the checked end of a greying, rough-sawn 2x8 plank of Tarara, just to check the color of the wood. I had cash in hand but went elsewhere.

    In the shop I use naphtha to get an idea of rough, unweathered boards. On planed/turned/smoothed wood wiping on a little can show closely what the color and figure will be with finish applied, and reveals scratches and other surface defects. Dries very quickly.

    JKJ

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Hughes View Post
    If you haven’t worked with bubinga might want to check that your not sensitive to the dust. For me it’s almost a death sentence.
    THIS!

    I absolutely love the look of bubinga, but found I was extremely sensitive to the dust while turning a large platter years ago...I'd never experienced that kind of reaction before...or since.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    THIS!

    I absolutely love the look of bubinga, but found I was extremely sensitive to the dust while turning a large platter years ago...I'd never experienced that kind of reaction before...or since.
    Having heard this (thanks to the forum) I have always work a good respirator when working it. I react the same to cedar but, get through it without too much problem. On the other hand a scoop of ice cream could put me in the hospital so I know that allergic reactions come in a range of impacts.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

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