Port Orford Cedar

[Robert Hosmer]

Has anybody used POC?

I'm new to this, so I was wondering if anyone had ideas concerning suitable application. Maybe between Western red cedar and spruce?

I have a recovered billet of this drying out; just wanting ideas for down the road.

I LOVE the aroma!

[Dave Bagwill]

Robert - I have not used it, but I have read many good things about it as a tonewood, and a number of luthiers have commented that it just does not crack. Period.

Halfway down this page is a description as a soundboard:
http://www.cookwoods.com/instrument-woo ... s_so=title


Interestingly, this site offers it not as a soundboard, but for backs and sides:
http://www.oregonwildwood.com/category/ ... ewood.html

[Robert Hosmer]

Thanks, Dave!

I'm new to all this, and trying to digest everything at an alarming rate.

Don't think I'm gonna use it for back/sides, although reading indicates the most common use for that seems to be Flamencos?
(Tell ya how new I am, I don't even know what "Flamenco" means.)

Yes, it's very split-resistant. I used some to build a deck some years ago.

The billet should provide enough to do four soundboards; just gotta figure out which back/side material and instrument size would seem best with it. Plenty of options there.

Very well-quartered, with tight even grain. Also very clean with no defects.
No idea on "stiffness" till I cut it.

Speaking of which, how are people testing their pieces for stiffness?
Trying to flex a thin piece in the hands seems pretty subjective to me, but remember I'm new to it. But seems there may be a more definitive method. Any ideas on that?

Thanks,
Rob

[ken cierp]

The whole idea of "optimum thickness" is subjective -- true you don't want a sound-board that is so flabby the string tension pulls it into a big old dome.

Here's what I do -- "nothing until the halves are joined" --- then start the thickness sanding/machining process, take it down to about .120 at this point start tapping it, hold on one corner and listen for a nice resonant tone -- you'll know the difference between that and a "thud" -- take the it down a little at a time and you notice more "sustain" -- test the stiffness by holding the lengthwise edge the weight of the material should not cause a bow of more then about 1" --- done.

So this is the general idea -- sometimes a top will loose resonance when the sound hole is cut. Sometimes after it braced it sound good again -- I always attach the back last so I can get at the braces to do a little shaving -- always listening for the sustain. This is not magic, or a "skill one is blessed with" I believe anyone can hear the nuances.