where can I get a wood round machined into a guitar blank?

[theportsider]

Hey fellow string-lovers!

I have a fairly unusual question: where can I get a large wood round machined into an electric guitar or bass guitar blank?

Backstory: I had a large alder go down on my property, and when the arborist cut it into chunks, most was cut into splittable size, but I saved three very large rounds, each should be large enough to provide at least one, if not several, good blanks (by size alone). I thought: how cool would it be to own a guitar and/or bass (I play both) made with wood felled on my own land?!

I have seasoned them on boards under a tarp under the deck for 2 years, I think they're getting to the point where I can start to think about the first step...only I have no idea where to go for that!

Any ideas, people?

Cheers,
Alex

 

[AirCap]

You realize 99.9% of all guitars are built with wood where the grain runs from end to end, instead of from top to bottom? I mean, what you want can be done - but rounds make a lot better tabletops, ya know?

 

[theportsider]

well, I didn't realize that, so thanks!

But...these are very large rounds.  should be big enough to make blanks cut end-wise as well.

 

[stratamania]

What is the diameter of each piece and how long is each one of those pieces ?

 

[theportsider]

uh...I can go measure exactly tomorrow; I am not at home right now.

diameter-wise, looking at at least 3-4 feet each, length of cylinder probably 3 feet each...

 

[BigSteve22]

uh...I can go measure exactly tomorrow; I am not at home right now.

diameter-wise, looking at at least 3-4 feet each, length of cylinder probably 3 feet each...

Damn, that's some big chunks of wood! Can you even move them to transport? Maybe look for someone with a portable saw mill to slice them up on-site.  ???

 

[bbl4ck]

uh...I can go measure exactly tomorrow; I am not at home right now.

diameter-wise, looking at at least 3-4 feet each, length of cylinder probably 3 feet each...

Damn, that's some big chunks of wood! Can you even move them to transport? Maybe look for someone with a portable saw mill to slice them up on-site.  ???

That is exactly what I was thinking.  If you go to this website called The Wood Whisperer [link below], they have a link to a company that sells portable wood mills.  This company also has a locator service on the site where you can find people in your area that operate portable wood mills and travel to you.  Its on the third or forth paragraph down.  I have never used them, but it might be worth checking out. 

http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/diy-sawmills-turning-logs-into-lumber-for-furniture/

Good luck and be sure to post some pics if it works out!
:rock-on:

 

[AirCap]

diameter-wise, looking at at least 3-4 feet each, length of cylinder probably 3 feet each...

OK - you do not have rounds. You have sectioned logs.

Here is a good video showing how to quartersaw a log. Most instrument makers want quartersawn lumber - not flat sawn (starting on one side and continually slabbing off boards until nothing is left).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvUPJPFg4wM

 

[Logrinn]

Very informative video. Thanks for sharing, AirCap.

 

[stratamania]

Cool, glad the thread moved forward. I had a feeling they were probably logs.

 

[rgand]

Good video. Thanks for the link, AirCap.