Designing a Plinth

I find it interesting the fact that it is more costly to use acrylic than certain exotic woods...if there is a method to the madness of using acrylic, perhaps there is a madness to the method of using wood.

I certainly like the look of wood.

Jim, I have some of my own ideas with respect to grain aligning and using what I call "switch-back diagonal piecing" within the platter which I'd like to use. However, I have not fully worked out my approach, as yet.

Joe has already done one, I assume using the Teres design directions, and perhaps he can share that piecing and gluing method for an immediate project. Likely, the lead-shot weighting pattern, too.

Of the woods I mentioned, all except the Argentine LV are roughly half the cost of cocobolo.

Prpixel, there are may varieties of Lignum Vitae, but wow!. Where do you go that charges for wood by the pound?

I have been considering a variety of option for plinth making, myself. I would like to go the whole nine yards and do something very elaborate in terms of wood grain matching, inlays, etc., etc.

I am thinking of beginning, though, by making a plinth to replace or interchange with my stock Nottingham plinth. Fortunately for me, I have had a good deal of experience working with a large number of wood types. In addition to cocobolo (expensive because it is a hot item tight now), I am considering some woods that are beautiful, of different "colors", dense, and STABLE. A few on my short list include:

Mara (NOT Mora) - An absolutely GORGEOUS honey-colored wood, sometimes with striking dark streaks. Very dense and very stable.

Cebil - A wood that is very similar in looks to Black Cherry but is much denser, harder, and is very STABLE.

Quina - A reddish wood that can take the flavor of a very rich Honduran mahogany (with a more regular and wider graining) and can have very nice figuring. It is hard, dense, and STABLE. It is widely used in South America for cutting boards.

Argentine Lignum Vitae - Yes, a cousin to the more tropical cocobolo. However, this wood is generally much lighter - a sort of olive/green, not unlike some of the darker (not redder) oaks. Takes a mirror-like polish, too. It is a bit resinous, though, so an appropriate sealer is a must.

OK, I know that these woods would provide a very dense and stable plinth. Whether or not they are "musical" woods would be fun to determine. These woods are not overly expensive and someone might have a blast experimenting with them.

Keep in mind that a solid piece is not the way to go to insure stability and resonance "transfer" (if I am using that word correctly).

Jimbo3, mesquite is very hard and dense but I don't feel it passes the "stable" test. Mesquite is also brittle and, more concerning, often has inclusions or cracks within the wood that are not apparent. It is a gnarly tree so it stands to reason. But the grain is fairly straight, and since I would be piecing together a number of smaller piece were I to make a plinth, I might consider it worth a TRY if I had enough to be very selective. Bottom line, it would not make MY short list but, if cheap, all you'd be out is your time.

Guess I have been lucky in that all five of my sources for wood still sell by the board foot (veneers excepted), even exotics. Of course, I have known three of them for over 40 years and my grandfather knew their father's before that. Most I find in 4/4 but sometimes 6/4. It has been a long while since I priced tropical LV, but the Argentinian is much less than what you all are paying for the tropical. I am paying $9.00 a foot.

I am not sure where you got the description for Mara but it is used in furniture in South America extensively. It is beautiful and I'd still be willing to give it a try for a plinth. This is a description I looked up. I was basing my description earlier on my recollections of working with the wood:

"Mara - golden-brown wood with dark streaks. Grain is highly variable. Works well and is very stable. Rare, but used for fine furniture building when a highly-figured wood is desired."

I, too, have used Quina but did not have the unfortunate experience with it that you did with the jewlery box. I understand what you are saying with respect to tearing out, though I would not go so far as to call it tearing out or think it in the same category in this sense as purpleheart. This is a description I found for Quina:

"Quina: A pinkish-red wood with an oily feel and incredible perfumed scent that lasts. Beautiful figure. Extremely durable, this wood is widely used for items like window and door frames, counter tops, cutting boards and flooring. Fine textured, provides excellent polish. Heartwood color is deep red, sometimes with purple highlights and high natural luster. Good in-use stability, but can be difficult to machine due to interlocked grain.”

I would very much like to drop by and view your collection. I don't have the room to keep a stock anymore and I'd love to have some of the fiddleback Koa for a guitar I will build someday. Any pieces big enough for a back, Even a two-piece? I'd like to see the douka, too. Madrone Burl. I knew a guy once in Oregon who had a wood stove and when I went there it was putting out some HEAT. Turns out he was burning Madrone.......

Get ahold of some Cebil and give it a try. It is actually the one I was leaning towards for my project.

I like your mention of inlays as I am the fifth generation of a long line of marquetry nuts! :-)

Prpixel, I only provided the descriptions of woods that I found in a catalog after giving my own description previously and as an alternative the description you gave of Mara which looked for all the world like a cut and paste. Yes, the descriptions of some woods (not unlike audio components) can be deceiving depending on what the marketer is trying to market.

Having worked in or around a wood shop for 40 years, I knew EXACLTY what you meant by "tear out", I just didn't find it the serious problem that you did with regard to Quina. In retrospect, though, it is probably not the wood I'd suggest to someone who has not used it in more than a few projects or to someone who does not have at least some commercial-grade machines, like a shaper and joiner.

I like the look of the Argentine LV better myself. At the $9.00 I was paying (my guy says $8 today), it isn't badly price. At the $15 you said you're paying, I'd maybe think twice.

Jim, an ebony/rosewood combo would be beautiful. Because I am just getting into this with respect to plinths (not sure I want to go with wood for a platter just yet) I apologize for not being able to offer better suggestions visa vis resonance issues. I know what would sound good and the differences between many woods for musical instruments, but a good number of those would not offer the best properties for a plinth. Since Teres is one of the first companies to offer wood platters and plinths on the market (at least to the degree they use wood) perhaps they have done a comparison of numerous woods and would share the results of those that they reject and why. But then, what sounds good to some might not be the choice of others. In the end, I think the field is very open with respect to what wood is the best combination of looks, performance, and workability. Hopefully, more than a few of us will give it a try and report our impressions. In time, I will certainly do so.

8/4 cocobolo, Joe (he said slobbering at the thought)?

Joe, let me ask you this. How did you establish the outer circumference of your platter? Were I to make one, I was considering attaching stock to top and bottom and turning it on the lathe. A shaper and jig might work. Of course, a band saw and shaper is the usual choice for non-critical stuff but I am thinking that the circumference should be pretty damn consistent to achieve rotational stability. What have you found in this regard?

Jim, the dimension is based on 1/4" thicknesses. 3/4 = 3/4", 4/4 = 1", 6/4 = 1 1/2".....Joe's mention of 8/4 cocobolo is 2 inches thick.

The West Penn site is interesting. There are MANY sites offering exotic hardwoods these days, some more reputable than others. In the end, most all are very good places to go look at pictures of different woods and to learn of some their characteristics. However, it is always best to find a dealer locally if at all possible. That way you can go take a look and decide for yourself with some expert advice many dealers can provide. Plus, the shipping costs for more than just a small amount of wood can be STEEP. I know of quite a few folks in the business of using exotic woods. Depending on where you are located, I might be able to offer a suggestion or two. IMHO, it is worth a couple hours drive if it means being able to select just the right piece or, perhaps more importantly, have the ability to reject a piece without the hassles and expense of returns.

One reason I ask about using the lathe (or a shaper) is that I would then gouge a groove or five and then use some bandings to highlight the platter edge, examples of which can be seen in the link below. There are a variety of other source for these bands, too. I have modest collection of inlay patterns I've used when building other furniture and my uncle has a set he has made that is downright staggering - though his skill is at a level that mere mortals such as I can only aspire! ;-) The variety of inlay possibilities that might be applied in the crafting of a plinth seems endless and well, exciting, at least to me.

Bandings