Official Luthiers Forum!

Configuring from raw wood is not something I know much about. This slab is 45" long, 20" wide, 1 7/8" thick. I need to get a strat body blank out if it. And an acoustic neck blank, 4"X3"x24". The neck blank is easy if I can cut 4" wide parts. But is grain oriented correctly? And how big is a strat blank?

For the neck I'd laminate 2 rip sawn - 2.5 x 1 7/8 with an appropriate center stripe. My concern for the body blank would be the tendency for slab sawn wood to cup -- so its imperative that the material has a very low moisture content prior to machining, like 7-9 %.

_________________
Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

FWiw . I have several large wide walnut slabs. as well I would try to cut the wood as close to 90 deg as I could. and laminate these narrower pieces to create the solid body slab. In chairmaking the cathedrals are used facing up. You will get some cuppiing and settling after gluing your pieces together. I would wait awhile until the walnut was bone dry before milling to size. Test with a moisture meter . so that it is at least 8%.N. ala has high humidty I would store the glued up blank , in the driest part of your shop.