Silky Oak Slab

[kuanjb]

So I saw this slab of Silky Oak being sold. Description:
"2.5 inchess thick and about 50 cm long and 30 cm across
Slab ready to be turned into a mive chopping board or serving plater
Vibrant red runs through the center fadding into a nice white on the outside"

Sounds like a guitar to me..... Can't really tell the grain from the photo but generally silky oak is quite nice so I'm tempted to buy it. Only $20. Thoughts?

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[FrankenWashie]

As long as you’ve got someone who can mill it for you, great! I’d go for it for a $20!

[Brendan]

Go for it!

[McCreed]

Worth noting that at 30cm width, it will be too narrow for a standard strat or tele body by the time is milled.

Not that it won't work for a guitar, but you may have to get creative with your design, that's all.

[Simon Barden]

Or you can go for a 2-piece body.

It's not a true oak, so is easier to work than real oak, but can be prone to tear-outs when planing.

https://www.wood-database.com/southern-silky-oak/

[FrankenWashie]

Worth noting that at 30cm width, it will be too narrow for a standard strat or tele body by the time is milled.

Not that it won't work for a guitar, but you may have to get creative with your design, that's all.

bookmatched thick drop top for a carved top LP or PRS Style perhaps

[kuanjb]

Well I tried contacting the seller and they never got back to me. And now it's been removed from sale.

I had considered book matching for a guitar and I also have a piece of rock maple which would be nice for an electric tenor ukulele, so I thought this might have been been good for that body.

Oh well. Thanks for feedback none the less.

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[McCreed]

I guess it's moot point now, but how would bookmatching get around the slab being too narrow?

What am I missing?

[kuanjb]

I guess it's moot point now, but how would bookmatching get around the slab being too narrow?

What am I missing?

You could get up to double the width.

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[FrankenWashie]

I guess it's moot point now, but how would bookmatching get around the slab being too narrow?

What am I missing?

It wouldn't, I was thinking that, at 2 1/2" thickness, you could have had it split into two pairs of approximately 1/2" thick slabs, which you'd then bookmatch as drop tops for a couple of guitar builds. (Blame Igor!)

You'd likely end up with a couple of strips from each side that could be used for other things given the width. after jointing etc and book matching you'd probably have at least 100mm plus either side.
You would of course need to make a separate base for each.

Split it once as a pair of wedges and you could theoretically make a blank for carving an Archtop. If you're in to that sort of thing of course.

Of course, this would need some access to appropriate equipment to mill it, or some very careful set up and cutting work at home, not feasible for everyone, but it is the kind of lunacy that the FrankenLab would likely/has in the past attempted. (Results mixed)

As you say though, bit of a moot point now.