Thread: Sitka SPruce

You could try asking anyone involved in musical instrument and restoring making mainly pianos
I believe they use Spruce in sounding boards.
Worth a try they must get it from somewhere

BTW All the best with the Corby Starlet a great little plane

I can direct you to someone here who imports spruce ply from Canada, for building caravans, if that's any help.
BTW he has been asked to supply for aircraft building and it isn't suitable, not enough laminations or something.
Cheers

Try checking with some of the people who post in the forestery management section. I have a feeling that the Hunter climate will be too warm for them. Perhaps somewhere like Oberon or the snowies or even Tassie would work. My dad planted some when I was a kid in Scotland and they are fine trees now but over there the temp would seldom top 20*.

Regards
John

Originally Posted by orraloon

Try checking with some of the people who post in the forestery management section. I have a feeling that the Hunter climate will be too warm for them. Perhaps somewhere like Oberon or the snowies or even Tassie would work. My dad planted some when I was a kid in Scotland and they are fine trees now but over there the temp would seldom top 20*.

Thanks John, I had a feeling that would probably be the case, but you never know until you try.

Thanks guys for suggestions. Already have North American importer - its the freight that's killer. I'll see if I can find out what the Musos know.

Cheers

Hi Vic, I have a couple of 4.5 meter lengths of Sitka Sprice, ex yacht boom. May be of use to you? I can tell you the sizes if you get back to me. I have put it on this web site.
Don

Vic - Building a flying machine outta rags 'n sticks are ya? Nice. We did our aerobatic training in a Citabria and have to admit there is something special about inching along wrapped in wood and doped-up fabric. Cool...

Now to Sitka:

As guitar builders, we have sourced and used Sitka on a number of instruments - good stiff, fast stuff when quartered. Not being a forestry guy but with most of the extended family from Oregon and in the business of felling & processing Oregon conifers, we can share that Sitka:

likes acidic, well-drained soils
is not found in any quantity more than 120mi/200km from the sea
is the largest of all picea (?)
has a native range from Monterey, California(36N)to north of Anchorage (61N)
will dominate a stand in a short period of time
Grows as high as 1000m in the northern latitudes
Grows lower (up to 400m) in the warmer climes
largest stands in temperate rain forest

So taking a look at this, may go well on the west coast of Tassie or a similar cilmatic region. Hope that helps.

- Riggsy

BTW - You dealing with Aircraft Spruce & Specialty? If so, PM us if you want a few other sources that we have dealt with in the past.

There are local vendors of Sitka. Try Gilet Guitars, Australian Tonewoods or Luthier Suppliers Australia for starters. Just be aware that the moment anything has lutherie attached to it the price doubles. There are specific requirements as Riggsy has indicated which limit what timber can be used.