Want Some Persimmon Wood

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Flute Maker

Mike
User
I am a woodturner and a flutemaker.I would love to try some persimmon wood in any size...well at least a small bowl size.I would love to have some to make a flute too but I havent seen any tree ever that size(I would need a blank about 1 1/2" by 30" long ...Could use something a little smaller if I had a chance .
 

Michael Mathews

Michael
Corporate Member
Mike, would you consider doing a workshop on how to make a Flute? I'd love to see that! Maybe prepare several units in various stages of completion so we can see what and how the process goes? Possibly even a video or series of photos would work too. But a workshop is always nice. I don't know if there's a shorter version, like maybe a flute-a-phone or something similar that the participants could actually work through in a workshop?
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Question for you, Mike. Does the blank for the flute need to have the pith out of it, or could you use a section with the pith in the center that you would bore out?

Roy G
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Plenty of persimmon trees around. One in my yard about 8 inch diameter, had some on my farm about 12 inch diameter. If you are looking for the heart (black) wood then you would need a 30-40 inch tree, or larger, to get 1.5 diameter heartwood.

I have ben thinking about making some more persimmon mallets, if I do I'll save some 30 inch long pieces for you.
 

David Turner

David
Corporate Member
Mike:

How far are you from North Raleigh? I have a piece that may work but you should look at it. It still has the bark on one side.

Don't have any bowl size though.

David Turner
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
I am about 100 miles give or take some from Raleigh.On the workshop I dont really know when MI could do it .I am working so much dont really have time for things around home right now.These flutes I make are rimblown and arent the easiest to play. Rimblowns are one of the earliest to have been made.You blow across them similarly to the way you blow across the coke bottle... If I could start making a different type like the Native American flute that would be easier to do the workshop....once I learn how to make one...Maybe in the future...
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
Roy, If I could bore all the pith out which would be hard to judge.If it just had a little I could fix that probably.
 

David Turner

David
Corporate Member
I am not sure whether you are responding to Mike Davis or to me regarding the "Just let me know on the persimmon"
You are welcome to the piece I have. It is 2 1/4" x 2 5/8" x 36" long and has the bark along one edge. I kept it to make 1 1/2" diameter lathe tool handles. Pure white in color.

David Turner
North Raleigh
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
It is American ebony, but only the heartwood is ebony, the rest is cream colored. Still very hard and tough, but not black ebony.

As I said to get 1 1/2 inch ebony you need a 30 to 40 inch or bigger tree. I have never seen one that big.
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
Well even if I had a small piece to just turn something on the lathe I would like to see how it turns out.Just for something different sometime...
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
Yeah Ive never seen one that big either....If there happened to be a branch that was really straight...not likely...I could maybe bore a hole straight through it.I did that on a piece of dogwood once....
 

Flute Maker

Mike
User
Gosh David,I read the part How far from North Raleigh but didnt finish...I was in a hurry and overlooked it...Sorry really!!!!! Ill send you a pm!
 

saw4you

New User
Jack
Hey Mike,

I have plenty of persimmon!! I usually saw about 30000 ft a year. I can saw a few sticks for you any time.

Jack
 

willarda

New User
Bill Anderson
The person who runs the high school woodworking program (nationally recognized) at Cedar Ridge (his name escapes me, embarrassingly enough!), but he lives out on Old Greensboro Highway west of CH about 5 miles or so. He and his brothers harvest local trees as a sideline and flitch saw them. His air dried lumber is stored in 3 tremendous barns. I bought a QS section of persimmon from him for making plane boxing. The piece was 2+ inches thick (right through the pith) and >24" wide and 5' tall. Still have not used it yet. He had the whole tree sawn and stickered. Oh yeah--just remembered his name: Keith Yow!
 

willarda

New User
Bill Anderson
I do not do instrument making, but I would assume the most critical aspect of the wood would be to have is straight grained, absolutely no run-out along its length. This would give the wood its greatest strength, yet the fibers would be long and straight. Seems like this would contribute to the flute harmonics. Using the wood right around the periphery of the pith would give you a very complicated grain pattern, assuming that you could bore straight down the pith. No law says the pit is going to be straight or even evenly tapered (it represents the initial year or so of the tree). Better to choose your wood to have the properties you want and be able to control that aspect as much as possible.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Bill, I am curious about that piece of persimmon you have that was sawed through the pith. Did it have some splits in it? i read somewhere that persimmon is prone to splitting and that you can't just cut the log down the center of the pith, you actually need to cut on both sides of the pith. The experience I have had with smaller persimmon logs tends to bear this out.

Roy G
 
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