So, around 5-6 years ago I first heard of "The Tree" and if my memory serves me right it was from
a post here on AZ, might have been JoeyInCali but not sure about the poster.
The story of that tree is very interesting and with me very much liking high figure rare woods
that would work well in a cue a mission started. I had to get some of this wood.
Well, that's not as easy as it sounds. Very, very little of it comes up for sale at all and when it
does it is almost always 1.125" thick, pretty rough cut. So, ok for points and inlays but even a
forearm is cutting it really too close for comfort at the prices this wood goes for.
A piece with tortoise shell figuring averages at around $12-1500 per board foot. In just the right
dimensions you could build 4 cues from 1 board foot but more likely you're looking at 2 if the wood
comes from The Tree. Very rarely does a piece that is thicker then 1.125" come up for sale and
when it does you better be ready.
So, for about 5 years I have been ready and a few days ago the opportunity finally arrived and I
was able to purchase a few pieces of The Tree. Most of it 2"+ thick (most of The Tree was originally
cut at the sawmill to 1.125" thick) and most importantly all very solid and all with very well defined
tortoise shell figuring. Please don't ask me what I paid cause after what I wrote about the price of
general tortoise shell you can probably imagine that the 2"+ thick version wasn't cheaper:wink:
Anyway, here is some nice reading about "The Tree" if my story interested you.
Does anyone know if any of "The Tree" has made it into a pool cue yet?
http://bedellguitars.com/blog/the-tree
The original woodworking magazine's article about The Tree from 1985:
http://oldsite.gotfolk.com/artists/mermerguitars/documents/321_5551_QuiltedMahogany.pdf
gr. Dave
a post here on AZ, might have been JoeyInCali but not sure about the poster.
The story of that tree is very interesting and with me very much liking high figure rare woods
that would work well in a cue a mission started. I had to get some of this wood.
Well, that's not as easy as it sounds. Very, very little of it comes up for sale at all and when it
does it is almost always 1.125" thick, pretty rough cut. So, ok for points and inlays but even a
forearm is cutting it really too close for comfort at the prices this wood goes for.
A piece with tortoise shell figuring averages at around $12-1500 per board foot. In just the right
dimensions you could build 4 cues from 1 board foot but more likely you're looking at 2 if the wood
comes from The Tree. Very rarely does a piece that is thicker then 1.125" come up for sale and
when it does you better be ready.
So, for about 5 years I have been ready and a few days ago the opportunity finally arrived and I
was able to purchase a few pieces of The Tree. Most of it 2"+ thick (most of The Tree was originally
cut at the sawmill to 1.125" thick) and most importantly all very solid and all with very well defined
tortoise shell figuring. Please don't ask me what I paid cause after what I wrote about the price of
general tortoise shell you can probably imagine that the 2"+ thick version wasn't cheaper:wink:
Anyway, here is some nice reading about "The Tree" if my story interested you.
Does anyone know if any of "The Tree" has made it into a pool cue yet?
http://bedellguitars.com/blog/the-tree
The original woodworking magazine's article about The Tree from 1985:
http://oldsite.gotfolk.com/artists/mermerguitars/documents/321_5551_QuiltedMahogany.pdf
gr. Dave
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