MEET BRUCE CREPS proprietor of NOTABLE WOODS.
Today I got on the ferry and went to visit Bruce on Lopez Island in the heart of the beautiful and famous San Juan Islands. Bruce has a terrific shop beside his home on this most rural of the San Juans, A quiet refuge from where he ships marvelous instrument wood around the globe.
I was after some of the luscious Claro Walnut that he has been hoarding for many years, and some Koa from his considerable supply of this scarce wood. I learned that Bruce has lived in Oregon's Willamette Valley where he got much of his walnut, and in Hawaii where he has contacts that from time to time find him some nice koa. I came home with enough figured Claro walnut for three instruments and enough koa for another four. I also was able to persuade him to
saw some wood for me. He does not do custom sawing normally and so I consider myself very fortunate that he did some for me on his terrific equipment. This is a man who knows what he is doing!
Today I got on the ferry and went to visit Bruce on Lopez Island in the heart of the beautiful and famous San Juan Islands. Bruce has a terrific shop beside his home on this most rural of the San Juans, A quiet refuge from where he ships marvelous instrument wood around the globe.
I was after some of the luscious Claro Walnut that he has been hoarding for many years, and some Koa from his considerable supply of this scarce wood. I learned that Bruce has lived in Oregon's Willamette Valley where he got much of his walnut, and in Hawaii where he has contacts that from time to time find him some nice koa. I came home with enough figured Claro walnut for three instruments and enough koa for another four. I also was able to persuade him to
saw some wood for me. He does not do custom sawing normally and so I consider myself very fortunate that he did some for me on his terrific equipment. This is a man who knows what he is doing!
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In these pictures Bruce is first squaring up my wood on his huge planer. Once square he is able to take it to his bandsaw and saw perfect slabs in about any thickness he desires. I told him I wanted this rare piece of Juniper sliced as close to 100th of an inch as he could do it. It is exactly that, I will now be able to sand it down to .080 or maybe even .075 as I try this lovely and interesting aromatic wood in ukulele tops.
The workshop is very impressive. Excellent machines, orderly and organized, a quiet and ubiquitous dust collection system, wonderful woods stacked everywhere, A wood whore's dream. I loved it.
The workshop is very impressive. Excellent machines, orderly and organized, a quiet and ubiquitous dust collection system, wonderful woods stacked everywhere, A wood whore's dream. I loved it.
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These pictures will give you a sense of the quality of his machinery. The Hitachi band saw is running a 2 inch blade with impressive controls. The photo on the right is of Bruce's home made and I presume home designed feeder device that pushes wood through the band saw while holding it firmly against the rollers shown. Wow is this an improvement on my poor old bandsaw. No wonder I cannot saw a thin slab.
Tomorrow I will show you some of the wood that I bought and some of the wood that Bruce sawed for me. Some very interesting experimental uke wood. Ever thought of a uke with a soundboard of Pacific Yew, or Redwood, or Rocky Mountain Juniper from the shores of the San Juan Islands, or Douglas Fir from the great Northwest.
I am going to have some fun this winter. Stay tuned. Oh, and if you are building ukes or guitars and want some fine wood, Bruces web site is www.notablewoods.com.
If you want some wonderful spruce or maple for building just email me, I have some of the best that I will sell you very reasonably. You have my website, give me a call at 360-303-2418
Tomorrow I will show you some of the wood that I bought and some of the wood that Bruce sawed for me. Some very interesting experimental uke wood. Ever thought of a uke with a soundboard of Pacific Yew, or Redwood, or Rocky Mountain Juniper from the shores of the San Juan Islands, or Douglas Fir from the great Northwest.
I am going to have some fun this winter. Stay tuned. Oh, and if you are building ukes or guitars and want some fine wood, Bruces web site is www.notablewoods.com.
If you want some wonderful spruce or maple for building just email me, I have some of the best that I will sell you very reasonably. You have my website, give me a call at 360-303-2418
