Today I drove up the Skagit Valley to the wonderful PACIFIC RIM TONEWOODS mill to get some koa binding.
This remarkable facility produces the majority of the nations tonewood for acoustic instruments. Sitka spruce, Big Leaf Maple, and now a major supplier of Koa. Here is the welcoming entrance.
Just a couple of the buildings in the facility.
This is a successful business where the president and owner, Steve McMinn can be found out in the cold wet weather planning the cutting of the valuable koa. It is no wonder that the business is successful.
Look at this beautiful Koa. 2 inch thick planks.
A huge stack of koa, imagine how many beautiful instruments will be made with this wood.
Steve took me on tour of the Koa supply. Look at these logs.
Here is the big horizontal band saw that slices these huge logs into planks
Sitka Spruce remains the foundation of the business. here is where the critical splits are made before the wood is sent to the bandsaws,
These photos are just a small view of the wonders to be seen at this terrific wonderland of wood working. I left with all of the binding I will need for many months of ukulele building, and in addition some wonderful tiger stripe maple and terrific bearclaw spruce. What a wonderful afternoon for a lover of wood.