Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: p2pAmps on February 17, 2022, 01:02:50 pm

Title: Cool Ambrosia Maple - Sound clip added
Post by: p2pAmps on February 17, 2022, 01:02:50 pm
So I am getting close to finishing a cab I am doing in Ambrosia Maple.  This a really great wood that I have never built with until now.  What I noticed too was when I rubbed a little alcohol on it to see the grain it turned kind of a reddish tint!  I will do the finish in oil (Rubio Monocoat).  Some of you wood geeks probably already know all about this stuff :)

(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645124359337-ZE9BDGMS5XKXYGODUPIF/Ambrosia+Maple.jpg?format=2500w)
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645124359777-4G90VHHTPDE2K2TOAE9M/cab1.jpg?format=2500w)
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645124359945-JBGF7ESTTA7FYHGAPKWW/cab2.jpg?format=2500w)
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645124361310-NQ5Y6F8Y2I9PB2IMMZ6A/cab7.jpg?format=2500w)
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645124361876-WE9R5RUHYL18XKLY6CYT/cab8.jpg?format=2500w)
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: uki on February 17, 2022, 01:07:07 pm
It does look good indeed !!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: acheld on February 17, 2022, 06:30:40 pm
Not familiar with Ambrosia Maple.  Mostly I've avoided maple in cabs due to weight and lack of resonance (but maybe I've been wrong. . .).

Hard for me to tell -- is your wood planed to 1/2"?

Like your Dumble style cabs.
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: PRR on February 17, 2022, 07:33:36 pm
...Ambrosia Maple....

Ugh! It's got bugs! And fungus!  :icon_biggrin:

https://austinhardwoods.com/hardwood-lumber/ambrosia-maple/
https://www.advantagelumber.com/ambrosia-maple.htm
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: p2pAmps on February 17, 2022, 08:41:10 pm
Not familiar with Ambrosia Maple.  Mostly I've avoided maple in cabs due to weight and lack of resonance (but maybe I've been wrong. . .).

Hard for me to tell -- is your wood planed to 1/2"?

Like your Dumble style cabs.

Nope, it's 3/4" and honestly not that heavy compared to other wood.  This is a softer maple and machines very nicely IMHO.  As far as sound, I think it's pretty great as do the nice folks who buy em up. 

Mr Google says:

Ambrosia Maple
Much like Spalted Maple and other forms of figured maple, Ambrosia Maple is technically not a specific species of Maple, but rather a general description of Maple that has been infested by the Columbian timber beetle. ... Beetles bore into the trees, giving it that discolored look.
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: p2pAmps on February 17, 2022, 08:41:55 pm
...Ambrosia Maple....

Ugh! It's got bugs! And fungus!  :icon_biggrin:

https://austinhardwoods.com/hardwood-lumber/ambrosia-maple/
https://www.advantagelumber.com/ambrosia-maple.htm

No different than most old school musicians!  BOOM!
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: pdf64 on February 18, 2022, 04:16:49 am
Looks great, wonderful wood and excellent craftsmanship :thumbsup:
And yay! the presence control has migrated along the front panel, away from the inputs  :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: tubenit on February 18, 2022, 05:03:35 am
Beautiful job!  Looks great.   My brother in law had a condo not far from Doug in Hendersonville, NC where he did his entire upper wood floors with that wood.


With respect,  Tubenit
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: bmccowan on February 18, 2022, 08:14:01 am
Nice. I built a writing table out of that wood. Monocoat should be great for a finish. I used a homemade tung oil finish followed by several coats of wax and the color deepens and reddens nicely. I have some leftover and plan to use it for a small head cabinet.
Your finger joints look very clean - I am curious as to what jig you use. I have a Freud table saw jig but have thought about switching to a router jig.
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: p2pAmps on February 18, 2022, 04:53:58 pm
Nice. I built a writing table out of that wood. Monocoat should be great for a finish. I used a homemade tung oil finish followed by several coats of wax and the color deepens and reddens nicely. I have some leftover and plan to use it for a small head cabinet.
Your finger joints look very clean - I am curious as to what jig you use. I have a Freud table saw jig but have thought about switching to a router jig.

Hey thanks!  The box joints I do on my table saw using an Incra iBox jig, Freud dado set.  These are 1/2".  The backer board is hard maple to reduce tearout.
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: p2pAmps on February 18, 2022, 04:55:19 pm
Started the oil finish today and man that maple grain is popping great!

(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645224667055-GWB9TIWXLQDQEZDSGWZO/3.jpg?format=2500w)
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645224664740-R5WPSP26HJCZK1HYNRZO/1.jpg?format=2500w)
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645224664891-5GEFAQMP6SJ9E7LURP6A/2.jpg?format=1500w)
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: bmccowan on February 18, 2022, 09:16:17 pm
Thanks for the info on the jig and dado set - my dado set is also a Freud. I think I need to be more careful with the backer board to avoid tear out. of course if covering with Tolex - who cares? But I am damn sick of gluing Tolex. :icon_biggrin:
Lovely cabinet, man. You are inspiring to get mine going. I also have been collecting used pallets and want to do a small cabinet from them. Plane the boards but leave the imperfections. No great reason - just because.
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: tubenit on February 19, 2022, 05:17:11 am
That's a remarkably beautiful cabinet!  Thanks for sharing the photos.


With respect, Tubenit
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: p2pAmps on February 19, 2022, 10:17:32 am
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645287378133-IH9QH4EU7ZD7HLRPGZE1/6.jpg?format=2500w)
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56fbe87462cd94ff6ec9d02c/1645287378446-YMOPHQ7QAEUNC589Q7Y0/5.jpg?format=2500w)
Title: Re: Cool Ambrosia Maple
Post by: p2pAmps on February 19, 2022, 08:54:25 pm
Here's my pal Randy Beavers playing this Ambrosia Bad-Dawg amp I just finished.  Speaker is an Eminence EM12-N... Enjoy