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Large Koa pieces for sale - From Phil Brown Wood Collection

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Alex Bradley

Alex Bradley

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Oct 28, 2021
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Location
Louisville, CO
I unearthed some very large pieces of Koa in my dad's wood collection that I now have up for sale. The prices are not for the faint of heart (~$80/bf). The pieces are located in Louisville, Colorado. Because of the sizes and weight of the pieces they will need to be picked up by the buyer.

I found an article that my dad wrote in 1986 that said “I have turned Koa on Jack Straka’s lathe several times, and joined him in cutting a 5’ diameter curly Koa stump on the slopes of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, several years ago.” No way of knowing if this Koa is from that tree but it is my only reference I have been able to find. In any event…the Koa is old and was stored in his climate controlled shop in Maryland until I brought it out last October to Colorado. I have sold two pieces to a sculpture/furniture maker and when he sliced into the pieces he said that the center was between 7.5 and 8% moisture content.

I am attaching links to the measurements of the pieces and photos. I will be selling some of my dad's wood at the Rocky Mountain Wood Symposium in Loveland Colorado in September. I live about 45 minutes south of Loveland. Happy to bring some of the Koa to the symposium if someone is very serious about buying. They are heavy so most likely will not bring the 42 bf chunk unless requested! Happy to also set up showings of the wood either before or after the symposium (or another time).

Please feel free to reach out. Especially if you know more about the original of these beautiful pieces.

Koa Measurements -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u8kcvSBahxMvEGn4yzEAYPSQIBrxQqrzqI5VbUJr-nM/edit?usp=sharing

Koa Photos -
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qOM-LDi1x_dSiduKe_Vk5b-id5kXlW_X?usp=sharing

Cheers,
Alex
303-709-9694
 
Emiliano Achaval said:
If a beginner buys it you have to warn them about the ring shake. Better yet, take that off with a bandsaw…
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

For the less knowledgeable, what is Ring Shake? Especially in relation to Koa? And in relation to these type blanks?

I googled before asking and there was too much info available to pinpoint the discussion point,

Thanks!!!
 
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Lance Mirrer said:
For the less knowledgeable, what is Ring Shake? Especially in relation to Koa? And in relation to these type blanks?

I googled before asking and there was too much info available to pinpoint the discussion point,

Thanks!!!
Click to expand...
that's when growth rings in the wood separate from each other. Once you have had a piece of wood come apart on you from actual ring shake, you learn pretty quickly what to look for, but until it is actually spinning up on the lathe, there are times it still can't be spotted.

Ring shake most often seen as splitting of the wood long grain that exactly follows the path of the growth rings (Basically the lignin that holds together growth rings fails to do its job due to a type of fungus or various other causes such as severe wind storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, tree coming down badly, etc.) It's pretty distinctive from the usual checking and cracking one might see. far as I know no one knows for sure where it comes from.


blog.spib.org

Shakes, Checks and Splits in Dimension Lumber | SPIB Blog | Southern Pine Inspection Bureau

What is the difference between a shake, a check and a split? They are similar in that they all are separations lengthwise in the grain of the wood; however, each has a different origin and a different…
blog.spib.org blog.spib.org
 
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