Sitka Spruce Bungs

JetStream · Post by **JetStream** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:04 pm

I need a half dozen bungs for my Sitka Spruce boom. It is quite difficult to find a little scrap of Sitka Spruce and I wondered if it would make any difference if I just get a standard spruce 2 x 2 from the lumber yard and make the bungs from that. I am planning to bleach the boom with oxalic acid, so the color difference might not be an issue.

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 6:59 pm

Lumberyard spruce is usually "Eastern Spruce", right? That's pretty close in most properties to sitka. Certainly close enough that differential expansion/contraction shouldn't be a problem. Except.... lumberyard wood is usually kiln-dried, and your spars most certainly are not. I dunno if that will create a problem or not, I'm just spitballing.

In terms of appearances, I don't think that color will be as much of a problem as grain density. Most lumberyard stock is new-growth crap, with something on the order of 5 or 6 rings per inch of thickness. I'm guessing that your spars are much more dense old growth timber with 10-12 rings per inch. Again, just spitballing.

Get what you can get and go with it. Just don't fill with epoxy!! ;)

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:27 pm

The sound board in a piano is sitka spruce. If you know where a derelect piano is.......