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Wood for pedals

Building organ consoles for use with Hauptwerk, adding MIDI to existing consoles, obtaining parts, ...
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JON

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Wood for pedals

PostMon Apr 03, 2017 2:30 am

I’ve started a project of making my own pedalboard. Can anyone suggest the best type of wood for the actual pedals as they must stay perfectly straight once made. Most wood sold from DIY stores (UK) have a high moisture content and when they dry out just a little or the weather changes, they bend. Thanks all.
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mdyde

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostMon Apr 03, 2017 3:54 am

[Topic moved here.]
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
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ppytprs

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostMon Apr 03, 2017 6:41 am

Find a proper wood merchant and get proper kiln dried hard wood. Which one depends on what you want it to look like, but beech is probably a good starting point.
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engrssc

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostMon Apr 03, 2017 10:35 am

Dry, of course, is the word. Some organ builders dry and store their word indoors for many years before working with it.. Well dried wood doesn't come cheap I've found.

A new Hauptwerk fan is also working on building his own pedals. He has gathered a collection of older organ wood (parts) to make use of the best pieces. Quite a project it's turning out to be.

Rgds,
ed
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jwillans

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostMon Apr 03, 2017 11:04 am

Reflecting on the amount of materials and engineering in both pedal boards and (for that matter) keyboards - surely these are components that are more cost effective to buy rather than build? Of course, there are other reasons why you may want to build.
Last edited by jwillans on Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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engrssc

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Re: Wood for pedals

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jerrynazard

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostMon Apr 03, 2017 2:42 pm

My pedalboard has keys of quartersawn ash w/ maple natural and ebony sharp tops.
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostTue Apr 04, 2017 8:02 am

I made a complete pedalboard with just a board of TEKA: it is hard, dry, not expensive and pretty.
Luis
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1961TC4ME

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostTue Apr 04, 2017 12:33 pm

A hard clear Maple is probably going to be you're best bet and is most commonly used for pedal board keys. My Allen pedal board is actually a combination of both Maple and Oak for the keys, Maple on top, Oak as the foundation of each key.

Marc
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organtechnology

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostTue Apr 04, 2017 3:43 pm

profeluisegarcia wrote:I made a complete pedalboard with just a board of TEKA: it is hard, dry, not expensive and pretty.
Luis


What is TEKA? :)
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
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1961TC4ME

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostTue Apr 04, 2017 3:49 pm

organtechnology wrote:What is TEKA? :)


From a TEKA tree of course. :mrgreen:

Marc
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John_Abson

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostWed Apr 05, 2017 3:56 am

Jon; my observation is that making a good radiating and concave pedalboard is quite an ambitious project. Buying material in the UK will not be particularly cheap; buying a second hand pedalboard and refurbishing it would be quicker and likely cheaper; another solution is to buy a pedaboard kit from P&S Organ Supply in Brandon, Suffolk.

If you go the DIY route you might want to find a local manufacturer of timber mouldings (I use one in Sandy, Bedfordshire). They can usually provide the correct profile and dimensions in a variety of hardwoods. B&Q and other DIY stores don't really cut the mustard for what you would need.
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostWed Apr 05, 2017 7:22 am

1961TC4ME wrote:
organtechnology wrote:What is TEKA? :)


From a TEKA tree of course. :mrgreen:

Marc


Marc, right answer: A+¡ :wink:

Thomas: you may take a look to my project here:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=12416&p=91880&hilit=Florez#p91880
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scottherbert

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Re: Wood for pedals

PostWed Apr 12, 2017 9:06 am

There are many hardwoods that are good for the purpose. Here, I like maple, ash and oak, but I don't know what you would have available locally. Try a local woodworker and see what he recommends. Any light colored wood can be stained a darker color, but not vice-versa. Ebony can be applied for sharps, but I like to keep the piece solid and apply a phenolic (plastic) cap. As the others have said, make sure it is DRY! Seal them when you are done.

~S
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