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Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 9:25 pm
by EarlH
Jerry B. wrote:
So I'm gathering the lid is American and the body Circassian with added American trim.
Always remember that the dramatic and expensive pieces of Circassian veneer were used in the most visible areas. Other woods, including walnut were used in other areas so you would have a mixture from the factory. The framed trim around the doors is not Circassian but the dramatic color contrasts and swirls make a machine like this so appealing.

Jerry Blais
Pianos (even most expensive one's) were constructed the same way. They weren't going to use really nice and expensive veneers on the parts of the cabinet rarely seen. And the solid parts, like the carved legs and so forth, are usually a lesser wood. Such as a Rosewood case on a piano, the legs will be walnut and then dark 'grain' streaks added and until you go to refinish the thing, it's really hard to tell what they did. And Victor certainly had people around that knew what they were doing.

If you are going to re-veneer that yourself, I would find someone that sells two-ply veneer. It will be expensive but it's worth it. You'll have much better luck that way and they can do all the book matching et. You'll probably have to knock your lid apart and make a new top for that. Trying to get that flattened out will more than likely be more work than it's worth. That VV-360 I have to do is enough for me. The veneer for it will be close to $400 by the time I have it all bought and it's just regular American walnut with some figure to it. I've never had much luck putting two ply veneer up myself. I have no idea how those guys did that back then with hide glue. Other than they worked really fast!

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:14 am
by Lucius1958
EarlH wrote:
Pianos (even most expensive one's) were constructed the same way. They weren't going to use really nice and expensive veneers on the parts of the cabinet rarely seen. And the solid parts, like the carved legs and so forth, are usually a lesser wood. Such as a Rosewood case on a piano, the legs will be walnut and then dark 'grain' streaks added and until you go to refinish the thing, it's really hard to tell what they did. And Victor certainly had people around that knew what they were doing.
Indeed: I restored a rosewood melodeon some years ago; and found, upon removing the legs, that the raw wood was in fact tulipwood, which had been stained to an excellent imitation of rosewood.

Bill

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:17 pm
by rvwenger
I'm just took some more images of the bottom drawer and needle cup holder. The previous owner used peel and stick veneer that easily came off. What type of wood is this?

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:19 pm
by rvwenger
The needle cup holder.

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:57 pm
by Curt A
My vote is a possible mixture of American Walnut, Circassian Walnut and Burled Circassian Walnut. Burled Circassian Walnut is a form of Circassian Walnut found in growths that develop on the side of a tree trunk, so when mixed they can appear similar.

The answer to this question is not an easy one since there is highly figured American Walnut, regular American Walnut, which looks a lot like Mahogany without the fine grain, Circassian Walnut and Circassian Burls. Circassian tends to have a lot of black streaking and Circassian Walnut Burls tend to have more circular patterns caused by buds forming in the burl growth on the side of a tree.

The top five pics are Burled Circassian and the rest are normal Circassian Walnut...

See this site for the four grades of Circassian Walnut and also American Walnut...
http://www.wattswalnut.com/grades.php

See this site for Burled Circassian Walnut...
http://secretstashhardwoods.com/circass ... url-set-2/

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:22 am
by De Soto Frank
rvwenger wrote:The needle cup holder.
I vote "walnut", American ?

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:24 am
by De Soto Frank
rvwenger wrote:I'm just took some more images of the bottom drawer and needle cup holder. The previous owner used peel and stick veneer that easily came off. What type of wood is this?
I don't think the drawer is walnut, or mahogany for that matter.

Maybe poplar or gum ?

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 5:20 pm
by rvwenger
A big thank you to Victrola Monkey for the horn. My start to getting this L-Door back in shape.

He does know how to safely ship !!!!

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 9:40 am
by Victrola-Monkey
Glad you are pleased Ron. Being a Captain of my “ship”, I always set my course to be a bit overboard and just can’t help but handle with the most care. It’s the love for the dog.

You got yourself an awesome project and I’m sure you will get lots more satisfaction from your Circassian L-door project with lots less investment than $6050, like me for mine (price includes auction fees).

Re: Walnut 1911 L Door - What type of Walnut?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 11:27 pm
by Lucius1958
Victrola-Monkey wrote:Glad you are pleased Ron. Being a Captain of my “ship”, I always set my course to be a bit overboard and just can’t help but handle with the most care. It’s the love for the dog.

You got yourself an awesome project and I’m sure you will get lots more satisfaction from your Circassian L-door project with lots less investment than $6050, like me for mine (price includes auction fees).
"You are well on the way to misuse of your tools, possibly involving your monkey."

- Russell Edson, "The Clam Theater". :monkey: