Hawaiian Koa wood arrived

[Frank Fusco]

As mentioned in another post, I had ordered a box of Koa wood while in Hawaii and had it shipped home. Mail girl brought it a few minutes ago. The standing pieces are 2 byes. The two on right are about 6" wide and 13 1/2" tall, the other is a 2x2. The ones laying down are 1 byes and are nicely figured. I'll make, at least, two pens from the figured and the stands from the 2 byes. Nice wood, very common and popular in Hawaii.
For the record, I paid $44.00 for the wood and $10.00 shipping. He had figured pieces the same size as the 2 byes for over $100.00 each. I couldn't afford those.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Nice get, Frank. Koa is sure pretty wood, and I'm sure you'll get some nice pieces from your boxload. (And from what I've seen, $44 is a pretty good price to pay for the pieces you got.)

Aside from a pen blank I have somewhere, This is the only piece of koa I have, but I would never part with it:

[Toni Ciuraneta]

Nice haul Frank! I whish I could get wood that cheap here!

Are you going to use it on that pen stand you mentioned??

[Frank Fusco]

Nice haul Frank! I whish I could get wood that cheap here!

Are you going to use it on that pen stand you mentioned??

Yes, that is a big part of the reason I bought the wood. What isn't used for that will go to other project. One or two small bowls might emerge from it, plus other 'stuff'.

[Royall Clark]

Great price on the Koa Frank! It is 45 bucks a bf here in the Hilo area and they do measure it out careful like

[Tony Baideme]

Nice wood Frank. I got to get some out of my Koa and cut it up for something.

Hey Royall, can you imagine, Frank came to Hawaii, Didn't call us, AND took some of our Koa from the islands? What shall we do with him?

Great looking axe there Vaughn. Did you build that?

Aloha, Tony

[Vaughn McMillan]

...Great looking axe there Vaughn. Did you build that?...

Thanks, Tony. I didn't build it, but Bernard Rico did. It's one of the original handmade prototypes for the BC Rich Mockingbird. It's a very collectible piece, but I've put a lot of miles on it. The spot you see between the pickups is where my pinkie finger wore through the finish and about 1/8" into the wood. I put a lot of miles on it in the early 80s.

[Frank Fusco]

Great price on the Koa Frank! It is 45 bucks a bf here in the Hilo area and they do measure it out careful like

Glad to know I got a good price. As many of you know, I rarely actually pay for wood. I pick up and much is given to me. This was a real extravagance for me. I almost cried, though, when I had to leave that $100.00 piece of highly figured stuff behind. Some compensation, however, the two 1" byes that have figure are really quite beautiful.

[Frank Fusco]

Nice wood Frank. I got to get some out of my Koa and cut it up for something.

Hey Royall, can you imagine, Frank came to Hawaii, Didn't call us, AND took some of our Koa from the islands? What shall we do with him?

Great looking axe there Vaughn. Did you build that?

Aloha, Tony

Tony, sorry or not calling, we had seven in our traveling party, including three children and were generally on a tight schedule.
Have to admit, a return to the islands another day would be wonderful.

[Royall Clark]

Nice wood Frank. I got to get some out of my Koa and cut it up for something.

Hey Royall, can you imagine, Frank came to Hawaii, Didn't call us, AND took some of our Koa from the islands? What shall we do with him?

Great looking axe there Vaughn. Did you build that?

Aloha, Tony

Yeah... sneaked right in and out real quiet like!!! And to thing you were probably with in 5-10 miles of him

But the islands will bring him back! They always do! Especially when it is below zero outside with 2' snow drifts