The ZEN of Ancient Kauri by Earl Tharp, Flutemaker
When one decides to work with a piece of Ancient Kauri Wood I suggest that you
wait until the end of the working day when it is quiet. Lay the piece of wood
on your work bench , light a couple of candles, and dim the lights. Put on a
piece of your favorite soothing music, sit back, and enjoy a cup of coffee or
a glass of wine. Get used to working at this pace because this is how you will
be working for a while. Ancient Kauri wood is not like any other wood you will
ever work with.
When we say the wood has been un changed by the ages we are stretching the truth
just a little. Many changes have taken place which is why this wood must be
handled differently from other woods...
During this time a lot of other changes have taken place as well. It is a well
established fact that in the absence of oxygen, anaerobic bacteria begin to
consume the starches within the cells of the wood. This is one fact that contributed
to the sound of the Stradivarius.
This change has also happened to the Ancient Kauri wood. Another change that
is important is that the resins in the wood have sort of fossilized into amber...You
might think of the Ancient Kauri as wood that is impregnated with amber and
this is why you have to GO SLOW. . . .
When you saw a piece of Ancient Kauri wood your saw must be sharp. Clean, and
stable. Even though the wood is very light in weight it is also tight in grain
and impregnated with hardened resins or amber. Anything which causes the least
amount of heat will cause the Ancient Kauri wood to begin to twist and bend.
Recently a cabinet maker associate of mine sawed a piece of Kauri and he said
it continued to move for about a week. If you want crooked wood, saw it fast
and heat it up. A band saw works great but a hand saw is even better. A high
quality balanced blade with a zero clearance insert and micro splitter also
works satisfactorily. Remember . . any friction generated in sawing will warp
the wood.
When you sand a piece of ancient Kauri wood you must remember that it is very
soft. I stay away from it with an electric sander. The heat can cause the wood
to fuzz and the sander marks can be extremely difficult to remove.
Remember the grain on this wood is not regular but twists and turns in every
conceivable fashion. I start with a coarse grit and gradually work my way down
to 2,000 grit in about 15 steps. After the 2,000 grit I soak the piece with
a couple coats of Danish oil (allowing it to set about 20 minutes between coats)
then I wipe off the excess. After the oil hardens for at least 72 hours I sand
again with the 2000 grit then apply 100% carnauba wax with a high speed floppy
wheel followed by a sheepskin buff. At this point the wood looks like very finely
powdered gold floating in a pool of liquid.
Tuning an Ancient Kauri Wood flute is special for me. I use a high speed tool
with a stone burr to burn the finger holes into the wood. This allows me to
very finely adjust the tuning in a way not practical with a standard drill bit.
When I touch the tool to the wood magic happens as a soft white smoke infuses
the air. I am instantly transported back in time in much the same way that a
scent from childhood returns me to those carefree days of my youth, but I am
transported back thousands of years as if some vestige of my prehistoric ancestors
remains in my DNA.
The smell is a sweet, faint, pine like fragrance that lingers in the air long
after the tuning is complete. I have learned to love the smell so much that
I am now making incense from the sawdust and I plan to give a small packet of
Ancient Kauri Wood incense with each flute I sell in the future.
When you are all done working with your Ancient Kauri, turn down the lights
again, light the candles, and enjoy another cup of coffee while you marvel at
the beauty of this fantastic treasure.
