I was wondering if anyone could help me out with this. I am looking at building a chambered surfboard (a mini noserider), and came across falcata wood at my local home center (I live in Japan, so my selection of woods might a bit different than in other places), I was wondering if anyone has built a board out of this wood, or knows anything about it. It seems really light, and looks like it would be easy to work with, so I'm looking at giving it a go. I think I can also find pauwlonia ("kirizai" in Japan), but this fulcata is much cheaper and would be easier for me to get. My online research indicated falcata is somewhat similar to balsa, but maybe stronger??? Any comments or advice would be most appreciated.
http://hasana.50webs.com/indowood/albasia.html. I remember talking with Jon Wegener with the first pieces of Paulonia his brother Tom sent him, it was only enough to do a fin, and well now Paulonia has its own following. That day Hap was finishing a cool Balsa that day, and was using a finish sander to take the scratches out, in the other room at Mike’s place in Hermosa. Harold and I were getting the plug-master from HJ, for the Walker 10’2’', that Donald shaped but left it to Hap to go over, if only out of respect. When we returned to the factory in Wilmington that day with the master, I went over it with the fine screen, before the plug was made.
This stuff appears to be better than paulonia from perusing the web page. I have never heard of it, but would love to get a hold of enough to build a board, or a sword, or a shield.
falcata’s grown in plantations here in PH for ‘soft-wood’ uses-- matchsticks, chopsticks, etc. haven’t seen any lumber sold in hardware stores, so you’re lucky to be able to try it out given its affordability & availability where you are. let us know how it works out, build pics pls!
Thanks for the comments, I'm going to give it a go with the falcata. Hopefully I'll have something worthy of posting here. I'll definitely be back looking for advice as I build.
Oze,falcata is very popular in Tahiti ,used to hollow out canoes out of it.Also used in Hawai’i,when canoe builders from all over Polynesia come to put on canoe carving shows(Lahaina canoe festival),strong and light,fast growing,considered an invasive species.
Thanks Kava, good to hear what else it's being used for, especially hearing that it's used in polynesian canoes makes me feel better about choosing it. The guy at the home center/wood shop didn't think it would be good in the water, but not much kiln dried untreated wood is...