Frequently Asked Questions
Wood finish
It's a UV Light curing oil varnish. Non-toxic before and after drying. The best looking and longest lasting finish around. In my humble opinion!
Yes! Here's an example: Refinishing – The Vail Workshop
As rarely as possible. When we do, it's EcoPoxy, a bio-based resin. With small to medium void fills, we use saw dust and shellac.
Yes. Our finish doesn't have any solvents, acid catalysts or heavy metal dries.
Product Care
Treat them like a much-loved pet. Don’t leave it in a car, in front of a sunny window, over a heating vent, or in a damp basement. Wild temperature and humidity swings are wood's worst enemy. You can dust and clean with paper towels and hand soap.
Cleaning rods and instructions will be given for each bamboo and ocarina flute.
Our table finishes will take a beating. Recommended maintenance is a periodic wax, which cleans and protects. You can also use any kind of soap or spray.
LUMBER:
That just means right off the mill, without any planing or sanding.
We hope so! We take great care in stacking properly in the drying process. Every piece dries differently, but most will have less than a 1/4" bow for every 4 feet.
After a piece has fully dried, we then plane it perfectly flat. At this point, it will still need to be sanded to be ready for a finish.
We sand the 'fully prepped' pieces with a belt sander at 80 grit. At this point, the piece is ready for a finish if you want it to look rustic. If you want a professional look, you'll need to go to at least 120 grit.
It's a system of measurement that's wrong on purpose. A 2x4 from Home Depot is actually 1.5"x3.5" and so on. Most non-live edge lumber is measured this way. If we are milling construction grade lumber, we use dimensional measurements. Our live edge slabs are actual measurements.
One board foot is 1" thick by 12" wide by 12" long. A board that is 1" thick by 12" wide by 8' long is 8 board feet, etc.
No! We treat all of our wood with an all natural non-toxic spray that keeps all bugs and mold out of our wood.
Guitars
We will give you all the pros and cons of each wood as we go along. There is no right or wrong, but there's a lot to consider.
Yes. We've done quite a few projects like that. Working with wood that has a story is a lot of fun.
All of my pieces are made from wood. Incorporating elements like brass, abalone and epoxy are welcome.
A lot of factors go into that, but guitars usually take 2-3 months. It all depends on the custom options!
We no longer take in guitar repairs, unless it is a Vail Workshop Guitar. After nearly 30 years, we had to draw the line somewhere!
Shipping & Returns
For premade items, I usually ship same day. No later than 2 business days. For custom items, the wait time will be clearly stated for each.
Worldwide. Shipping costs for larger items can be prohibitive, but I do the best I can to get you the lowest cost.
Yes, 30 days no hassle.
Yes. Our charge within 25 miles of Canton MA is $100 and goes up $100 for each 50 miles. We can also install at no charge if under an hour, which is most jobs. $100/hour after that.