# Supplier RFQ — Cajón Family Build (Q2 2026 batch)

Heifer Zephyr Instruments is producing a coordinated three-member cajón family (Compact / Standard / Bass) in four manufacturing variants, with optional snare. This RFQ summarizes the time-sensitive supply needs for the first batch (one Standard prototype + materials reserved for follow-on Compact and Bass).

## Lumber

| Need                                            | Quantity (per family) | Spec                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| Black walnut, 4/4, S2S, FAS                     | ~24 BdFt              | Body panels (sides + top + bottom) all 3 members |
| Hard maple, 4/4, S2S                            | ~6 BdFt               | CNC inlay primary wood + V4 spline stock     |
| Yellowheart, 4/4 turning blank                  | ~2 BdFt               | Inlay accent (CITES verify if shipping)      |
| Cherry, 4/4, S2S                                | ~2 BdFt               | Inlay accent                                 |
| Maple, 4/4, offcuts                             | ~1 BdFt               | Snare mount block                            |

Preferred suppliers: Bell Forest Products (walnut + maple), Cook Woods (yellowheart + figured/specialty stock). Local pickup acceptable if equivalent grade.

## Plywood

| Need                                                   | Quantity (per family) | Spec                                         |
|--------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| Baltic birch ply, 1/2″, BB grade, 24″ × 30″ sheet      | 2 sheets              | Back panels for all 3 members + spare        |
| Baltic birch ply, 3 mm (~0.118″), BB or BB/B grade     | 2 sheets (24″ × 30″)  | Tapa face for all 3 members + spare          |

**Critical:** BB grade or better. Big-box-store "birch ply" is not the same material — different layer count, different surface veneer, and acoustically inferior. Ocooch Hardwoods is the preferred US supplier; equivalent UK/EU sources are fine.

## Snare

| Need                                | Quantity (per family) | Spec                                          |
|-------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| Acoustic guitar string set          | 3 sets                | D'Addario EJ16 or equivalent (.012–.053)      |
| Guitar tuner pegs, 3+3 set          | 3 sets                | Stewart-MacDonald acoustic-machine block, OR equivalent single-action snare-block |

For optional snare-wire variant (variant C of snare): one 14″ section of PureSound Custom Pro 20-strand snare wire per family.

## Hardware + finish + consumables

- Solid brass #6 × 3/4″ slotted flathead screws — 100 ct minimum (McFeely's preferred — solid brass, not brass-plated)
- Self-adhesive rubber feet, 1/2″ tall — 16 ct (4 per drum × 3 drums + spare)
- Titebond III, 16 oz — 2 bottles
- 100 % pure tung oil, 16 oz — 1 bottle (Real Milk Paint or equivalent)
- Citrus solvent (for cutting first tung-oil coat) — 8 oz
- Arm-R-Seal satin polyurethane, 1 qt — 1 can
- Sandpaper progression 80 / 120 / 180 / 220 grit — 1 shop set

## CNC bits

- Amana 45739 — 12.4° tapered ball-nose, 1/4″ shank — 1 (good for 5+ inlay panels)
- Amana 46176 — 1/2″ straight-flute spiral, 1/4″ shank — 1 (V1 finger joint)
- Amana 45813 — 14° dovetail, 1/2″ — 1 (V2 only; optional)

## Lead time and questions for prospective suppliers

1. What is current lead time for the spec line items above?
2. Any minimum order or freight thresholds we should know?
3. Plywood: can you confirm sheet thickness within ±0.005″ on the 3 mm tapa stock? (Inconsistent thickness changes plate (1,1) by ±5 % and is the single largest acoustic risk on this build.)
4. Walnut: is figured / curly grade priced separately from FAS? We may upgrade for the showpiece variants.
5. Yellowheart: please confirm CITES status for your stock — we may eventually ship internationally.

Please reply to tonykoop@gmail.com with current pricing and earliest ship dates.