Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

Re: It tamed me...

Mark Meier (Ann Arbor, MI)

>I'm building a box out of it right now. I experienced the same thing you're seeing. Very challenging to plane perfectly. It really is fun to just try -- on scrap, which can gradually be thinned to oblivion!

It does shimmer in the light. Beautiful. Your blanket chest should really be stunning.

Well, I did finally manage to smooth it perfectly. BZZZZWHRLLLLCOUGHHHHH... my box stock has been sanded at 120 then 150 then 180. Take that devil wood. I hope I get at least some of that shimmer back when the finish goes on.

Mark

There is no shame in sandpaper

Mark Harrison -- in Sydney, Australia

>despite the current orthodoxy :-) I have come to live with myself with using sandpaper on Australian Red Gum and I think that you will too.

I think we get a little hung up on this. The timber used today is not the same as the timber used in the past. This is largely because there was such wasteful use of this "inexhaustable" resource in the past. So this generation and the ones to come will have to make their peace with sandpaper :-)

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

paul womack

>I make excellent progress with an LN 164

Do you have a "high angle blade" for the #164?

BugBear

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

Alice Frampton, UK

>In a number of pieces the grain changes direction 180 deg every 3/8" across the width.

Sounds familiar; a dead ringer for my "Board from H*ll" that I tested the LV planes on in fact. I had some spectacular results using the high angle blade in the LV low angle jack, so I strongly second BB's suggestion. The LV scraper did pretty well mind you, but the plane was, if anything, better.

Cheers, Alf

A Question

Todd Hughes

>Why would you want to use a wood that is so difficult to work with? Is it really all that more attractive then easier to work more traditional woods?.....Seems like to me somtimes today some wood is chosen for a project just because it is exotic and hard to work .....Todd

Yes, definitly

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>Properly sanded, stained and finished the ribbon stripe of this wood is spectacular in the right environment. When the stripes are as close as described this wood will be particularly striking. I costs less than western mahogany because African is typically more difficult to work. The Mahogany now coming out of Brazil seems coarse, dull and lifeless to me.

There are lots of woods that are used today that were not used commercially in the past because advances in technology have enabled these woods to be used. Hickory (aka Pecan, comes to mind).

There is something to be said for combining 18th century woods with 18th century techniques. I think I know the reason that quarter sawed white oak(or even rift or flat) was not widely used in 1750, while it was popular in 1920.

does planed wood look better?

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>I have heard the statement made on this Forum that a planed surface looks better than a sanded surface. While this premis is obviously true before the finish goes on, is there really any practical difference in appearance between a properly sanded surface and a planed one after application of a film forming finish, for example shellac?

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Not yet, BB. I'm going to order one today if the local WoodCraft doesn't carry it.

Re: Yes, definitly

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Bill, can you summarize you method of sanding, staining, and finishing African mahogany? As the wood is fairly porous, do you use a filler?

I was thinking of sanding to 120, and finishing with two or three coats of shellac. The shellac should act as a filler, correct? The wood I have is very brown and I want to get a slight reddish hue. I was wondering about adding some dye to the shellac.

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Alf, I've read your reviews and enjoyed them vey much. While working on this wood, your comment about the board from H*LL floated into my mind and I actually wondered if my wood might not be a close relative of yours.

Re: A Question

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Todd, I think the best answer to your question is that frequently, the only way to satisfy a customer's request (or my own for that matter) requires that I stretch my knowledge and attempt to lift my skills to a higher level. Have you ever read "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull" by Richard Bach? One of my favorites! I've gotten a lot of bumps and bruises learning & trying to learn new things but I wouldn't have it any other way ;>)

Hey, Frank - You talking 'bout...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>...sapele? If so, simple oil and/or clear finishes do wonders to bring out the figure in the wood.

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

Philly

>The only way I've had success is using my HNT Gordon smoother-the blade is bedded at 60 degrees and leaves the mahogany glimmering. It will deal with pretty much anything-so treat yourself!

( I have a 55 degree Knight smoother and it is no-where near as good as the Gordon on the crazy stuff....)

best regards

Phil

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

paul womack

>BTW, this grain type is common enough to have a name; it's called "rowed grain"

BugBear

Re: rowed grain

Alice Frampton, UK

>Aaaargh. That's it. I wracked what passes for my brains trying to remember that term for the review. Should have asked the Oracle, shouldn't I? Fool that I am. I'd have probably got a couple of links out of it too... ;~)

Cheers, Alf

Re: does planed wood look better?

Mark Meier (Ann Arbor, MI)

>That's certainly a good question worth discussing, Bill... I don't know the answer. I've never done any kind of testing.

I have had projects where I didn't do a good job of gradually moving through the sanding grits only to find scratches in the finished surface. I couldn't see them amongst the dust. But that was an error on my part obviously, and not a general problem with sanding.

I like to think of myself as a practical sort... As in the case of the box I'm making, if I have trouble planing, I sand, and am happy to get on with completing the project. I am very interested in seeing this African mahogany with the finish applied.

Mark

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

Greg Sloop

>Take your current blade and hone it at a minimum of 50 deg. If your knight isn't doing it at 55, then I suspect you'll get better results at 65-70.

Then order yourself a new blade, and leave it at the standard 25.

I suspect at 60-70deg you'll find it planes a lot better.

Also, I found that lightly "spritzing" with a water mist a few minutes prior to planing made a difference with Lacewood and Sycamore.

Good luck.

Greg

Finish Applied ;>)

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Mark, here is pic of the unfinished rowed grain. The light and dark wood is the alternating grain. Interesting that the colors are reversed in the picture. You can see the tear-out in the 1st row, none in the second, present in the 3rd, and so on. What looks like sap wood is not; it's a different row.

Re: does planed wood look better?

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>Mark, here is another pic. Not of the rowed grain but of a panel. No planing or sanding was done, it's just as it came off the shaper.

I wiped on 1 coat of Zinsner Shellac & 10 minutes later I wiped on some cherry stained poly. I didn't thin the poly, just used it full strength. I'm trying to get more of a reddish tinge to the mahogany. What I have tends to be of the yellowish/brown rather than the reddish/brown variety.

Re: Hey, Frank - You talking 'bout...

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>You're right about that, Scott. I'm playing around with different finishes and think I've found what I want. Getting the grain to flash isn't my problem in this case. I want to add a reddish hue to the wood and I think I've found what works best....red mahogany stain of all things ;>)!!

Re: Anyone tamed African Mahogany??

Greg Sloop

>Just thought I'd clairify.

50 bevel + 12 bedding is 62. I wouldn't grind it at 65 to make 65 + 12 = 79 deg.

I suspect ~55 deg bevel is all you need. That is the angle my highest is at - 55 + 12 = ~67 deg total angle. I'm pretty sure this is where Lyn is with his highest angle blade too.

Cheers,

Greg

Also try...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>BLO or shellac followed by red oak stain. Then finish with more oil or wipe on poly. Nice color and the grain dances from almost black to vibrant reddish/brown color as you walk by the piece.

Re: does planed wood look better?

GolfSteve in Calgary

>If you want red colour in African mahogany try experimenting with a sodium hydroxide (eg. Red Devil lye) wash. About a 1/2 tsp of powder in a pint of water is a good concentration to start with. This really works at giving mahogany that antique reddish colour.

It might be too late once the shellac is applied, but try it on some scraps anyway.

Make that 1/2 to 1 tsp per cup.

GolfSteve in Calgary

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