Mixing mahogany & sapele

[stuartpaul]

Next project to start soon, - long case clock :shock:

I was hoping to use all my 'recycled' mahogany but now realise I haven't got enough. I'd like to use what I've got (cheapskate? - me?) and wonder if mixing in some sapele would work?

Anyone know if this will work or not? I will have to stain when built to even out the overall colour anyhow as the mahogany has come from various sources and in quite a variety of shades (that's assuming its all mahogany in the first place!! :wink: ).

(OK, - on reflection I should probably say I have a nice selection of reddish coloured hardwood!!).

Thanks

Stuart

 

[Colin C]

You could but unles it is dark, I think you might see it, or put it in the places thatare one piece on its own.
I mean like mahogany on one side of the case but if you use it for a front panel, then I think it might be ok IMO

You could what has been done before and go some thing like American white Builders tulip ) and stain it as the grain is much closer to mahogany.
Plus it does take stain well.
I hope this helps
Colin

 

[Chris Knight]

Stuart,
Another thing - mahogany has a strong lustre and can look very different from different directions, notably along the grain and sideways (think rails and stiles in a panelled door). This can be an advantage or a damned nuisance depending on what you are aiming for. You can kill the effect with enough filler but that gives you a muddy finish.

 

[stuartpaul]

Thanks Chaps,

I suppose I could always buy :shock: some additional mahogany just to finish off. I just wanted to see if I could save a few quid on the way!!

Stuart

 

[Colin C]

Hi Stuart
There is one thing you might not know about mahogany at the moment, it is like rocking horse poo at the moment as it is no longer being cut down .

So you might find it hard to get some unless someone know where to get some 8-[ [-o<
Good luck if you can

 

[ByronBlack]

I can vouch for that - the only time I could buy some mahogany was from a local timber yard who had an excess of window seal ofcuts

 

[stuartpaul]

Right, - so it's back to looking for mahogany look-a-like!!

Anything else remotely similar (but also cheap :wink?

 

[Colin C]

American white, Builders tulip
Colin

Get a little bit ( its cheap ) and try it

 

[stuartpaul]

Having spent a chunk of today measuring and working out what I've got I find myself shorter of mahogany than I first thought.

I'm therefore going to reconsider what I use for the clock. May even use parana pine as I actually like it a lot and it's great to work with.

I'll just have to think of some other mahogany projects!!

Colin, - is that tulip the same as poplar and if so what does it look like 'plain'? Could it be used as the whole clock and then stained or would it look OK as it is?

 

[Colin C]

HI Stuart

Yes it is the same but the small problem with it, is it can have green bits in it some times so unless you can get it all white, then it is your chioce what way you go.

I would say go and have a look at some and see what you might like to do .

Ps You can stain it all if you make the clock out of it