Replies

1. 
   kmack | Mar 03, 2009 02:16am | #1

   most often in classic designs mahogany would have been matched with a light toned wood such as a figured maple. Much of the early American federal era furniture used Satinwood ( which can be purchased as veneer /african or ceylon) also a wood called Movingue is a substitute for satinwood and can be purchased in solid at Woodcraft stores ( just bought some). Also any of the rosewoods family which is darker is a nice compliment. I use cocobolo in inlays I make myself for federal peices. I also like zebrawood, Its quite striking and frankly just cool to tell people its made with ZEBRAwood

1. 
   WoodPC | Mar 03, 2009 04:20pm | #2

   Kmack, thanks very much.  Exactly what I needed.  As most of my previous projects have been in oak, this represents a 'branching out' for me.  (If things go well I will post a picture!)

   Thanks,Joe

1. 
   kmack | Mar 03, 2009 06:56pm | #3

   If you would like you can check out some examples of these wood contrast choices at my website...ya I know Im plugging my work, but it is a chance for you to see the results of just what we have been discussing, http://www.kevinmackfinefurniture.com

1. 
   WoodPC | Mar 04, 2009 02:02am | #4

   You do very beautiful work.  Thanks for sharing.  I aspire to such work, but only time will tell.  I noticed the one piece on your site that is shown in mahagony is much darker than my stock.  Did you stain or finish the wood on the Jewelry Wall Cabinet?

   Joe

1. 
   kmack | Mar 04, 2009 07:00am | #5

   The jewelry cabinet is Walnut and quilted maple with an oil and shelac. The regency period Klismos chair is Honduras Mahogany and satinwood,also with oil and shelac. The Mahogany we can get today is not of the quality our predecessors were using, but there are some things we can do to enrichen the color. Most often I will just allow it to oxidize after I finish the final sanding. This is done by letting it sit out close to but in direct sunlight. After several days it will darken,then I oil it with a 50/50 mix of boiled linseed oil and turpentine. The oil adds depth, the turpentine ( both of which must be fresh) acts as a dryer and lets you add the finish in 24 to 48 hrs. The beauty of shelac is its easy to apply, it dries quickly, and it comes in a variety of colors (super blonde, blonde, orange, garnet and buttonlac). With a wash coat of superblonde followed by a coat or two of garnet, then two final coats of super blonde then wax. Five coats might sound like alot but they can all be done in about three days.The blonde wash coat( athinner version of the full strength shelac) and both garnet coats in one day, let cure for 24hrs. then steel wool with 0000, clean and apply the 2-3 final blonde coats. Again steel wool after 24hrs of curing time, clean and wax.

2. 
   dkellernc | Mar 04, 2009 05:48pm | #6

   Joe - No disrespect to Kevin, but he's got a few items in his replies about finishes that needs some expansion.  In particular, turpentine is not a drier for linseed oil, at least in regards to the common woodworking usage of the term.

   Linseed oil, like tung oil (sometimes called chinawood oil), and to some extent walnut oil, cures by reacting with the oxygen in the air to form a semi-solid.  This reaction is excruciatingly slow in its native state, so so-called "driers" are added.  In the past, this was oxide of lead (white lead) added to boiling linseed oil.  Naturally, this compound is quite toxic, so substitutes were found for lead oxide in the 1970s - these are primarily salts of cobalt.  Regardless of how it's processed, the label "boiled linseed oil" stuck and is the material you need for finishing wood - raw linseed oil will never fully cure on wood.

   Turpentine and odorless mineral spirits can both be successfully used to thin linseed oil.  That makes the application easier, and to some extent reduces the viscosity of the oil so that it will more fully enter pores in wood.

   With regard to a contrasting wood for mahogany, Kevin's right that satinwood was often used as a contrasting inlay wood in the US Federal period.  However, because it is such a dead-ringer for satinwood in an old piece, many older texts have mis-identified all of the light wood inlay as satinwood, when much of it is actually figured birch.

   Obviously, Birch will be a lot easier to come by than Satinwood as lumber (satinwood veneer is pretty easy to come by), and a great deal cheaper.  Holly is also a wood that makes a nice constrast with mahogany, though when you first make the piece it will look very garish.  After a coat or two of BLO (Boiled Linseed Oil), followed by blonde shellac, the Holly will take on a pleasing, golden-yellow tone that's a good contrast with Honduran Mahogany.

1. 
   WoodPC | Mar 04, 2009 10:17pm | #7

   Thanks much for the follow-up.  I'm not yet to the finish stage.  Actually not even to the build stage.  Still waiting on my new saw.  But I definately will refer back to your comments and Kevin's when I get that far.

   Thanks!

   Joe

2. 
   kmack | Mar 05, 2009 06:33am | #8

   Good call on the linseed oil mistake. Big difference between the two, and I did mean the boiled variety. As far as the wood choices you are also right on in the misidentification of the woods, although Im not sure you can mistake satinwood(ceylon) to figured birch. The birch, being locally grown and cut was a favorite choice (especially crotch) But I have had trouble finding crotch birch in veneer or solid. Regular figured birch(flame red or yellow) is of course quite easy to find. The grain in satinwood ( african or ceylon) is quite different to that of birch, satinwood being an open grained wood similar to mahogany while birgh is a closed grain wood akin to maple. That being said add 250 yrs. of age and countless coats of shelac and wax and its very probable that many woods are misidentified. In fact there are several examples of this instance in Robert Mussey's Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour. Rather than guess at a peticular type of wood Robert often  refers to them such as a "rosewood type" or equivilent. Many woods oxidize to the extent that they become almost impossible to identify. My thoughts on holly are that its great for inlay but kind of bland of grain to use as an accent wood all by itself.

1. 
   dkellernc | Mar 05, 2009 09:47pm | #9

   Kevin - Have you tried Berkshire Veneers?  It's a favorite among SAPFM members, and I seem to recall that they had crotch birch veneer at one point.

1. 
   kmack | Mar 06, 2009 03:54am | #10

   I do shop at Berkshire quite often, enough that they know be by name. Just bought some amazing fiddleback macassar ebony veneer, though for whatever reason I never thought to ask if they had any crotch birch. I have a sickness when it comes to wood and veneer, I have amasssed quite a collection. Whether I will ever get to use all of it, I dont know but I cant help myself. I will often stare at certain boards for months thinking of what I might make with it. I plan to use the ebony veneer for the apron of a tiger maple demi lune table thats in the works.