I am about to start two hope chests, both out of mahogany. I thought I would make the bottom from solid aromatic cedar. I would like to line the remainder of the inside with cedar veneer. I have heard that veneer must be applied to both sides of a piece of wood.
So my question is; can I put the cedar veneer on only one side of the mahogany?
I am using regular 4/4 stock for the box.
Thanks,
Tim Henshaw
Replies
I've seen chests like you're making that are lined with thin cedar planks, they're not attached to the sides by glue. I think veneering the inside, and leaving the outside alone is an accident waiting to happen. Just my opinion.
I have been using shellac on mahogany for years with good success. I apply the dewaxed shellac to the sanded mahogany and it brings out all the color and grain. You will need to apply a number of coats as it will raise the grain and a very light sanding will smooth it again. Shellac is great inside the chest as it has no odors. I like the dewaxed shellac, aka, sanding sealer. On the outside you might wish to add a poly over the shellac. You can use either water or oil based poly over the dewaxed shellac. Enjoy, Roger.
Some years ago I built a lot of hope chests, about 400 in all, mostly pine, walnut and cherry. I used unfinished solid aromatic cedar panels for the bottoms only, it is plenty of cedar to keep the smell and ward off moths.
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