Replies

1. 
   jazzdogg | Nov 05, 2005 10:37pm | #1

   Hi Scott,

   The African mahogany I've been using for the past few years tends to be consistently lighter in color than the Honduras Mahogany I've used occasionally for special projects. Some of it has had fantastic figure, while some has been a little plain-grained for my taste. You can obtain some great African mahogany if you have an understanding lumber vendor who'll let you pick through the boards and select the ones that best satisfy your needs.

   I've resorted to coloring (dye, stain) some pieces of African Mahogany to obtain an appearance that's richer and closer to that of Honduran (which required nothing more than a traditional oil-based finished to pop the grain, protect the wood, and provide the desired sheen).

   The Honduras seems denser and less splintery than the African when carved, and, in my experience, has a nicer and more consistent luster than African when hand-planed. The African has a fragrance, when milled, that reminds me of rubbing alcohol.

   I recently made a Queen Anne stool using Honduras mahogany, and it was a pleasure to work with and carved like a dream. In order to obtain the diagonal grain I wanted for the cabriole legs, I ended up buying a piece of 16/4 stock that was about 5-inches wide and 10-feet long, which cost about $200 here in San Diego.

   Good luck,

    

   -Jazzdogg-

   "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie

2. 
   creekwood | Nov 06, 2005 02:59am | #2

   I believe the African variety is  more coarse-grained than the Honduran. I think the extra money spent for the Honduran mahogany will be well spent, and you'll be much happier with the results. The African wood is more plentiful, and that is when it became more prevalent on the market, when the Honduras mahogany went up in price. It became the alternative, and not because of its qualities.

3. 
   Miami | Nov 06, 2005 03:43am | #3

   Or you could go really traditional with la cosa verdad, da kine -- Cuban Mahogany, Swietenia Mahoganii -- take your winter vacation early, and there's all you can haul away, pretty much for free here in Miami post-Wilma.  Storm doesn't seem to have gotten much coverage nationally, but South Florida got shredded over a very wide area, from Palm Beach to the Keys.  After the storm, Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale) was 97% without power, and my power's still not back on 40 miles south of that, in South Miami.  (I keep hearing Fred Flintstone in my head, yelling "Wiiiiillllmaaaa!")  So, a couple of days loading up mahogany, a couple of days on South Beach ...

   In much of S. FL, Cuban Mahogany is a very common, ordinary 'street tree.'  I saw 5 Cuban stumps in just a couple of miles today on S. Dixie Hwy, where the city has already cleaned up.  Back in the neighborhoods, plenty of folks are thrilled with any help getting fallen trees out of their yards. 

   Plus, the trees are very easy to recognize - that mahogany-colored wood isn't easy to mistake!  The guy I share shop space with has thousands of board feet from years and storms past, he's gotten to where he doesn't even bother unless a >30" diameter crotch is available.

   The problem for your current piece, though, is that it's all still wet as can be ... drying time would be the issue.

   Clay

4. 
   PaDutchman | Nov 06, 2005 03:26pm | #4

         Thanks to those who replied. Seems to be a consensus that African variety is serviceable but certainly no substitute due to grain, coarseness, color, and workability. Since I'm in Pennsylvania, the cuban varieties in Florida are a bit out of reach. Maybe some enterpreneureal knots member will bring a load north?

         Until then, I guess I'll rely on the Honduran. Thanks again!

   Scott