Being as it’s Labor Day Weekend, and I’m out of QSWO, and my lumber yard isn’t open until Tuesday, I turned from my other projects and worked with what I had, a butt-load of mahogany. My buddy was over talking boat stuff, so I asked him to give me a hand with the behemoth boards. We laid out both 3/4” x 18” x 10’ boards on the sawhorses and looked at the magnificent, flowing grain patterns. We picked out the nicest 4’ section and he helped me rough cut it out for the sofa table top.
Now, I at least have two manageable sections from either side on that one board, as the top was out of the middle of the board. It hurt to do this from an economic standpoint, but the value of the finished table improves immensely with proper grain selection.
This is the first time I’ve ever worked with mahogany, much less really dry, old growth Honduran mahogany. I’m going to relish every step. My buddy asked what it will look like finished, so I rubbed some water on the corner and he was blown away.
-- You can't control the wind, but you can trim your sails
6 comments so far
kcrandy
home | projects | blog
85 posts in 325 days
posted 76 days ago
I’ll be very interested in this project. I have a beautiful slab of solid walnut that I finished some time ago for the top, but I’ve been stumped on the legs. I work at an art museum which has some beautiful ancient Chinese furniture and there is a table in the collection in which the slab of wood just sits on an open box like structure. I want to study those joints if I get a chance. I’ll try to get pictures and post and also of the walnut slab I have ready to use. Do keep me updated.
gizmodyne
home | projects | blog
1668 posts in 982 days
posted 76 days ago
Impressive piece of wood. Cool project.
By the way…..What happened to the night stands?
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
CaptainSkully
home | projects | blog
468 posts in 451 days
posted 76 days ago
Randy, that sounds like a magnificent piece of wood. I really appreciate Oriental design & joinery, so please do post anything you can find.
Giz, thanks. I ran out of quartersawn white oak, so the night stands are waiting patiently for the lumber yard to open on Tuesday morning. I ran over there Friday without making the proper pick list, so I left instead of wasting time, or worse, money. I’m also trying to stitch these blogs together, depending on the process. For example, if I have to wait overnight for a glueup on one project/blog to cook, then I’ll work on another and post accordingly. Optimizing shop time is important because it doesn’t help pay the rent.
-- You can't control the wind, but you can trim your sails
kcrandy
home | projects | blog
85 posts in 325 days
posted 76 days ago
I just realized I didn’t see your first to posts on this project. The sofa table I have in mind is quite different. The slab of single-piece walnut I have ready to go is two inches thick and 9.5 inches wide and 54 inches long. It will run behind my sofa, with no drawer.
Napaman
home | projects | blog
3483 posts in 970 days
posted 75 days ago
wow…that wood is beautiful…
-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...
Beginningwoodworker
home | projects | blog
4102 posts in 565 days
posted 65 days ago
Beautiful peice of wood!
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker