# Best Finish for African Mahogany Table



## Goatlocker (Dec 31, 2012)

I am currently making a Mahogany hall table and need to finish it. While I have quite a bit of experience with brush on poly I have switched over to using different finishes. I am planning on using a pigment or dye to get the table a litte darker but am nervous about using grain filler, shellac then final coat of lacquer. I do have a HVLP sprayer that I have started using recently but looking for ideas or advice. I have attached a couple of pictures of the table, it is not finished yet, still a lot of rounding corners and sanding to get done but I figured I would start the process of deciding on a finish now. Thanks in advance for any help.


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

Sorry that I can't help with the finish, but it looks like great workmanship. Nice job!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

One of the colored Timbermate Grain Fillers would both fill the grain and darken the stock. They have a mahogany but the Brazilian Cherry will probably be darker. You will need to test on scrap,sand, then wipe with MS to see what your final color will look like. That Timbermate is good stuff and very easy to apply/sand off excess.


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## Bill7255 (Feb 23, 2012)

Hi

I am making cabinets out of African mahogany. I would also like a darker look. You said you were going to use a pigment or dye and I was wondering how you were going to use it? I was going to use the zinsser dewaxed shellac 50-50 as a sealer and then use the Target 6000 lacquer. I am under the impression you can use the shellac under just about any coating. I will watch this post for information of the more experienced.

Bill


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## rossboyle52 (Dec 31, 2012)

"Beautiful Table" Just incredible craftsmanship! Have you considered sealing it with several coats of a good wax and hand rubbing the piece then letting time take its coarse with the darkening of the wood? 
A few years ago I built a couple of children's rocking chairs for my 2 granddaughter's from Brazilian Cherry and that is what I opted for. It took a couple of years for the wood to deepen in color. Now the grain really pops.


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## Goatlocker (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks for the responses so far. Just to update, yes I have considered just waxing but I have not seen how this turns out as of yet. The pigment or dye I want to use is still up in the air, the guy I get my wood from did a beautiful table with a red dye mix and his table looks great. Maybe I can just get his recipe to get the color started. Thanks for the tip on the filler.


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

Most diffidently recommend the wood filler after that what ever finish strike your fancy…BC


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## Goatlocker (Dec 31, 2012)

Just got the final sanding done and was experimenting with grain fillers and the dye today. I decided on the transtint Red Mahogany for the dye but realized my first test batch did not have enough dye in it. So far I like the whole dye concept a lot better than staining.


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## Bill7255 (Feb 23, 2012)

Very interested in how that will work. I have that dye and tried a little using denatured alcohol. I was afraid about getting it even because the denatured alcohol dried too quickly. I was eventually going to try other mediums to apply the dye. What are use using?

bill


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## Kelby (Oct 19, 2011)

Set it in the sun for a day, then use a Danish Oil finish.


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## Goatlocker (Dec 31, 2012)

Well the dye is complete. Just finished glueing everything up and will start the shellac tomorrow. Filling the grain is kind of a PITA but obviously worth the trouble. I will say that a little dye (transtint) mixed with water gives you much more than you can imagine. A quart goes a really long way but I will just keep the extra in a mason jar sealed up. Using the water worked great as it gives time to completely wipe down a piece of wood or side of cabinet etc without drying.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

I see you already dyed the wood.

Something to consider next time would be potassium dichromate. I posted an entry on the technique a while back…


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## Goatlocker (Dec 31, 2012)

so here is a picture of it so far. Yes I realize I have some orange peel going on, I had the first coat spraying to thick and noticed it to late but I will take care of that by sanding it back a little then more coats of shellac. I need to start using the camera instead of the phone to take some real pictures but I think you all can get the idea.


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

It looks good now and will only get better.


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## Goatlocker (Dec 31, 2012)

Almost done, shellac is complete, just waiting to decide if I want to wax it


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## sscartozzi (Jul 31, 2013)

I think you pick the right tone. Well done. Did I miss it? Did you use a grain filler?


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