Best Tipping Brush...

[jon hansen]

honduras mahogany is endangered . lesser woods are sold as similar.

so i read

 

[TomY]

honduras mahogany is endangered . lesser woods are sold as similar.

so i read

Here's three woods, finished:

Foreground, first piece. This is a piece of original 1961 mahogany reclaimed from my cockpit. Milled into a rail and stile for a door, you can see the mortise and tenon joints holding it together. It only has varnish on it, no filler stain. Beautiful wood, Alden spec'ed Honduran mahogany.

Middle piece, laying horizontal. This is a piece of a renewable tropical hardwood sold as 'mahogany', which I use often for boat projects. Works well with tools, rot resistant, strong. It has only varnish applied. You can see the pores are more prominent than the mahogany, but it's hard to tell the difference on the boat. I pay about $8 a board foot, down the street at a local lumber supply.

The last piece is cheap 1/2" Luan plywood. I added a filler stain before varnishing. For a piece that doesn't show that much, it's a great faux 'mahogany' veneer, when you need one.

 

[HighCs123]

do you happen to know what this "renewable tropical mahogany" is called?
is it an actual mahogany wood?
I say the comparison looks very good.
I like seeing real pictures like these posted.

 

[TomY]

do you happen to know what this "renewable tropical mahogany" is called?
is it an actual mahogany wood?
I say the comparison looks very good.
I like seeing real pictures like these posted.

\

What I get, may be Sapele, which is a Honduran or African tropical hardwood. I think I've heard, "Honduran Mahogany" used, but it's not a true mahogany.

I find the look comparable, too. I have used it for repairs side by side mahogany, and only a wood scientist might notice a difference. Standing alone, it's a great wood for boats.

I made new handrails from it a few years ago.

Then, new dorade boxes last year.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Sapele is used as a high-end mahogany substitute. Honduran mahogany is a true mahogany and is a name given to all South American mahoganies even though there was originally a distinction between South American mahogany and Honduran (considered to be the best of all the mahoganies) African mahogany is excellent but not a true mahogany. Sapele is from Africa. Philippine mahogany is luan, not a mahogany at all. A magnifying glass will show tiny white crystals on the pores of luan. There are actually quite a number of good mahogany substitutes but sapele is the most common and hardest to tell the difference. Okoume is another mahogany stand-in from Africa. You can get all of these in marine grade, Lloyds certified, plywood.
This is a great link of you want to know about woods. http://www.wood-database.com

- Will (Dragonfly)