Sapelle vs Santos Mahogany

[Craig Che]

I just got a large amount of Hondo Mahogany in from a local store. It looks pretty similar to the african mahogany I got a few years ago, is there an easy way to verify what type it is? I was expecting more straight grained but it has quite a bit of figure and variation. I will try to upload pictures tomorrow.

Thanks.

[Frank Drew]

Craig,

You're confusing me; if by Hondo Mahogany you mean Honduras Mahogany (some call it genuine Mahogany, or Brazilian Mahogany) that wood isn't the same as either Sapele or what's called Santos "Mahogany", neither of which is a true Mahogany. Neither is African "Mahogany".

Honduras Mahogany (swietenia macrophylla) can be straight grained or not, depending on how it was sawn; it can also exhibit a wide range of figures.

For my money, it's the best all-around furniture wood, but the real stuff isn't so easy to get these days, which is why lumber dealers have started marketing all these Mahogany wannabes.

Post those pictures, if you can.

[george wilson]

Honduras mahogany has a finer pore structure than sapele,and as said is a true mahogany. You might look for information in identifying wood by micro structures,using a 10X loop. Woods can be identified by looking at the end grain this way,down to a certain level,for example. You could tell the difference in the woods mentioned. The Forestry Service may be able to help.

[Craig Che]

Ok, I thought Honduras Mahogany was the same as Santos. I paid the extra money for Honduras and I want the extra stability from Honduras.

[Jamie Buxton]

Santos Mahogany is harder -- that is, more dent-resistant -- than Honduras Mahogany. Santos is often sold for flooring, and Honduras almost never is used for floors.

[John Gregory]

We just did our vanity is Santos. It is beautiful.

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=111614&highlight=santos