What do you do with boards like this?

[lowell holmes]

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What do you do with boards like this. They have been in my lumber rack for years. They both are about 48" long.
The philippine mahogany on the left is 9"X3/4"X48". The sapele on the right is 8"X1"X48". I can't just throw them away,
but they need to be used in a picture frame, table top, or something. Maybe a foot stool? Any ideas?

Philippine mahogany was popular in the 70's and 80's. You don't see it anymore.

The sapele is a nice board and I could buy more for a project.

Their time has come, but I don't have a project in mind.

[Chris Hachet]

Hold onto them until you know what you want to do with them. Projects turn out better for me when I am building something I am passionate about rather than just something I am building to build it.

I would perhaps suggest a small clock might be a nice project out of these....or they might make nice handles for back saws.

[Derek Cohen]

Drawer fronts.

Use them with a sympathetic wood for the carcase, and make the drawer colour and figure a feature.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[george wilson]

That response is hard to fathom,Derek!:)

[Prashun Patel]

When I have pretty scraps I make kitchen items like cheese boards or spoons/spatulas. Ironically, despite being super-simple to make, they often get the most oohs and aahhhs as guests chomp their charcuterie.

[Kevin Wolfe]

Would sending them to me count as a project?

[lowell holmes]

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Since making the post, I'm thinking about this Becksvoort stool. I've made a painted one for my computer to sit on.
I like the design and it would be fun to build another. It is a handtool project.

If I had a cabinet or case project in mind, I would use Derek's suggestion.

When posting this, I was thinking I'm not the only one with boards like this in their lumber rack.

[Derek Cohen]

That response is hard to fathom,Derek!:)

Of course, George, you'd probably just make a violin or something equally basic :D

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Lowell

One more idea - no, not a violin - what about resawing the boards into decent thickness veneer. You could make it go quite far that way.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Falkner]

If I had them I would resaw into guitar backs/sides. But they would also be good for other small projects like jewelry boxes/cabinets, mirror or picture frames, etc.

[lowell holmes]

Veneer may be the way to go on sapele. I could probably get 6 or seven 1/8" pieces.

The sapele must be planed cross grain to prevent tearout. The thick veneer would be required in order to plane the saw marks out.

Maybe you instrument makers can shed some light on this issue.

[lowell holmes]

Well,

I bought another piece of sapele to go with the piece I already had. It is a piece that is 4/4x7 1/4x12' quarter sawn. It is curly with spectacular figure.

FWIW, I'm starting a keep sake box for my oldest grand daughter to take with here to college when she goes. I know what to do with the board now.:)

If you have never seen qs sapele, you're in for a treat. I may go back tomorrow and buy some more while they have it.

[Art Mann]

If those pieces were mine, I would resaw them into thinner pieces and make keepsake boxes out of them.

[lowell holmes]

That's a good suggestion Art.

When we stumble on to a spectacular piece of wood, it sometimes becomes difficult to determine what to do with it.
I am considering going back to the lumber yard and buying some more of the stack.

[glenn bradley]

Re-saw the sapele and make a sofa table. Mahogany or wenge for the legs/aprons depending if you wanted to go lighter or darker.

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[Jim Matthews]

Sapele and Mesquite look nice together.

I would save the Mahogany for anything where
carving or fine shaping is required.

If you have resaw capability,
Sapele panels on plywood look sharp.

I don't like Sapele for structural elements,
I've found it prone to fracture along
the alternating grain lines.

[Daniel Rode]

I'd probably make a couple of boxes. Perhaps with a contrasting wood. A small presentation or keepsake box makes a nice gift. Or, I might set them back on the shelf and wait for a need to present itself.

[Judson Green]

Or, I might set them back on the shelf and wait for a need to present itself.

+1
Through out the home I've many boards, cut offs and mock up joints that I deem pretty for one reason or another. Who says it needs to be made into something, it maybe be fine just the way it is. One of the things I like about George Nakashima. Perhaps after living with it for a while, in the home, it will speak to you.

[lowell holmes]

The problem is I'm really thinking about getting some more of that quarter sawn Sapele. I need to figure out how to work the wood before I spend a lot of money.

I'm thinking I will try a number 80 scraper on it.

[Al Launier]

Those are beautiful boards! Frame them as is & hang them! ;)

[Jim Matthews]

I ended up sanding mine. I found it impossible to plane, with interlocking grain.
This stuff will split right along the grain lines, if unsupported.

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[lowell holmes]

Well, the structural deficiencies pretty much has me thinking about veneer over maybe soft maple. If that's the case, the piece I have and the new board will make an ample supply of sepele.

I do have veneer making capabilities. I wouldn't be comfortable with anything smaller than 3/32". The only downside to this, is it would preclude using dovetails as a decorative feature.

I'm thinking about a small keepsake box for one of my grand daughters. It would be a small blanket chest design that I have.

[lowell holmes]

This is the box I want to build. It would be 3/8" thick material. The question is, will the sapele be strong enough to prevent failure.
I want to have solid material so that dovetails can be used.


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