African Mahogany

[Ernie Nyvall]

Today I found some African Mahogany... bunches of it. There are 12 bundles of 8/4 x 8"-12" x 10'. The wood has been sitting around in sort of a lost and found from the pot to a warehouse for about twenty years. Some pieces have dead mold on them from when they were flooded years ago. Some pieces were cut through the mold and apparently it's just on the surface. None that I could see that had mold were rotted. It's now being sold by however much someone wants to buy, but when I asked how much, the guy wanted me to make an offer. I don't have a clue how much it's worth. I've never worked with or cared too much for Mahogany until I saw this stuff. It was dark through the cuts. Some of the pieces were slices through big crotches and it beautiful even in the rough. Unfortunately some of that was cracked.

Anyone know how much it might be worth?

Ernie

[Carole Valentine]

How many bft? I think it runs around $5 to $6 a bft for 8/4 lumber.

[John Hart]

The mahogany I bought today was $6.50/bd ft and I felt that it was a reasonable price considering the figure in the wood...just beautiful. Years ago, I got some old mahogany from some church pews. They were about 100 years old and being replaced with some nice new yummy oak.:rolleyes: Anyway, that mahogany was to die for. The aging and use gave it a unique color. At that time, they sold the wood for $2.

I guess if you were willing to work with the cracks, I would think that it's worth $3 maybe? I would love to get my hands on some.

[John Hart]

Oh...I have to change my mind...I just re-read your post Ernie...At first I thought all of it was cracked. If it's in good condition...then $6 feels right

[Bill Stevener]

Ernie, start with $25.00 for the lot. If it's been there that long, and the guy has no idea of what it is, you may win. Worth a shot, see if he goes for it, if not work your way up slowly. How many pcs in the bundle, or is it 12 pcs.? Just say it looks like junk wood.:eek:

If you win it all for 25, I would like some if you are going to let go of some of it, and when you make a run up this way in the spring.
Hay good luck.
Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Bill Stevener]

One more Ernie, how do you know it's African??

[Ernie Nyvall]

Okay thanks. Carole, I'd say about 2000 bd ft. I'll probably offer him $4. No guts no green stamps.

Ernie

[Ernie Nyvall]

One more Ernie, how do you know it's African??

Well, I don't know for sure. The guy told me the story of it and that is pretty much it. It is mahogany and is a very dark redish brown.

Ernie

[Andy Hoyt]

Go for it Ern; and put some on the next truck to Maine

[Bill Stevener]

Well Ernie, there is $1.00 & up to $8.00 Mahog. I still would start with 25 for the lot.
Bill.

[Mark Singer]

I am not a big fan of African Mahogany....it is unstable...it may look like Genuine/ Honduras...its not...I will not use it for most things anymore

[Ernie Nyvall]

I am not a big fan of African Mahogany....it is unstable...it may look like Genuine/ Honduras...its not...I will not use it for most things anymore

Mark, I don't know anything about Mahogany and woldn't know Honduras fom any other, but you've made me curious. Why do you say it would not be genuine Honduras. Did it get fished out years ago?

Ernie

[Mark Singer]

Ernie,
What was Honduras Manogany is now called "Genuine " mahogany...because it dosen't come from Honduras anymore. Still it is the same species...huge trees and very stable...great for doors and is a great all around wood. Now African....sometimes called Arican ribbon mahogany looks similar...more figure and a lot more twist...it is not stable even when dry....I dont reccomend using it for furniture or anything exterior....not a good value...I was at Austin Hardwood a couple years ago...they said they were the same...in character...this week I was back and told them about the instability ...they said they are hearing it a lot...I just used about 500 BF of Genuine Mahog,...for doors I am making....great wood worth the difference....usually less than $1 a bf

[Cecil Arnold]

Ernie, Mark's right the African stuff is not nearly as good. That said, you might be able to get some mileage out of the crotches if you can re-saw it into nice veneers. Most of the African I've seen has a lot of ribbon on the surface so that might be a good indicator. Don't know how it turns, but the Honduran 12/4 I've turned is great.

[Don Naples]

Ernie: I used some Sapele (African Mahogany) for a project recently. I have used Honduras Mahogany for many projects, so I was interested in the difference. The Sapele produced a strong sweet odor when cut. It did not finish quite as easily, as there is some fuzziness in parts of the grain. Other than that, it worked well and I was pleased with the results. I did not turn it, but have read it requires sharp tools to cut the fuzzy part of the grain. I would use it again, but if turning it (or cutting it again), I would certainly use a respirator.

[John Nicholas]

Price: $ 5.50

8/4 African Mahogany

The heartwood is a light pink-brown that darkens when cut to a reddish brown. It has a medium to coarse texture and a straight to interlocked grain, which can yield a striped or roe figure. The wood finishes well and has a lustrous quality.

This is the entry for West Penn. I've had good luck with their supply and service. Of course freight would be on top of that.

But I really like Bill's advice start low. You can always go up.

John:)

[Chip Sutherland]

I've never heard Sapele referred to as African Mahogany. The Sapele I've seen is very different...but I am no expert. I think $4 is reasonable given the condition and extra work you'll need to 'reclaim' it.

Wish my digital camera battery hadn't died because I've got both Genuine and African mahogany in my shop. The genuine is an even medium brown color throughout. The African is more of a chocolate color with streaks of lighter grain. Turning each is different. The genuine stuff is fairly consistent in density. The African is tricker because the lighter streaks are softer and the darker streaks denser. It's difficult to get African Mahogany to stain up like the genuine stuff unless your goal is a deep dark reddish brown.

I saw a honduran mahogany door in my friend's shop that was being repairing with African Mahogany. I opened my (big mouth) and said to him 'I don't think you should use the african mahogany for the moulding'. He wasn't impressed with my expert eye but said he was having second thoughts, too. :confused: The point is that neither is interchangeable. But both can be worked or turned to a nice pleasing result.

I am finishing 8 church 9.5" collection bowls in african mahogany. I really didn't have any problems. Like all mahogany, it's an open grain wood so scrapers aren't a great choice. Sharp bowl gouges and finishing cuts were my choices. There were 8/4 laminated pieces cut round on a CNC. They aren't as pretty as I like because of the color variations in the laminations.....but like I said......it was FREE to me. :D

I also have some akume and something called blonde mahogany(?). My door-making friend calls akume 'fake' mahogany. When planed, it's light pinkish, plentiful and cheap for manufacturers. In pinch, it can be stained to look like the real stuff because the grain is very similar.

[David Fried]

Ernie,

"Start low, you can always offer more" sounds like good advice. I wouldn't lie to him but I would point out all the known and possible problems: flood damage, mold, rot, checking, hidden checking, insect damage, stresses from improper storage, dry rot, species uncertainty, and anything else you can think of.

Just make sure that truck going to Maine passes through Connecticut!

Dave Fried

[Andy Hoyt]

.... Just make sure that truck going to Maine passes through Connecticut!Dave Fried

You're outta luck David. All truckers know to avoid the tolls and potholes on 95 in CT

[ROBERT SCHUMAN]

The company i work for started substituting Sapale for african mahogany about eight months ago ,personaly I think it looks more like Hondo .It machines much nicer then african and doesnt fuzz up at all, a dead give away of Sapele is it smells like carrots,if it smells sweet its probaly african.

Bob

and 25.00 for the whole lot sounds like agreat idea .I purchesed 500 bft of maple once for 50.00 ........

[Bill Stevener]

He's coming up through IL. on the way to Main.

[David Fried]

You're outta luck David. All truckers know to avoid the tolls and potholes on 95 in CT

Andy,

We replaced the tolls with more potholes years ago. :D

Dave Fried

[Bill Stevener]

Hay Gang, I post this every so often, soon everyone will have it. Every thing you wanted to know about every thing, kinda on wood. Take a look, and while were on it, Mahog.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm

Hope I got it, if not Ill be back and fix it.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>:)

ps: It works, I would recommend one takes the time to read it. Very interesting and educational.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It looks like the guy wants a wee bit much for it. I told him today I'd give $2.50 and he said he'd been selling it for $12.00/bd ft.

..........................Okay then..........................

That was pretty much my reply.

Ernie

[Bill Stevener]

Don't worry Ernie, at that price it will be gone after a while, the bugs will eat it.
Bill............:)

[John Hart]

....he said he'd been selling it for $12.00/bd ft....

Wow! Gulp!

[Cecil Arnold]

Only if it came from Cuba, which is where the best of it (origional mahogany) came from.

[Chip Sutherland]

Here is a pic from some bowls I was doing for a church. The wood was laminated up for me and milled round on a CNC. They weren't very picky about the 'mahogany' they were using because you can see the mix is real obvious in the bowl. The hunk next to it is one of the blanks with CA filling the gaps in the lam glue. FYI...the Dark inclusion is the African Mahogany...the rest is all honduran mahogany. Finished with only Danish Oil at this point.

[Chris Barton]

Ernie: I used some Sapele (African Mahogany) for a project recently. I have used Honduras Mahogany for many projects, so I was interested in the difference. The Sapele produced a strong sweet odor when cut. It did not finish quite as easily, as there is some fuzziness in parts of the grain. Other than that, it worked well and I was pleased with the results. I did not turn it, but have read it requires sharp tools to cut the fuzzy part of the grain. I would use it again, but if turning it (or cutting it again), I would certainly use a respirator.

I too, have noticed this smell, almost chemical in quality. While I prefer Honduran, I really can't complain too much about the sapele. It works nicely (for me) and finishes well.

[Mark Singer]

Hay Gang, I post this every so often, soon everyone will have it. Every thing you wanted to know about every thing, kinda on wood. Take a look, and while were on it, Mahog.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm

Hope I got it, if not Ill be back and fix it.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>:)

ps: It works, I would recommend one takes the time to read it. Very interesting and educational.

Bill , Thanks that is a great resource...probably the best one I have seen.
It does state that Sapele and Africam mahogany are differnt species which is what i thought. It states that African Mahogany is dimensionaly stable and that is incorrect! It move a great deal..and twists. Of course if it wee quartered it would be better...I think it is coming plain sawn and I don't reccomend it for furniture or outdood stuff...i would neever make doors from it..not 8' tall. Although it looks like genuine mahagony it behaves quite differently!

[Ernie Nyvall]

Ernie,
Just make sure that truck going to Maine passes through Connecticut!

Dave Fried

Dave, I missed this earlier. I don't do the "over the road" any more. It's home every day now. I've done over four hundred miles within the city limits of Houston in one day with a trainee at the wheel. After that I need to go home. Training new drivers (someone who has had two weeks of classroom only) is a real riot... or maybe it's that we've caused some.:eek:

Ernie

[Ernie Nyvall]

Hay Gang, I post this every so often, soon everyone will have it. Every thing you wanted to know about every thing, kinda on wood. Take a look, and while were on it, Mahog.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm

Hope I got it, if not Ill be back and fix it.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>:)

ps: It works, I would recommend one takes the time to read it. Very interesting and educational.

Thanks for the site Bill. Very helpful.

Ernie