Walnut, mahoghany, project choices?

[Frank Hagan]

I love the look of walnut, and its cheaper than white oak right now, so I'm considering it for my home office re-do. I'll have a built-in wall unit that incorporates a "platform" that drops down like a Murphy Bed type of thing but is designed for an Aero bed, so it won't have to have the thickness and heavy hardware a Murphy Bed has. There will be a moveable desk with an updated library table design (modeled after my grandparents library table). There's a fair amount of case work to do that lends itself to face frame construction but I don't see walnut plywood available. Is there an alternative that would look good with walnut face frames? Or is there a source for walnut veneer that would work?

The other option is to go with another dark hardwood like honduran mahogany, which I can get in ply as well as hardwood. I'm open to suggestions!

[Tom Jones III]

IMO a person is crazy to use any wood other than walnut. If I had to make an exception it would be for Honduran Mahog. You should do fine with either one. Every hardwood lumber yard I've been to has walnut ply. Surely you've got one in your area. Possibly the one that doesn't have it can order it?

Which ever wood you choose, just make sure that you can get a plentiful supply so that you aren't 75% done and find out that it is getting hard to get Hond. Mahog.

[Dave Noftz]

I agree with Tom that most lumber yards should carry walnut ply. If you can't find a local source, Boulter Plywood stocks it: http://www.boulterplywood.com/.

Dave

[Frank Hagan]

IMO a person is crazy to use any wood other than walnut. If I had to make an exception it would be for Honduran Mahog. You should do fine with either one. Every hardwood lumber yard I've been to has walnut ply. Surely you've got one in your area. Possibly the one that doesn't have it can order it?

Which ever wood you choose, just make sure that you can get a plentiful supply so that you aren't 75% done and find out that it is getting hard to get Hond. Mahog.

I haven't actually checked at the hardwood dealers ... I have two good ones locally, so they might have it. I was going by their "stock list" on their web sites, and they don't list it, then I googled "walnut ply" and was starting to get concerned.

I usually over-buy for my projects (except the boat, but I was trying to sneak that project through). I figure if the LOML has agreed to let me buy wood, I'm buying WOOD!

[Tom Jones III]

FYI, if you've never bought hardwood ply before ... sit down before reading further .... 3/4" A1 walnut ply costs me $101.

[Frank Hagan]

Ouch! I'll have to see if I can minimize the use of it then!

Maybe a lot of brown painted MDF? :D

There is a potential for a lot of it to be used on the portion that is hiding the bed platform, so I'll have to figure out how to design around making this the most expensive project I've ever done!

[Tom Jones III]

One of the lumber yards that I use has 3/4" okoume for around $22. It is a very nice looking plywood that I use as a secondary wood on many projects, right now I am using it for the back of a chest of drawers. LOML can stain it to look good with honey colored oak or walnut.

[Charlie Plesums]

My first choice is also walnut, but if you are considering Mahogany, and are considering staining it, look at Lyptus. The last time I bought it, A1 3/4 was $74 per sheet, and 4/4 was 3.70, but the wood is very straight and clear so yield is unusually high. I built a box, one end Lyptus and the other end Mahogany, used the same stain and finish, and few people can tell the difference even knowing that they are two different woods.

[John Timberlake]

FYI, if you've never bought hardwood ply before ... sit down before reading further .... 3/4" A1 walnut ply costs me $101.

Remember that this price is only about $3/bdft. And I agree that walnut is a great choice for wood in built ins and furniture. Works well and looks great.

[Frank Hagan]

My first choice is also walnut, but if you are considering Mahogany, and are considering staining it, look at Lyptus. The last time I bought it, A1 3/4 was $74 per sheet, and 4/4 was 3.70, but the wood is very straight and clear so yield is unusually high. I built a box, one end Lyptus and the other end Mahogany, used the same stain and finish, and few people can tell the difference even knowing that they are two different woods.

I actually like the look of lyptus, but I haven't seen it here out west yet. I did see it in a Rockler back east, so I'll have to ask the local guys about it. I'll be doing some shopping tomorrow!

[Charlie Plesums]

I actually like the look of lyptus, but I haven't seen it here out west yet. I did see it in a Rockler back east, so I'll have to ask the local guys about it. I'll be doing some shopping tomorrow!
Weyerhauser is the exclusive distributor in the United States. Therefore it is generally available at the lumber yards that sell Weyerhauser sheet goods, but other lumber yards seem to have not heard of it at all. For example, for a long time it was only available at one of my three primary local sources. Bottom line, call around or look for a Weyerhauser distributor.

[Ron Blaise]

live that Walnut is cheaper than White Oak? It's the other way around here in Bama. Get all the Walnut you can if it's like that. It machines better than white Oak anyway. One thing though, the dust is toxic, best have protection from it. And don't use the dust for mulch either, it will harm your plants.
Happy sawdust Frank

[Frank Hagan]

live that Walnut is cheaper than White Oak? It's the other way around here in Bama. Get all the Walnut you can if it's like that. It machines better than white Oak anyway. One thing though, the dust is toxic, best have protection from it. And don't use the dust for mulch either, it will harm your plants.
Happy sawdust Frank

This surprised the heck out of me when I found out. I think the reason is the shipping costs ... there is plenty of walnut grown here in California, and the old walnut groves are being harvested for wood. I think white oak is more expensive because it is shipped in from the east coast.

I also need to check the price of Jarrah here ... Lane Stanton Vance is one of the dealers I use, and they are the west coast distributors for Jarrah. I'm wondering if Jarrah has the same relatively low cost (compared to other areas of the country ... I'm thinking that maybe it makes its way into the ports here and has to be shipped across the country.)

I'll have to watch the dust issue; I'm already sensitive to wood dust, and don't have a DC yet. Most masks don't fit because of my beard, so I use one of those Resp-r-ator Jr's that has a mouthpiece I fit into my mouth. It works well, but I'll have to be a bit more attentive in vacuuming up the dust than I usually am.