How about Mahogany and Birch?

[Jerry Olexa]

Have a gentleman willing to sell me a bunch of roughsawn Mahogany and birch @ an attractive price. My preferences to now have been cherry and walnut (altho this last project may push walnut into #1) with poplar and sometimes oak being used for more functional projects. What's your opinion of these 2 woods which are new to me? Any negatives or Positives? The price is right.Should I buy? Thanks

[Steve Wargo]

If the price is right on mahogany then buy, buy, buy! I think that after working with it you'll find it most pleaseing to work with. There was a reason that all of the mahogany was shipped up here 200 years ago. It wasn't just because mahogany is beautiful, it was in part due to the fact that it works easier than anything else out there. Good score.

[Paul Canaris]

Mahogany is simply the best wood to work with in all respects IMHO. Providing it is not Philippine (look for tight grain and you should be all right). If it is reasonably priced, jump on it.

I had issues with birch the one time I used it. Ripped a few boards and ended up with extreme rocker runners when what I needed was flat and straight. So I have been hesitant to give it a second chance; perhaps others have had more positive experiences.

[Nancy Laird]

We made plaques for the State Fair from birch a couple of years ago, and it worked so nicely and we didn't have any problems with cupping, twisting, etc. It works very similarly to maple and has a nice grain to it.

Grab that birch, and if you decide you don't like it, you can always resell it.

Nancy

[Lars Thomas]

Jerry, I'd take a few feet of Mahogany off your hands if you'd like. Lars

[Jerry Olexa]

Thanks to all. Bad News: I asked the seller to calculate the Bd footage as well as the mix. LOML informs me that while I was out, the gentleman called to say that one of his assistants had sold it. Its gone! It was all 6/4 material and he is a custom furniture maker w several assistants. Price would have been about $1/bf. Been in business 7 years and now going into design 100% and as he said :let others do the building. And yes, all his tools are gone. He gave away most of his handtools to his former assistants. Nice man and opportunity lost. Good to talk shop w him.. Thanks anyway. Jerry

[glenn bradley]

OUCH! That hurts!

[Nancy Laird]

Jerry, What a bummer! Some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you.

[Steve Wargo]

I would have driven from Cleveland to Chicago for 6/4 Mahogany @ $1/bf. That one hurts.

[Brian Kent]

I made some shelves and a cajon drum for my daughter, using mahogany for all horizontal surfaces and birch for all verticals. The birch was from the intersection of the sapwood and heartwood, so it had some nice contrasting colors. The heartwood was very close in tone to the mahogany.