White Oak and Mahogany table finish

[Jack Frederick]

My first post here at Sawmill. I have built a pedestal table. It is structurally a copy of one on the cover of an Autumn '06, Woodworking Magazine. I have inlaid 1/2" strips of mahogany on the pedestal legs and also on the top at each of the joints. On the top from outside in there is a 1/4, 3/8. 1/2, 3/8 & 1/4" mahogany strips as well as a 1/2" strip at the breadboard edges. The mechanical work is done, but the chemistry side of this has me puzzled. Really puzzled. It being Oak and Mah, and open grained I want to fill the pores. Correct? I have done some Old Masters Gel stain samples but everything just muddies up the mahogany. I would like it to pop some. I'm thinking maybe a Transtint Red to dye the wood, then a clear Gel and then satin poly. Please feel free to tell me I am out of my mind. I cannot be offended on this topic. Much obliged for any suggestions.

[John C Cox]

This is certainly a tricky project.

Question 1. Do you want all the pores the same color? A dark walnut water based pore filler is pretty traditional (test on scrap).... But sometimes pore filled oak can look distracting when used with other woods... The dark pores and dark porous grain lines can distract from the beauty of the mahogany against the oak...

Question 2. Do you want all the wood stained with the same dyes and stains? How does that look (probably it looses all the beautiful contrast). If you don't - you will have to mask off sections you don't want stained.... Or just don't stain it...

Question 3. Do you really care about the pores in the wood? Why do you need all the pores filled? Are you aiming for a very flat, even surface (for painting) or do you want the natural grain of the wood to be part of the beauty of the piece - the way a hand rubbed finish leaves them....

Me personally - I don't like pore fillers.. I like the natural grain of the wood and I think the contrast between the mahogany and oak would be pretty by itself...... I would hand rub a thin coat of some sort of varnish finish and nothing else.

But if you want a very level glossy finish without pores showing but without colored pore fillers - you can use clear epoxy as a grain filler and then finish over that....

[Phil Mueller]

I second John’s suggestions. I prefer to leave wood as it is without filling pores. I am also not a fan of stain, and prefer the natural colors. With that said, I would probably first apply an application of a penetrating oil, like Watco, let that dry a few days, and then perhaps just wax, or a wiping varnish.

[Jack Frederick]

Thank you for your suggestions. I will try both suggestions on the wiping varnish only and also the oil/wax and report back. I agree too that I would rather see the wood than anything else.