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African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 7:40 pm
by Kevin Sjostrand
See any problem with using this wood as long as its quarter sawn with the orientation correct?

Kevin

Re: African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 7:53 pm
by tippie53
it is a great wood.
use it

Re: African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:15 am
by darren
I'm using it now for the first time. The additional weight over Hog is probably negligible.

Re: African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:31 pm
by B. Howard
I prefer the African, I find it more consistent as far as density when compared to Honduran.

Re: African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:59 pm
by Kevin Sjostrand
I purchased a 3/4" x 8" x 36" long board, quarter sawn. I could use it for a couple of necks, end blocks, kerfing,
not quite wide enough to resaw into a b & s set unless I got really good at resawing.
It has nice ribbon figure.

Kevin

Re: African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 5:25 pm
by B. Howard
Kevin Sjostrand wrote: It has nice ribbon figure.

Kevin
A word of caution if you will be carving necks from it. That nice ribbon figure will most likely contain a complete reversal of the direction of the grain in each alternating stripe which can make carving a bit more challenging. In that regard most Bigleaf Mahogany is a bit easier to work. That said, I love it, it's what I have been making my necks from.

Re: African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 7:50 pm
by darren
B. Howard wrote:
A word of caution if you will be carving necks from it. That nice ribbon figure will most likely contain a complete reversal of the direction of the grain in each alternating stripe which can make carving a bit more challenging. In that regard most Bigleaf Mahogany is a bit easier to work. That said, I love it, it's what I have been making my necks from.

Brian, would you say that a rasp and working through the sandpaper grits work much better than carving with edge tools?

Re: African Mahogany for neck and end blocks

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:18 pm
by B. Howard
darren wrote:
B. Howard wrote:
A word of caution if you will be carving necks from it. That nice ribbon figure will most likely contain a complete reversal of the direction of the grain in each alternating stripe which can make carving a bit more challenging. In that regard most Bigleaf Mahogany is a bit easier to work. That said, I love it, it's what I have been making my necks from.

Brian, would you say that a rasp and working through the sandpaper grits work much better than carving with edge tools?
A rasp can grab a bit also unless it is used exclusively across the grain but it could be a bit easier. I still use my spoke shave, I just reverse the cut on the figures. I push away from me or pull towards as needed. The key to using edged tools on figured woods in general is keeping them surgically sharp and taking light cuts.