Varnishing Luan

[Victor]

Out of curiosity I sanded a small sheet of "philippine mahogany" (luan) and applied some varnish. It just sat there, dead.

[Victor]

Out of curiosity I sanded a small sheet of "philippine mahogany" (luan) and applied some varnish. It just sat there, dead.

[Victor]

Out of curiosity I sanded a small sheet of "philippine mahogany" (luan) and applied some varnish. It just sat there, dead.

[NormMessinger]

Would someone please explain. Norm's having a senior moment. Or something. tongue.gif

[NormMessinger]

Would someone please explain. Norm's having a senior moment. Or something. tongue.gif

[paladin]

yeah....well put it out in the sun fer a while...it will get even deader.....and turn piss yeller....

[paladin]

yeah....well put it out in the sun fer a while...it will get even deader.....and turn piss yeller....

[NormMessinger]

Would someone please explain. Norm's having a senior moment. Or something. tongue.gif

[paladin]

yeah....well put it out in the sun fer a while...it will get even deader.....and turn piss yeller....

[Gary E]

It just sat there, dead. What did you expect it to do, get up and run away?

What do you mean ?
Is there something in that wood that dont like varnish? Why?

Common, all youse Xperts, spill it...

[Gary E]

It just sat there, dead. What did you expect it to do, get up and run away?

What do you mean ?
Is there something in that wood that dont like varnish? Why?

Common, all youse Xperts, spill it...

[Gary E]

It just sat there, dead. What did you expect it to do, get up and run away?

What do you mean ?
Is there something in that wood that dont like varnish? Why?

Common, all youse Xperts, spill it...

[Mike Vogdes]

Some people insist on useing it in boat building and I guess because its a mohagany its expected to look pretty and hold up well. NOT.

It is what it is...
Its light, its easy to cut, ITS CHEAP...
Its underlayment for residential flooring, and works well in this function I might add. Its good for all sorts of stuff that is not exposed to weather or water. Its great for making patterns, even lofting when painted flat white.

But at about nine bucks a sheet its really just 3ply cheap plywood. It is what it is...

[Mike Vogdes]

Some people insist on useing it in boat building and I guess because its a mohagany its expected to look pretty and hold up well. NOT.

It is what it is...
Its light, its easy to cut, ITS CHEAP...
Its underlayment for residential flooring, and works well in this function I might add. Its good for all sorts of stuff that is not exposed to weather or water. Its great for making patterns, even lofting when painted flat white.

But at about nine bucks a sheet its really just 3ply cheap plywood. It is what it is...

[Mike Vogdes]

Some people insist on useing it in boat building and I guess because its a mohagany its expected to look pretty and hold up well. NOT.

It is what it is...
Its light, its easy to cut, ITS CHEAP...
Its underlayment for residential flooring, and works well in this function I might add. Its good for all sorts of stuff that is not exposed to weather or water. Its great for making patterns, even lofting when painted flat white.

But at about nine bucks a sheet its really just 3ply cheap plywood. It is what it is...

[paladin]

Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish.

[paladin]

Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish.

[paladin]

Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish.

[Gary E]

I guess because its a mohagany But Mike,
it's STILL WOOD

price has nothing to do with it
3 ply 5 ply or whatever has nothing to do with it

WOOD is WOOD, please tell us WHY it dont like varnish ??

[Gary E]

I guess because its a mohagany But Mike,
it's STILL WOOD

price has nothing to do with it
3 ply 5 ply or whatever has nothing to do with it

WOOD is WOOD, please tell us WHY it dont like varnish ??

[Gary E]

I guess because its a mohagany But Mike,
it's STILL WOOD

price has nothing to do with it
3 ply 5 ply or whatever has nothing to do with it

WOOD is WOOD, please tell us WHY it dont like varnish ??

[Mike Vogdes]

I never said you couldn't varnish it.

Years ago I repaired a raised pannel wainscoat in a library that somebody buit out of laun plywood and mohagany trim. whoever did the work did a really nice job. A leaky bathroom on the second floor ruined two of the pannels and I was able to replace them and lay on about 10 coats of varnish to match existing.

[Mike Vogdes]

I never said you couldn't varnish it.

Years ago I repaired a raised pannel wainscoat in a library that somebody buit out of laun plywood and mohagany trim. whoever did the work did a really nice job. A leaky bathroom on the second floor ruined two of the pannels and I was able to replace them and lay on about 10 coats of varnish to match existing.

[Mike Vogdes]

I never said you couldn't varnish it.

Years ago I repaired a raised pannel wainscoat in a library that somebody buit out of laun plywood and mohagany trim. whoever did the work did a really nice job. A leaky bathroom on the second floor ruined two of the pannels and I was able to replace them and lay on about 10 coats of varnish to match existing.

[Keith Wilson]

He means it doesn't look very good when you varnish it. He's right. With a heavy filler stain it's sort of OK, but not like real mahogany.

[Keith Wilson]

He means it doesn't look very good when you varnish it. He's right. With a heavy filler stain it's sort of OK, but not like real mahogany.

[Keith Wilson]

He means it doesn't look very good when you varnish it. He's right. With a heavy filler stain it's sort of OK, but not like real mahogany.

[Victor]

It was to cover the end of a bathtub, if you really want to know. It just made me appreciate how a little varnish will make mahogany stand up and dance. Even some other woods perk up, but not this stuff. Don't worry boyz, it's not going on the boat. I'll either get some mahogany ply for this tub or else just tile it over.

[Victor]

It was to cover the end of a bathtub, if you really want to know. It just made me appreciate how a little varnish will make mahogany stand up and dance. Even some other woods perk up, but not this stuff. Don't worry boyz, it's not going on the boat. I'll either get some mahogany ply for this tub or else just tile it over.

[Victor]

It was to cover the end of a bathtub, if you really want to know. It just made me appreciate how a little varnish will make mahogany stand up and dance. Even some other woods perk up, but not this stuff. Don't worry boyz, it's not going on the boat. I'll either get some mahogany ply for this tub or else just tile it over.

[Gary E]

Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish. Trade name?.. does it not come from that part of the world?

Not a "real" mahogany?..
What is a REAL mahogany? and where would it come from?

it's a poor grade cedar...
Is this some sort of violation of truth in advertizing?

I admit to buying mahogany and not knowing much more about it than it looked like what I thought it was sposed to look like, and since it wernt a govmint job and didnt require cert's I was happy with it. Guess I coulda been fooled huh...

Is it the wood that turns yellow or the varnish?

mahogany
n 1: wood of any of various mahogany trees; much used for cabinetwork and furniture 2: any of various tropical timber trees of the family Meliaceae especially the genus Swietinia valued for their hard yellowish- to reddish-brown wood that is readily worked and takes a high polish [syn: mahogany tree]

[Gary E]

Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish. Trade name?.. does it not come from that part of the world?

Not a "real" mahogany?..
What is a REAL mahogany? and where would it come from?

it's a poor grade cedar...
Is this some sort of violation of truth in advertizing?

I admit to buying mahogany and not knowing much more about it than it looked like what I thought it was sposed to look like, and since it wernt a govmint job and didnt require cert's I was happy with it. Guess I coulda been fooled huh...

Is it the wood that turns yellow or the varnish?

mahogany
n 1: wood of any of various mahogany trees; much used for cabinetwork and furniture 2: any of various tropical timber trees of the family Meliaceae especially the genus Swietinia valued for their hard yellowish- to reddish-brown wood that is readily worked and takes a high polish [syn: mahogany tree]

[Gary E]

Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish. Trade name?.. does it not come from that part of the world?

Not a "real" mahogany?..
What is a REAL mahogany? and where would it come from?

it's a poor grade cedar...
Is this some sort of violation of truth in advertizing?

I admit to buying mahogany and not knowing much more about it than it looked like what I thought it was sposed to look like, and since it wernt a govmint job and didnt require cert's I was happy with it. Guess I coulda been fooled huh...

Is it the wood that turns yellow or the varnish?

mahogany
n 1: wood of any of various mahogany trees; much used for cabinetwork and furniture 2: any of various tropical timber trees of the family Meliaceae especially the genus Swietinia valued for their hard yellowish- to reddish-brown wood that is readily worked and takes a high polish [syn: mahogany tree]

[Mike Vogdes]

Victor,

Mastercraft makes a polyurethane gel wipe-on stain that works well for something like this.

[Mike Vogdes]

Victor,

Mastercraft makes a polyurethane gel wipe-on stain that works well for something like this.

[Mike Vogdes]

Victor,

Mastercraft makes a polyurethane gel wipe-on stain that works well for something like this.

[paladin]

Gary......Luan is a tropical cedar, the primary variety comes from the area of batangas province in norther Luzon, Philippines...
After former president for life Ferdy Marcos virtually destroyed the forests of Tanguille (the closest thing to honduras or the prime grades of African mahogany)primarily to chris Craft, substitutions were made of Luan because it is a very close cousin of tanguilli, looks and smells very close to tangulli...and stupid Americans didn't know the difference..at first...so they registered a trade name.."Philippine mahogany" and advertise Philippine mahogany...and after decades of delivering Tanguilli...who would think twice....great marketing ploy...and most American retail lumber yards dunno the difference. the wood Luan turns urine yellow under direct sunlight unless varnished and stained. it's a natural function of the wood and natural dyes....it doesn't have the strength and rot resistance of real mahogany or Tanguilli.....

[paladin]

Gary......Luan is a tropical cedar, the primary variety comes from the area of batangas province in norther Luzon, Philippines...
After former president for life Ferdy Marcos virtually destroyed the forests of Tanguille (the closest thing to honduras or the prime grades of African mahogany)primarily to chris Craft, substitutions were made of Luan because it is a very close cousin of tanguilli, looks and smells very close to tangulli...and stupid Americans didn't know the difference..at first...so they registered a trade name.."Philippine mahogany" and advertise Philippine mahogany...and after decades of delivering Tanguilli...who would think twice....great marketing ploy...and most American retail lumber yards dunno the difference. the wood Luan turns urine yellow under direct sunlight unless varnished and stained. it's a natural function of the wood and natural dyes....it doesn't have the strength and rot resistance of real mahogany or Tanguilli.....

[paladin]

Gary......Luan is a tropical cedar, the primary variety comes from the area of batangas province in norther Luzon, Philippines...
After former president for life Ferdy Marcos virtually destroyed the forests of Tanguille (the closest thing to honduras or the prime grades of African mahogany)primarily to chris Craft, substitutions were made of Luan because it is a very close cousin of tanguilli, looks and smells very close to tangulli...and stupid Americans didn't know the difference..at first...so they registered a trade name.."Philippine mahogany" and advertise Philippine mahogany...and after decades of delivering Tanguilli...who would think twice....great marketing ploy...and most American retail lumber yards dunno the difference. the wood Luan turns urine yellow under direct sunlight unless varnished and stained. it's a natural function of the wood and natural dyes....it doesn't have the strength and rot resistance of real mahogany or Tanguilli.....

[Gary E]

Thanks Palidin, very interesting...

Reminds me of the steel shortage days when a saleman called on a customer and actually had some stock, the customer asked what kind of steel probably meaning what alloy, and was told, It's the kind that when ya thro it a bucket of water it sinks. Good nuf, SOLD smile.gif

[Gary E]

Thanks Palidin, very interesting...

Reminds me of the steel shortage days when a saleman called on a customer and actually had some stock, the customer asked what kind of steel probably meaning what alloy, and was told, It's the kind that when ya thro it a bucket of water it sinks. Good nuf, SOLD smile.gif

[Gary E]

Thanks Palidin, very interesting...

Reminds me of the steel shortage days when a saleman called on a customer and actually had some stock, the customer asked what kind of steel probably meaning what alloy, and was told, It's the kind that when ya thro it a bucket of water it sinks. Good nuf, SOLD smile.gif

[Victor]

Sounds from what you said Paladin that sometimes when you buy mahogany you're actually getting luan.

[Victor]

Sounds from what you said Paladin that sometimes when you buy mahogany you're actually getting luan.

[Victor]

Sounds from what you said Paladin that sometimes when you buy mahogany you're actually getting luan.

[paladin]

you must specify honduras or african mahogany and should well know the specific species......if you are offerred philippine mahogany you ain't getting the real thing...

[paladin]

you must specify honduras or african mahogany and should well know the specific species......if you are offerred philippine mahogany you ain't getting the real thing...

[paladin]

you must specify honduras or african mahogany and should well know the specific species......if you are offerred philippine mahogany you ain't getting the real thing...

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Gary E:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish. Trade name?.. does it not come from that part of the world?

Not a "real" mahogany?..What is a REAL mahogany? and where would it come from?</font>[/QUOTE]OK&hellip;delving into the depths of tree nomenclature/taxonomy.

"True" mahoganies are all Swietenia spp.

The old "true" mahogany of the 18th c., aka "Cuban" or "West Indian" mahagony is S. mahogani. It's essentially no longer a commerical species due to over harvesting and habitat loss.

These days, true mahogany passes for []S. macrophylla[/i] (big-leaf mahogany) or S. humilis (Honduran mahogany). Mostly S. macrophylla since both S. humilis and S. mahagoni are CITES-listed and so largely unavailable.

There are other Swietenia species out there, I believe 6 in toto. All of them are native to Southern Florida, the Caribeean and/or Central/South America.

Khaya spp. is sometimes referred to as African mahogany as they are cousins (both are family Meliaceae.

Luan aka Phillipine mahagony is Shorea spp. (family Dipterocarpaceae), of which there are a bunch of variants. Not a cedar. Not a mahogany.

True cedars, OTOH, are Cedrus spp. (family Pinaceae. That would be 'pines'). There are four true cedars:</font> C. atlantica "Atlas Cedar", native to the Atlas mountains of Morocco. Some people class it as just a variant of C libani (see below).</font> C. brevifolia "Cyprus Cedar", native to some 500 hectares in Cyprus. Again, some class this as a variant of C. libani.</font> C. deodar "Himalya Cedar", native to India and Pakistan&mdash;the Western Himalya and South slopes of the Hindu Kush. Again, some class this as a variant of C. libani.</font> C. libani "Cedar of Lebanon", native to Asia Minor.</font>And false cedars, tend to be either Calocedrus spp. (incense cedar), Thuja spp. (arborvitae) or Chamaecyparis spp. (white cedar/false cypress).

Thuja includes Western Red Cedar. Chamaecyparis includes Alaskan Yellow Cedar, and Calocedrus includes California post cedar and incense cedar.

There.

Hope I've confused you sufficiently.

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Gary E:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish. Trade name?.. does it not come from that part of the world?

Not a "real" mahogany?..What is a REAL mahogany? and where would it come from?</font>[/QUOTE]OK&hellip;delving into the depths of tree nomenclature/taxonomy.

"True" mahoganies are all Swietenia spp.

The old "true" mahogany of the 18th c., aka "Cuban" or "West Indian" mahagony is S. mahogani. It's essentially no longer a commerical species due to over harvesting and habitat loss.

These days, true mahogany passes for []S. macrophylla[/i] (big-leaf mahogany) or S. humilis (Honduran mahogany). Mostly S. macrophylla since both S. humilis and S. mahagoni are CITES-listed and so largely unavailable.

There are other Swietenia species out there, I believe 6 in toto. All of them are native to Southern Florida, the Caribeean and/or Central/South America.

Khaya spp. is sometimes referred to as African mahogany as they are cousins (both are family Meliaceae.

Luan aka Phillipine mahagony is Shorea spp. (family Dipterocarpaceae), of which there are a bunch of variants. Not a cedar. Not a mahogany.

True cedars, OTOH, are Cedrus spp. (family Pinaceae. That would be 'pines'). There are four true cedars:</font> C. atlantica "Atlas Cedar", native to the Atlas mountains of Morocco. Some people class it as just a variant of C libani (see below).</font> C. brevifolia "Cyprus Cedar", native to some 500 hectares in Cyprus. Again, some class this as a variant of C. libani.</font> C. deodar "Himalya Cedar", native to India and Pakistan&mdash;the Western Himalya and South slopes of the Hindu Kush. Again, some class this as a variant of C. libani.</font> C. libani "Cedar of Lebanon", native to Asia Minor.</font>And false cedars, tend to be either Calocedrus spp. (incense cedar), Thuja spp. (arborvitae) or Chamaecyparis spp. (white cedar/false cypress).

Thuja includes Western Red Cedar. Chamaecyparis includes Alaskan Yellow Cedar, and Calocedrus includes California post cedar and incense cedar.

There.

Hope I've confused you sufficiently.

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Gary E:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Philippine mahogaqny is a registered trade name...ain't real mahogany...it's a poor grade cedar...but there's lots of it so it's cheeeeep....and it fades in direct sunlight. where it is exposed to direct sunlight it may be stained to appear like real mahogany but the stain will require a heavy U.V. reflective varnish. Trade name?.. does it not come from that part of the world?

Not a "real" mahogany?..What is a REAL mahogany? and where would it come from?</font>[/QUOTE]OK&hellip;delving into the depths of tree nomenclature/taxonomy.

"True" mahoganies are all Swietenia spp.

The old "true" mahogany of the 18th c., aka "Cuban" or "West Indian" mahagony is S. mahogani. It's essentially no longer a commerical species due to over harvesting and habitat loss.

These days, true mahogany passes for []S. macrophylla[/i] (big-leaf mahogany) or S. humilis (Honduran mahogany). Mostly S. macrophylla since both S. humilis and S. mahagoni are CITES-listed and so largely unavailable.

There are other Swietenia species out there, I believe 6 in toto. All of them are native to Southern Florida, the Caribeean and/or Central/South America.

Khaya spp. is sometimes referred to as African mahogany as they are cousins (both are family Meliaceae.

Luan aka Phillipine mahagony is Shorea spp. (family Dipterocarpaceae), of which there are a bunch of variants. Not a cedar. Not a mahogany.

True cedars, OTOH, are Cedrus spp. (family Pinaceae. That would be 'pines'). There are four true cedars:</font> C. atlantica "Atlas Cedar", native to the Atlas mountains of Morocco. Some people class it as just a variant of C libani (see below).</font> C. brevifolia "Cyprus Cedar", native to some 500 hectares in Cyprus. Again, some class this as a variant of C. libani.</font> C. deodar "Himalya Cedar", native to India and Pakistan&mdash;the Western Himalya and South slopes of the Hindu Kush. Again, some class this as a variant of C. libani.</font> C. libani "Cedar of Lebanon", native to Asia Minor.</font>And false cedars, tend to be either Calocedrus spp. (incense cedar), Thuja spp. (arborvitae) or Chamaecyparis spp. (white cedar/false cypress).

Thuja includes Western Red Cedar. Chamaecyparis includes Alaskan Yellow Cedar, and Calocedrus includes California post cedar and incense cedar.

There.

Hope I've confused you sufficiently.

[ssor]

I'll see if I can make you cry. During the early days of caribbean sugar production mahogany was the fuel wood of choice for boiling the sugar cane pressings down to sugar. :(

[ssor]

I'll see if I can make you cry. During the early days of caribbean sugar production mahogany was the fuel wood of choice for boiling the sugar cane pressings down to sugar. :(

[ssor]

I'll see if I can make you cry. During the early days of caribbean sugar production mahogany was the fuel wood of choice for boiling the sugar cane pressings down to sugar. :(

[philbobagginzzz]

Originally posted by ssor:
I'll see if I can make you cry. During the early days of caribbean sugar production mahogany was the fuel wood of choice for boiling the sugar cane pressings down to sugar. :( The Spanish also used it massively for ship building - stripping The Carribean islands of wonderful timber in the same way as British naval ship builders stripped Britain of oak.

Before they went out and sank each other!!! Apparently Spanish sailors had a 30% better survival chance in battle because a/. Mahogany is slightly stronger and b/. more importantly, absorbed canon balls rather than shattering into massive, lethal splinters.

Nickolas Carey has it right. First there was wonderful Carribean Mahogany - and it was used up - then there was very good S/American Mahogany - and you can still get it from the very best timber merchants - but it's very rare and very expensive - then there was African Mahogany (related but not that closely) - and it's very variable - but the best is quite good (and expensive) - and now any chancer registers a trade name as 'Mahogany' and suckers buy it...

I'm a cabinet maker and I would rather use a decent pine for hidden carcass work than Luan. It's a soft - loose grained - unstable - 'Butter Wood' from an extremely humid corner of the globe.

Fine if you want a medium quality construction substrate - rubbish if you want any strength, durability or aestetic pleasure.

Also please consider - it is being hugely illegally logged. Much better buy a decent softwood from managed forests much closer to home - guaranteed quality that won't choke the world in our childrems lifetimes!

Regards,

Philbo.

[ 02-10-2005, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: philbobagginzzz ]

[philbobagginzzz]

Originally posted by ssor:
I'll see if I can make you cry. During the early days of caribbean sugar production mahogany was the fuel wood of choice for boiling the sugar cane pressings down to sugar. :( The Spanish also used it massively for ship building - stripping The Carribean islands of wonderful timber in the same way as British naval ship builders stripped Britain of oak.

Before they went out and sank each other!!! Apparently Spanish sailors had a 30% better survival chance in battle because a/. Mahogany is slightly stronger and b/. more importantly, absorbed canon balls rather than shattering into massive, lethal splinters.

Nickolas Carey has it right. First there was wonderful Carribean Mahogany - and it was used up - then there was very good S/American Mahogany - and you can still get it from the very best timber merchants - but it's very rare and very expensive - then there was African Mahogany (related but not that closely) - and it's very variable - but the best is quite good (and expensive) - and now any chancer registers a trade name as 'Mahogany' and suckers buy it...

I'm a cabinet maker and I would rather use a decent pine for hidden carcass work than Luan. It's a soft - loose grained - unstable - 'Butter Wood' from an extremely humid corner of the globe.

Fine if you want a medium quality construction substrate - rubbish if you want any strength, durability or aestetic pleasure.

Also please consider - it is being hugely illegally logged. Much better buy a decent softwood from managed forests much closer to home - guaranteed quality that won't choke the world in our childrems lifetimes!

Regards,

Philbo.

[ 02-10-2005, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: philbobagginzzz ]

[philbobagginzzz]

Originally posted by ssor:
I'll see if I can make you cry. During the early days of caribbean sugar production mahogany was the fuel wood of choice for boiling the sugar cane pressings down to sugar. :( The Spanish also used it massively for ship building - stripping The Carribean islands of wonderful timber in the same way as British naval ship builders stripped Britain of oak.

Before they went out and sank each other!!! Apparently Spanish sailors had a 30% better survival chance in battle because a/. Mahogany is slightly stronger and b/. more importantly, absorbed canon balls rather than shattering into massive, lethal splinters.

Nickolas Carey has it right. First there was wonderful Carribean Mahogany - and it was used up - then there was very good S/American Mahogany - and you can still get it from the very best timber merchants - but it's very rare and very expensive - then there was African Mahogany (related but not that closely) - and it's very variable - but the best is quite good (and expensive) - and now any chancer registers a trade name as 'Mahogany' and suckers buy it...

I'm a cabinet maker and I would rather use a decent pine for hidden carcass work than Luan. It's a soft - loose grained - unstable - 'Butter Wood' from an extremely humid corner of the globe.

Fine if you want a medium quality construction substrate - rubbish if you want any strength, durability or aestetic pleasure.

Also please consider - it is being hugely illegally logged. Much better buy a decent softwood from managed forests much closer to home - guaranteed quality that won't choke the world in our childrems lifetimes!

Regards,

Philbo.

[ 02-10-2005, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: philbobagginzzz ]