I planning on making a coffee table with a checkerboard top. One of the woods will be sap maple (might change to tiger maple). The contrasting wood I’m concidering is Brazilian Cherry. Can anyone share their thoughts or concerns about this wood? I’ve never worked Brazilian Cherry and don’t know anything about how to work it, finish it, or anything else.
Thanks for your help.
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I started to build an entertainment center with it. I found it impossible to work with. It was very hard on my planes; so heavy I had trouble maneuvering the top around; very difficult to get a tear-free surface even with the best planes and scrapers very sharp. In the end I went out and bought black cherry and started again. Brazilian cherry or jatoba does burn beautifully.
Very hard, and hard on tools. Since Jatoba has no "interesting" grain, why not use something like mahogany or walnut?
If you want redness in a wood that is easier to work, try bloodwood or paduak.
Thanks for the replys. I think I will concider other woods. I chose Brazilian Cherry for it's color. But the other charactoristics sound like it may be a poor choice of material for me at this time. I'll check my local dealer's stock to find a better wood for this project. You've help stop me from making a poor choice. I just skipped a chapter in the school of hard knocks. Thanks.
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