Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 05, 2006 04:41pm | #1

   To get the birch darker you will have to go to an aniline dye since pigmented stains don't penetrate the tight grain of the birch very well.  Since the mahogany starts with a different color, and will darken with age, you can't expect to use the exact same colorants to get the two to match.  And then to match a third color is going to make this require A LOT of experimentation, and perhaps several "layers" of dye and stain.  If you have spray capabilities, toned finishes could help, but I have always found it too hard to get sufficiently even coatings of finish with color by brush or wiping. 

   The first, and often most important, step in finishing is choosing the materials. 

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 05, 2006 08:38pm | #2

   If you wanted to use mahogany trim what would you use for secondary material for the carcase? I've never seen mahogany plywood.

1. 
   John_D | Apr 05, 2006 09:09pm | #3

   I have almost a full sheet of lovely mahogany ply in my shop right now.  Not sure how easy it is to find, but it's out there...My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 06, 2006 03:08am | #6

   thats good to know, I'll look around

2. 
   JohnWW | Apr 05, 2006 09:46pm | #4

   Go to a plywood supply warehouse, not a lumber yard or big box store.  They'll have anything you want in various grades and wood species, the better stuff can get pricey in a hurry.

   John W.

1. 
   [email protected] | Apr 06, 2006 03:07am | #5

   thanks...