Replies

1. 
   CajunDan | Oct 15, 2004 03:29pm | #1

   Jer,

   Mahogany is tough to mess up. Your finish choice depends more on your tastes than the wood. Depending on the furniture, it can look equally good left open grained with just a wipe on finish; or you can fill the pores and build to a high gloss.

   If you like lighter colors, leave it unstained (it will darken naturally, but not as fast as cherry). Over the very long term (as in antiques), sunlight can lighten the wood.

   About the only way to mess it up is to stain too dark, or to use gloss without filling the pores first.

   Bon Chance,

   Dan

2. 
   Kell | Oct 15, 2004 08:44pm | #2

   jer,

   If you like the look of a mahogany guitar, I can tell you how I did one.  After sanding to 320 grit I filled the grain with pore-o-pac grain filler that I tinted with some black dye to make it just a little darker than the wood.  After that, I sealed it with a one pound cut of shellac, I think it was blond.  Then I shot 8 coats of lacquer over a two day period.  I allowed the guitar to sit for 2 weeks to give the lacquer time to "shrink back" at which time I wet sanded to 600 grit and then did the final rub out with rottenstone.

   It was one of the more tedious finishes I've done but it was well worth it.

   Kell