I have a question about finishing mohagany. I am making custom frames (for large photo prints) for a client. We want to keep a clear finish of course. Is it common to use a wood filler first? I have used a minwax cherry stain on test samples and like the color. But that color is not set in stone. The newly milled mahogany seems somewhat light in color.
Would any experienced finishers have some favorite methods of finishing mahogany? The frames are 3-1/2″ x 5/4. Just a rabbit, and rounded edges. We are keeping the look very simple. These are going in a hot- yoga studio, so there will be temperature differentials (say 50 on a cold night – 100 degrees, when the heat is cranked up).
Thanks for any comments,
Ray Fitzgerald
Replies
Hi Ray,
In the February issue there's a finish for mahogany on page 47 that I like. First you dye the wood a bright color that goes with the natural color tones of mahogany and then stain over it to achieve the final color you want. The dye does a really nice job of popping the figure in the wood and the shimmer it creates shows through the stain. Makes for a really nice effect. For the dye, you can use a golden color, golden-red, orange, yellow-orange, red, or any similar color... they all work well with mahogany. Try a dye under the stain you're using and see what you think.
Mahogany does darken pretty quickly after you machine it. It's a lot like cherry in that respect. Here's a little sample I "suntanned" to show the effect. I covered the left side and set it by the window for a few days so the right side would oxidize.
If you wanted a full filled finish (no dimples from the pores), you could dye the wood, seal it with a washcoat, use a paste wood pore filler and let it dry, and then apply the finish coats. It's up to you if you want the pores filled. It's usually best for a table top, but you can do it whenever you like.
Finish all sides with the same number of coats of finish. The temperature variations aren't that extreme, so the type of finish you use isn't critical.
http://www.finishwiz.com
Thanks for the reply Paul. I was just reading that artical yesterday. I have never used dyes, so I will have to experiment a little (or a lot).So from what I understand, the dye enhances the grain, and then you go from there.Is it common to do the dying or staining, and then the grain filler, if used? Or can the grain filler be used first? Does grain filler interfere with the dying/staining process? If the stain is oil based, shoul I use a dye in an oil solution, or can I use a water based dye?When that process is done, the options seem to be shellac, or any rubbed on oil finish, or poly (which seems to be looked down upon somewhat).Thanks alot for your comments.Ray Fitzgerald
Mahogany does take color really well, so there is a multitude of things that you could do, but I also like the idea if an amber dye with an oil pigmented stain for the second color, this gives the grain a lot of visual activity that darker dye bases won't show. Picture frames hang on a wall which is not a particularly eye critical perspective as compared to a table top or any other surface laying horizontal. My quess is you could do without the grain filler. 2 coats of a 2 lb cut of shellac and one coat of a semi-gloss top coat should do the trick, especially if you are looking for a right off the gun finish. This much finish lays down in the grain quite nicely, if you put much more on it will just look like you put on half enough to fill the grain. If you are looking for a high gloss finish you could just stick with the shellac, however the higher shine will show the contrast of the unfilled pores. You could also just rub the shellac down to
a semi-gloss and save having to buy the other material.
Ron
Edited 2/20/2006 8:46 pm ET by Ronaway
Ron, thanks for the comments. What is you-all's (VA here) opinion on, say laquer vs shellac vs oil finish for somethng like this?Thanks much for your comments,
Ray Fitzgerald
Ray most oil finish are just thinned varnishes. Varnish has a bad reputation for taking a awfully long time to dry on mahogany. Some woods look better than others with shellac on them and mahogany is one that is really enhanced by shellac. I use garnet or dark garnet on mahogany with great results. Lacquer would work well but would not give the color and grain enhancement of shellac.Ron
Edited 2/21/2006 10:03 am ET by Ronaway
Thanks fot the info Ron.
I have been making some sample boards of mahogany, cherry, walnut, and Brazilian cherry (wood I have around) with clear shellac, amber shellac, wipe-on poly, cherry stain with above finishes, a dye with above finishes, and cherry over dye with finishes. I have been meaning to do this for a long time, and I will have a good idea of what woods look like with these diffferent finishes. The walnut really looks different with different combinations. The cherry I have doesn't really take color very well, I guess it is the tighter grain. The magogany really takes on different characters with just a change of finishes.Is garnet a color of shellac? I saw an image of a walnut jewlery box with garnet shellac and it really was striking.Thanks,
Ray Fitzgerald
Ray the garnet shellac is darker and imparts more color to the wood. On your cherry samples try only sanding to 150 grit, then make a solution of 2 parts tung oil finish and 1 part lacquer thinner and apply this thoroughly and wipe away the excess, let it dry for an hour or so and then apply your dye/stain combinations. I think you will find the cherry will take more color but in a controlled manner.Ron
Edited 2/24/2006 7:45 am ET by Ronaway
Ron, is that similar to doing a 'spit' coat with shellac?And I agree with most that it's best to let cherry age to gain color, I am just experimenting here.Thanks for the hint,
Ray
It is quite similar to a shellac spit coat however I feel that it is easier to control and allows more color to penetrate. Cherry will age and darken beautifully, the reality of this is that I've not found too many customers willing to wait for this to happen, so if you are going to deal with the public you would be smart to develop some depenable coloring processes for cherry.Ron
Ron,
Can mineral spirits be used as a thinner with tung oil? Or is the lacquer thinner used because it dries faster?Thanks, it's sure nice talking to people with actual experience.
Ray
Your assumption is right it will dry faster mixed with lacquer thinner. I can block and dye a piece in the morning, put an overwipe of oil pigmented stain on about mid day and spray shellac on it the next day. With a slower solvent that would not be possible.Ron
I'm an up-and-coming carpenter experimenting allot with furniture refinishing and restoration. I have several mahogany pieces that need some love and attention. Looking for the best inexpensive method of finishing a mahogany project for example a small stool. Does Staining help with bringing better natural color to the wood?.
The natural color is the natural color. Staining is chaging the color by adding pigment.
I always stain mahogany with a redish oil based stain, when young our boat had mahogany trim and we stained it red with gel stain, was supposed to seal the pores before the spar varnish, I still use the same logic.My entire man's cave is mahogany stained with general finishes Georgian cherry, the theme was Irish Pub, ended up more like a lounge.
Shellac looks good on mahogany.
You can topcoat with just about anything for more durability
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