Replies

1. 
   WillGeorge | Jun 28, 2005 01:33am | #1

   what do I look for in the wood to determine it's type and grade..

   mahogany isn't even grown in malasia.. They have everything that grows!

   If he is REALLY a Boat builder.. They use the best for the money they had at the time for the project.. Well, usually...

    

2. 
   IanDG | Jun 28, 2005 03:49am | #2

   It will probably be either Sapele or Meranti as those are the Malaysian mahogany lookalikes.

   You'll have an opportunity to inspect before you buy?

   I agree with Will, boatbuilders normally use the best grade timbers.

   IanDG

1. 
   SgianDubh | Jul 01, 2005 02:04am | #13

   Ian, Sapele is a wood native to the west coast of Africa of the Meliaceae family, whereas Meranti is one of the Shorea genus out of eastern Asia (Dipterocarpaceae family.)

   Of the seventy or so species that make up the Shorea's I can think of commercial names including about fifteen different meranti's, a lauan or two, and a seraya. Some are very soft, light, non-durable and woolly, and some are heavy, dense, quite durable and hard. 

   Someone put up a picture of the wood they'd got. It looked suspiciously like what I'd call Philippine lauan, one of the meranti's. Soft, wooly, interlocked grain (and if it has those characteristics) close inspection might reveal the quite common thunder shakes running perpendicular to the board length. Slainte.RJFurniture

1. 
   Rich14 | Jul 01, 2005 08:43am | #14

   Richard,I agree. It looks like luan.This is a very soft "hardwood." quite "cheap" looking in all respects. It looks like mahogany from a distance but has none of that wood's density or structural strength. It's grain doesn't fill well and finishes tend to look "tacky" no matter how much care is used in their application, from oil finishes to thick-film varnish or lacquer.It's commonly found as very thin skins on low-price hollow core doors that big box stores specialize in.Rich

3. 
   frenchy | Jun 28, 2005 05:00am | #3

   As a boat techno freak I'm willing to bet he intended to buy Honduras mahogany and was fooled into the "Malasian" version  They really aren't alike at all and would be a lot differant. upon seeing it he ordered the real Mahogany. 

     There are a lot of cheap look-a-likes out there, please don't be fooled..

1. 
   lumberjacksson | Jun 28, 2005 05:05am | #4

   What is the difference and how do I tell?What would be a good price per bf of the malasian type?

   Edited 6/27/2005 10:21 pm ET by AEsarte

1. 
   lumberjacksson | Jun 29, 2005 08:09am | #5

   Ok, here are two samples taken from perpendicular planes of the same wood. What species is this in your opinions?(It seems fairly soft when working with hand tools, much softer than walnut...)Andy

   
1. 
   lumberjacksson | Jun 29, 2005 08:12am | #6

   Second sample, from the plane perpendicular to the boards surface...The boards are a light brown with a pinkish color inside.Andy

   
1. 
   IanDG | Jun 29, 2005 08:36am | #7

   If the sawdust has a sweet smell then it's sapele.

   IanDG

2. 
   philip | Jun 29, 2005 09:27am | #8

   Hi Ae,
   Your second pic confirms that it is Meranti, without a doubt.It is most definitely not Sapele, which is from Africa, and has a pleasant smell similar to cedar, and is stripey when quarter sawn.Meranti is variable, has a mild smell sortof peppery, is softish and there are several types, broadly divided into white, brown and red. The good thing about Meranti is that when grain filled and stained it can be made to look like a million dollars.

3. 
   mikegagne | Jun 29, 2005 10:12am | #9

   It looks like meranti, one of the many Phillipine/Indonesian "mahogany" types. It is soft and is often used in lumber core, It is NOT mahogany as a species just resembles it....sort of. aloha, mike

4. 
   lumberjacksson | Jun 30, 2005 06:01pm | #10

   Has anyone used meranti in furniture construction?  It doesn't seem to be much harder than cedar.  Does it produce nice stuff or is it more of a utilitarian wood?

   Andy

5. 
   Jellyrug | Jun 30, 2005 07:04pm | #11

   Andi,

   I have worked with both Sapele and Meranti and don't consider either a high grade cabinet wood. Sapele is quite popular here in the US, but I think it's more a name/import thing. The times I have laid my hands on bargains here, they all ended up as drawer sides, or shelves.

   Overseas, both are often used for base boards and finished in their natural color. (Overseas "base board" = "skirting")

   There may be different opinions, but be sure, neither are near the same class as Mahogany.

6. 
   wop | Jul 01, 2005 12:07am | #12

       That stuff is also used for cheap commercial doors (usually veneer) and frames, for plywood , cheap panneling , DIY bits of wood,and other cheap commercial applications.

                                                                              Philip