question: kind of wood in 60's stereo console
 

We just returned from Southern Lumber in San Jose,
where three experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability"). There's
a 40-year old varnish over the wood that makes id
difficult. (The miller said he could tell by the
smell if he cut the piece in half. "No, thanks.")

The following are links to three photos, two of
the top and one of the bottom.

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood1.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood2.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

If anyone knows for sure what the kind is,
please share the id and the decisive clues.

Many thanks,
Gordon

P.S. The photos will remain until October.

Gordon wrote:

We just returned from Southern Lumber in San Jose,
where three experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability"). There's
a 40-year old varnish over the wood that makes id
difficult. (The miller said he could tell by the
smell if he cut the piece in half. "No, thanks.")

The following are links to three photos, two of
the top and one of the bottom.

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood1.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood2.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

If anyone knows for sure what the kind is,
please share the id and the decisive clues.

Many thanks,
Gordon

P.S. The photos will remain until October.

Too big to try to open w/ slow dialup.

Bound to be some way to get to an area under the top or somewhere that
isn't finished.

Would be surprised if it were anything more than a veneer at best or,
more likely, something like one of the tropicals stained to look like
walnut or somesuch. Even then there was little really fine wood used in
such pieces although there were exceptions.

On 20 Sep 2005 17:11:12 -0700, "Gordon"
wrote:

We just returned from Southern Lumber in San Jose,
where three experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability"). There's
a 40-year old varnish over the wood that makes id
difficult. (The miller said he could tell by the
smell if he cut the piece in half. "No, thanks.")

The following are links to three photos, two of
the top and one of the bottom.

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood1.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood2.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

If anyone knows for sure what the kind is,
please share the id and the decisive clues.

Many thanks,
Gordon

P.S. The photos will remain until October.


looks like walnut to me.

Looks kinda like Pecan to me.


Gordon wrote:
We just returned from Southern Lumber in San Jose,
where three experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability"). There's
a 40-year old varnish over the wood that makes id
difficult. (The miller said he could tell by the
smell if he cut the piece in half. "No, thanks.")

The following are links to three photos, two of
the top and one of the bottom.

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood1.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood2.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

If anyone knows for sure what the kind is,
please share the id and the decisive clues.

Many thanks,
Gordon

P.S. The photos will remain until October.

Veneer it is. For sure.
Thanks, Gordon

"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
Too big to try to open w/ slow dialup.

Bound to be some way to get to an area under the top or somewhere that
isn't finished.

Would be surprised if it were anything more than a veneer at best or,
more likely, something like one of the tropicals stained to look like
walnut or somesuch. Even then there was little really fine wood used in
such pieces although there were exceptions.

"Gordon" wrote in message

experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability").

Doubt it is teak. I'm not a wood expert, but back in the 60's it was common
to find furniture with genuine veneer or veneer stained to look like
something else. Walnut was popular then. Is there an area you can strip
and get to the actual color?

I am guessing Walnut veneer.

Not Teak. Some Mahogony can be finished to do a fairly good Walnut
impression but I'm sticking with Walnut.

RonB

Gordon wrote:
We just returned from Southern Lumber in San Jose,
where three experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability"). There's
a 40-year old varnish over the wood that makes id
difficult. (The miller said he could tell by the
smell if he cut the piece in half. "No, thanks.")

The following are links to three photos, two of
the top and one of the bottom.

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood1.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood2.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

If anyone knows for sure what the kind is,
please share the id and the decisive clues.

Doesn't look like any of them to me. I doubt that any of the three
would be stained and - if not - it certainly isn't teak or mahogany.
Doesn't look like walnut either. Possibly one of the Phillipine
mahoganies stained...?


--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On 20 Sep 2005 17:11:12 -0700, "Gordon"
wrote:

We just returned from Southern Lumber in San Jose,
where three experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability"). There's
a 40-year old varnish over the wood that makes id
difficult. (The miller said he could tell by the
smell if he cut the piece in half. "No, thanks.")

The following are links to three photos, two of
the top and one of the bottom.

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood1.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood2.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

If anyone knows for sure what the kind is,
please share the id and the decisive clues.

Many thanks,
Gordon

P.S. The photos will remain until October.

Looks like walnut to me. Looks a lot like a couple of 1960s era TV
cabinets my dad converted by taking out the innards and installing
walnut doors and drawers. There must be at least three of these in
different rooms in my mom's house.

Dave Hall

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who
have not got it." -- G.B. Shaw

That is mahogany, probably Honduran. From a distance I could see why
people said Walnut but if you zoom in you can see the "dashes" in the
grain that are either Teak or Mahogany and this aint Teak.

Since you are in San Jose you could go see some work I was involved in
at Vintage Wine Merchants in Santana Row. All Mahogany. Lots of it.
100's of thousands of $'s worth (labor included of course). We did the
entire place in Mohagany, all the case/rack work, the bar back (I think
someone else did the actual bar) and even wrapped the entry way columns
and beams with furred out Mahog. Over the few months it took to do it I
became very familair with this wood. We used an oil varnish finish on
lots of the stuff (no stain) and it looks just like the piece you are
showing.

Look at http://alohacabinetry.com/gallery5.htm and click on the picture
showing the bar. Make sure to click on the MORE button at the bottom
for much MORE of this same site. All Mahogany.

BW

In article . com,
"Gordon" wrote:

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

wood3 image makes me think walnut.
The rotary cut walnut veneers tended to go that colour.
Confidence level... 95%

Apologies. In all my typical bluster I spouted opinion as fact. I came
across a pile o' Walnut in the shop last night and sanded down a piece
and layed some lacquer on it. I was still wondering why so many thought
your pics were Walnut. I hate admitting when I'm wrong but I think I
was. I am right now however!

I agree with the others that say Walnut. The damned stuff has dashes
just like Mahog.

BW

In article .com,
"SonomaProducts.com" wrote:

Apologies. In all my typical bluster I spouted opinion as fact. I came
across a pile o' Walnut in the shop last night and sanded down a piece
and layed some lacquer on it. I was still wondering why so many thought
your pics were Walnut. I hate admitting when I'm wrong but I think I
was. I am right now however!

I agree with the others that say Walnut. The damned stuff has dashes
just like Mahog.

BW

It does have those beech-like dashes, eh? I have seen walnut go that
orang-y colour many times.

Walnut...
..
..
..
..
..
I think.

I took apart an old TELEFUNKEN (European) stereo cabinet last year. All K3
board!. They did an excellent job on the veneering. No way to tell until
you cut into it. Except maybe by weight? Anyone actually weigh a piece of
k3 board to compare against a piece of walnut, say?
In any case... I'm sure the stereo cabinet mfrs would have preffered K3
board for reasons of stability. What would happen to speakers if they
sttart opening up a crack?

"Gordon" wrote in message
ups.com...
We just returned from Southern Lumber in San Jose,
where three experts couldn't decide between Teak,
Walnut and Mahogany ("low probability"). There's
a 40-year old varnish over the wood that makes id
difficult. (The miller said he could tell by the
smell if he cut the piece in half. "No, thanks.")

The following are links to three photos, two of
the top and one of the bottom.

http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood1.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood2.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/slishman/wood3.jpg

If anyone knows for sure what the kind is,
please share the id and the decisive clues.

Many thanks,
Gordon

P.S. The photos will remain until October.