The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. A very old mahogany
desk, a very old cherry table, and a dark piano of unknown wood. (I am going
to guess mahogany with a tinted laquer) Two years ago I made a mahogany
coffee table and stained it to match the desk.

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as dark
as the mahogany pieces.

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap. Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?

Toller wrote:

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap. Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?


I think you should use tinted clear coats and enjoy a dark and
splotch-free item.

In article , "Toller" wrote:
The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. A very old mahogany
desk, a very old cherry table, and a dark piano of unknown wood. (I am going
to guess mahogany with a tinted laquer) Two years ago I made a mahogany
coffee table and stained it to match the desk.

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as dark
as the mahogany pieces.

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap. Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?

Yellow poplar?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

On Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:25:45 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. A very old mahogany
desk, a very old cherry table, and a dark piano of unknown wood. (I am going
to guess mahogany with a tinted laquer) Two years ago I made a mahogany
coffee table and stained it to match the desk.

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as dark
as the mahogany pieces.

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap. Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?

I'd go with poplar. It's cheap, strong and will take dark stain really
well.

--
"We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

"Toller" wrote in message
...
[...].
grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as dark
as the mahogany pieces.There doesn't seem to be any point to spending
money on more mahogany if she can't tell the difference. [...]

Aren't there far eastern species which resemble mahog but aren't?
Otherwise you may as well paint it, faux bois - used to be very fashionable.

Tim w

Toller,

My first thought would be to use Philippine Mahogany. I happen to like the
rather 'blank' grain structure - the 'Work' gets the attention, not the
'Wood'. Also, I like the 'semi-dark' color that appears with just Varnish.
However, a rubdown with 'Bombay Mahogany' will get you even deeper.

If you REALLY want to go 'cheap' . . . try regular Pine. Recently Joanne
wanted me to re-do a window shelf I had put in the kitchen about 20+ years
ago. I had just fitted & 'thrown up' this 8in shelf to cover the existing
narrow sill, so she could set out some plants. Slapped some brown paint on
it, and 'Bob's your uncle'.

Since then, we've done a lot of things to the kitchen, and now * we're *
involved in a pretty good make-over. Anyhow she wanted me to match the chair
rails that I made to match the Maple top of a drawed 'Potato Storage
Cabinet'. Didn't want to go for that much Maple - yet - ' . . . just make it
match, for now . .'. Long story short . . . coats & of 'Antique Maple' stain
wouldn't do it. Sanded it all off & started again . . . with a coat of GEL
Mahogany to start. After that only needed a couple of coats of the Maple. Of
course, to me it looks like 'Red Mahogany' - no where as light as the Maple
top - matches the tone of the 'aged' chair rail - but it looks great and she
likes it !!

It just may be the color / semi-darkness you are looking for.

Regards & Good Luck,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
{PS - recommend Water-Based Poly as an overcoat. Goes on really easy, quick
rinse clean-up, and hard-as-nails result}

"Toller" wrote
The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. SNIP

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as
dark
as the mahogany pieces.
SNIP

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"GarageWoodworks" .@. wrote in message
...
Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked
about the wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just
want it about as dark as the mahogany pieces.

If grain means nothing to her, than I would go with poplar and use
a dark paint NOT stain.

Use ebony and you can eliminate that step completely.

There goes "cheap".

--

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 Sep 5, 12:25 pm, "Toller" wrote:
The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. A very old mahogany
desk, a very old cherry table, and a dark piano of unknown wood. (I am going
to guess mahogany with a tinted laquer) Two years ago I made a mahogany
coffee table and stained it to match the desk.

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as dark
as the mahogany pieces.

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap. Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?

I vote for gray elm. A dark stain really brings out the beautiful
grain. It takes a stain easily and is much more stable than the more
common red elm. Plus, it's cheap and durable.

On Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:25:45 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. A very old mahogany
desk, a very old cherry table, and a dark piano of unknown wood. (I am going
to guess mahogany with a tinted laquer) Two years ago I made a mahogany
coffee table and stained it to match the desk.

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as dark
as the mahogany pieces.

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap. Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?


Dunno your area... On the west coast, about the cheapest is pine..

Soft wood but the make water bed frames out of it, so it should be strong
enough..
Takes stain well, the darker the better...
Everyone here over 40 probably had a cheap pine water bed stained dark walnut
once, right?


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

mac davis wrote:
Soft wood but the make water bed frames out of it, so it should be strong
enough..
Takes stain well, the darker the better...
Everyone here over 40 probably had a cheap pine water bed stained dark walnut
once, right?

Had?


--
©Russ

"Praise Jebus!" - H. J. Simpson

On Sep 5, 6:25?pm, "Toller" wrote:
The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. A very old mahogany
desk, a very old cherry table, and a dark piano of unknown wood. (I am going
to guess mahogany with a tinted laquer) Two years ago I made a mahogany
coffee table and stained it to match the desk.

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as dark
as the mahogany pieces.

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap. Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?

What about white ash? Pretty cheap and strong and not a soft wood.

FoggyTown
Most of my projects' best features began as mistakes!

Russ wrote:

mac davis wrote:
Soft wood but the make water bed frames out of it, so it should
be strong enough..
Takes stain well, the darker the better...
Everyone here over 40 probably had a cheap pine water bed
stained dark walnut once, right?

Had?

Yeah, ours is down in the basement taking up room. Can't even give
it away.

On Sep 6, 9:11 am, "dadiOH" wrote:
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"GarageWoodworks" .@. wrote in message
.. .
Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked
about the wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just
want it about as dark as the mahogany pieces.

If grain means nothing to her, than I would go with poplar and use
a dark paint NOT stain.

Use ebony and you can eliminate that step completely.

There goes "cheap".

Oak, ebonized by wiping down with a solution of steel wool
steeped in vinegar for several days.

"Toller" wrote in message
...
The wood furniture in our living room is all dark. A very old mahogany
desk, a very old cherry table, and a dark piano of unknown wood. (I am
going
to guess mahogany with a tinted laquer) Two years ago I made a mahogany
coffee table and stained it to match the desk.

Now my wife wants a couch; wood frame with cushions. We talked about the
wood. Apparently grain means nothing to her; she just want it about as
dark
as the mahogany pieces.

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if
she
can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap.
Will
I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple? Maybe
birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha think?

Poplar, with General Finishes' "Java" Gel Stain.

Example:

http://www.e-woodshop.net/images/CrftsmanCh18.jpg


That's one coat ... two, was much darker, but you could still see the grain;
three+ you couldn't even tell it was wood, in my tests.


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/8/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:30:40 -0000, darkon wrote:

Russ wrote:

mac davis wrote:
Soft wood but the make water bed frames out of it, so it should
be strong enough..
Takes stain well, the darker the better...
Everyone here over 40 probably had a cheap pine water bed
stained dark walnut once, right?

Had?

Yeah, ours is down in the basement taking up room. Can't even give
it away.

Mine, from a previous life/marriage, is in the guest room with a box spring &
mattress in it..
I did refinish it with rosewood gel stain to match the rest of the "furniture",
though...


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:30:40 -0000, darkon wrote:

Yeah, ours is down in the basement taking up room. Can't even give it away.

Use the wood!

I've received 4 or 5 water bed frames over the years and love that 2" thick
pine...
Great shelves, etc...

I've also turned platters from the head and foot boards .. lol


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:30:40 -0000, darkon wrote:

Yeah, ours is down in the basement taking up room. Can't even give it
away.

Use the wood!

I've received 4 or 5 water bed frames over the years and love that 2"
thick
pine...
Great shelves, etc...

I've also turned platters from the head and foot boards .. lol


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

a friend of mine went to yard sales where one can usually, at the end of the
day, get water beds for free, and bought a bunch of them. he built a shed
out of them after planing them down to get rid of the stain and finish.

regards,
charlie
http://glassartists.org/chaniarts

"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Toller wrote:

There doesn't seem to be any point to spending money on more mahogany if
she can't tell the difference. I though maybe beech because it is cheap.
Will I have any problem getting it dark, or does it spotch like maple?
Maybe birch? A bit more expensive, but more interesting grain. Whatcha
think?


I think you should use tinted clear coats and enjoy a dark and
splotch-free item.

I settled on sycamore because it has interesting grain; I thought some of
that would come through the dark finish.
It is all cut and ready to assemble, so I was trying out some finishes.
Sycamore slotches more than any wood I have ever used; way more.

Your tinted clear coat is sounding attractive. How do I go about that?
I have some dark red and dark brown powered dye made to be added to water.
Could it be added to water based varnish?

On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 01:02:19 GMT, "Toller" wrote:



Your tinted clear coat is sounding attractive. How do I go about that?

The simple way is to add Trans-Tint dyes to sprayed shellac (Seal
Coat). Sneak up on the color, and clear coat with your preferred
product.

If you're comfortable with lacquer, swap Solar-Lux for TT, and add it
to sprayed lacquer. Again, sneak up on the desired color.

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** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
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