Popular Post wnaziri Posted July 22, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 I am starting several different projects. I am better off with several projects moving along concurrently. So, I have been milling lumber for several projects, one of which will be a desk for my son inspired by the Doucette & Wolfe desk. D&W desk is made of cherry and tiger maple. Mine will be mahogany and QS anigre. I went crazy getting lots of lumber recently, mostly genuine mahogany. So my next few hundred projects will be made of mahogany!!! The legs and cross pieces will be regular mahogany and the outside and inner panels will be made of highly figured mahogany. The drawer fronts and desk top will be QS anigre. The secondary wood will be poplar. I also plan to emphasize use of hand tools for this project. Here is part of my stash of new lumber: This kind of lumber really exercises your bandsaw and resawing skills. For the back, sides, and inner panels of the desk, I found a 14" wide piece of highly figure mahogany which I resewed. For this project, I was lucky enough to get the limited edition Lie Nielsen No. 4 1/2 Bronze hand plane that was delivered just yesterday. So I put it to use today and I have never used a finer hand plane in my life. It is a joy to use and the results are amazing. The No. 4 1/2 makes quick work of getting all these huge boards ready. I got a really good workout planing all the mahogany pieces. The anigre pieces are also ready. In the past, I have milled the lumber as projects have moved along. For this batch of projects, I have decided to have all the lumber milled ahead of time. The goal for this weekend will be get ALL these pieces to final dimension and glue the top followed by lots and lots of mortise and tenons. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 That's some beautiful lumber, Wade! I'm looking forward to seeing this progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 Crap Wade. I always forget about your wall stash. That a lot of big mahogany there. Looking forward to that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan G Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 Wow. That is some beautiful lumber! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 Gonna be awesome. I love everything D&W. Good choice. Just out of curiosity, what was your bf price on that mahogany? Was it a flitch or just random boards? And where did you get it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted July 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 1 hour ago, Lester Burnham said: Wow, dude. Is that your shop or a shared workspace? I think I might've asked you that once before but I don't remember. If it's yours, you have far too much stock. I can be over anytime to remove some of that so you can have more room for activities. It is not a shared workspace. I don't like to share (). Yes, I agree that I have too much lumber. I realize I have a problem. The first step in treatment is admitting you have a problem. Now, I am sure what the next step is. On another note, I do need some walnut, cherry, and maple....... As for space, I really have run out of room. The reason it got out of control was that I could not just buy so many BF of anything. A friend owns the lumber company and he exports nearly100% of his lumber to China. He does not do retail sales. He sold me mahogany, prime poplar, and wenge but I had to buy bundles of each. The smallest bundle in stock for each was about 400 BF. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted July 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 1 hour ago, Eric. said: Gonna be awesome. I love everything D&W. Good choice. Just out of curiosity, what was your bf price on that mahogany? Was it a flitch or just random boards? And where did you get it? I had to go back and look at my invoices. I bought the lumber from a friend who owns a lumber company that exports the stuff to China. He is based out of NY but has a factory about 35 miles from where I live. So, if I can get a truck and carry the lumber out of his facility, he will sell the lumber to me at the prices he charges the Chinese. He sold me prime figured mahogany 8/4 at $6.50 per BF; wenge 8/4 at $6 per BF, and prime poplar 4/4 at $1.80 per BF. The 16/4 and 12/4 straight grain mahogany was a huge bundle that was rejected by the buyer (boards were too short and not uniform). He sold me that at $4 per BF. Interestingly enough, most of the 12/4 mahogany was actually highly figured. Needless to say, I did not turn any of it down. I do have to look into a bigger shop next or a lumber storage place. I know you work with lumber and would be interested in your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 3 minutes ago, wnaziri said: I know you work with lumber and would be interested in your thoughts. That's an incredible deal and the next time he has a bundle for that price, give me a call. LOL Those are my thoughts. Hell of a score, dude. I find genuine mahogany difficult to source...my guy doesn't typically stock it because it moves too slowly. If you can believe that. It is significantly more expensive when he does have it, and that's why it doesn't move...because people think African mahogany is mahogany and it's cheaper than genuine...so that's what they buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted July 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 10 minutes ago, Eric. said: That's an incredible deal and the next time he has a bundle for that price, give me a call. LOL Those are my thoughts. Hell of a score, dude. I find genuine mahogany difficult to source...my guy doesn't typically stock it because it moves too slowly. If you can believe that. It is significantly more expensive when he does have it, and that's why it doesn't move...because people think African mahogany is mahogany and it's cheaper than genuine...so that's what they buy. if you lived closer to me in NC, I would be happy to share a bundle or two. My friend does not care since he is getting his usual asking price. Genuine mahogany is not only beautiful but it is amazing to work with. After I hand planed the boards last night, the variation in color and shimmer (chatoyance?) is incredible. I have a couple board of African "mahogany" and I really dislike the stuff. It is dense, very heavy, and difficult to work with. The African mahogany is nothing like the genuine mahogany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 16 minutes ago, wnaziri said: The African mahogany is nothing like the genuine mahogany. Literally. Because it's not actually mahogany. Two entirely different families. Well man, if I ever find myself heading out east, I'm gonna look you up. I have a decent little stash of genuine...probably enough to build a highboy if I ever wanted to...but that's it. And it's my favorite wood to work with so I hoard that stuff, which means I hardly ever get to actually use it. I need more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 I would be headed your way if I wasn't allergic to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 15 minutes ago, Tom King said: I would be headed your way if I wasn't allergic to it. At least its not pine like me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 30 minutes ago, mat60 said: At least its not pine like me. Well if there's one species I wouldn't mind being allergic to...it's pine. Mahogany does bother me more than any other species, especially when hand sanding...but it's worth it. I just wear a respirator and suffer through. Nothing short of a stroke will stop me from using it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 19 minutes ago, Eric. said: Well if there's one species I wouldn't mind being allergic to...it's pine. LOL. Ya, Pine kicks my but and I do what I can to avoid it so it is all good with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted July 22, 2017 Report Share Posted July 22, 2017 2 hours ago, wnaziri said: I will definitelywenge 8/4 at $6 per BF, WHAzt... last time I bought 4/4 wenge, I paid 22 a bf... Holy cow. That is an awesome connection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1606myrsclm Posted July 23, 2017 Report Share Posted July 23, 2017 That is absolutely beautiful! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted July 24, 2017 Report Share Posted July 24, 2017 jealous of your deal! Cant wait for this project to get going ... the beautiful wood is going to look even better with finish on it! Also sometime in the next year or so I plan on building me a desk too. So I really interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 On 7/22/2017 at 9:41 AM, wnaziri said: if you lived closer to me in NC, I would be happy to share a bundle or two. My friend does not care since he is getting his usual asking price. Where in NC...I go to OBX every summer. If this offer is open to others besides Eric, I wouldn't mind taking a detour to split a bundle or two with you If all his stuff looks anything like the boards pictured above I'd be happy working with nothing else for the rest of my life. Looking forward to following this build...D&W are my heroes. I assume this is the desk you're building: http://www.doucetteandwolfefurniture.com/Writing_Desk.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted August 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2017 10 hours ago, bgreenb said: Looking forward to following this build...D&W are my heroes. I assume this is the desk you're building: http://www.doucetteandwolfefurniture.com/Writing_Desk.html Affirmative. That is the desk. I love that design. If my project turns out half as good, I would be pleased. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wnaziri Posted August 12, 2017 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 Made good progress on the desk this week. All major skeleton components are milled and dimensioned and it is starting to resemble a desk. I have marked all pieces but I am getting a little hesitant in committing to the fist definitive joinery related cut. I am afraid that once I commit, I will discover an error. I am winging this desk so I am praying I don't make a fatal error. Anyhow, tomorrow I will jump in head first and hopefully it will work out. Here is the current state of the desk: I did not appreciate how big the desk really is. But I suppose it will be useful real estate. That mahogany will dictate that desk ought to be placed facing out and NOT against a wall. I have never worked with mahogany this beautiful. I can only imagine how it will look once I get a coat of finish on it. I don't if you can tell but I did not make an effort match these peripheral boards in thickness. I did not want to waste the figured mahogany by converting it wood chips. The exterior surface will be flush with the legs. You can really appreciate the figure mahogany in this pic. This is the final rough layout of the face frame of desk. I recently did a veneered table where I was so excited about the project that I mistakenly shaped the legs before the joinery. That made my life miserable. Fortunately, I did not make the same mistake on this project, so far. I will be exercising a my OF 1400 router a lot tomorrow for the all the mortises. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 That's goung to be one outstanding desk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown craftsman Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 I have no idea were you are going with all those parts layed out like that. But I love that wood and steam punk look of your shop with the dust collector pipes over head. What brand tablesaw has a square throat plate? Aj 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted August 13, 2017 Report Share Posted August 13, 2017 The desk is looking good. One sweet jointer you have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1606myrsclm Posted August 13, 2017 Report Share Posted August 13, 2017 That is going to one nice piece of furniture. Can't wait to see it with finish on it. I bet the figure will just pop. Nice, very nice! And like the shop too! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted August 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2017 58 minutes ago, Unknown craftsman said: I have no idea were you are going with all those parts layed out like that. But I love that wood and steam punk look of your shop with the dust collector pipes over head. What brand tablesaw has a square throat plate? Aj AJ, the first set of pics are the desk but upside down. The last pic is the front of the desk and it shows the drawer layout. The saw is a Northfield No. 4 (northfieldwoodworking.com), enhanced with a VSC fence and sliding table. To give you an idea, the tablesaw top is 4 feet by 4+ feet and the blade is 18". 14 minutes ago, mat60 said: One sweet jointer you have. Thanks. That is my favorite tool in the shop on most days. It is a Northfield 12" HD jointer, something every hobby woodworker needs . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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