bushwacked Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I have always enjoyed the look of it but have never had a board to work on .... How is it to work? It isnt too badly priced where I am and was thinking my next project I may try it out. Definitely cheaper than the walnut I used for my end tables haha Quote Sapele 4/4 Selects or Better Rough $ 4.45 Sapele 6/4 Quartersawn $ 5.35 Sapele 6/4 Selects $ 5.15 Sapele 8/4 Selects or Better Rough $ 4.70 If not Sapele, what else is like it in color you would recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I like Sapele a lot! It works a great deal like Walnut. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pwk5017 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Agreed, im actually going to switch to sapele for personal furniture projects after i run out of my walnut stash. I refuse to pay $8+ a bdft. Thankfully, i still have 150-200 bdft of 4/4 left, and i only have to stomach buying 8/4 for table legs etc. Im actually in the process of buying 225bdft of 8/4 sapele for $3.80. That is about the same price i pay for cherry! No offense to cherry, but sapele has much richer color and grain, in my opinion. QS sapele with an oil finish is really striking, almost too much at times. I agree with Kev that it has similar weight and hardness as walnut. I think walnut works better, because sapale can get fuzzy on you from planing etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephThomas Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 If you're using hand tools, Sapele is tougher. It's a lot harder than most domestics, and while I don't know if it technically has interlocking grain, it behaves a little more like it does than domestics do...so if you're using hand tools, especially lots of hand planing it will be a little more difficult. I like using it though, and it's been very stable in q-sawn form, hoping to continue using it for a long time... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post curlyoak Posted March 14, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I like sapale. It is kin to mahogany. From Africa. My preference is quarter sawn which always is what is called ribbon grained. It is easy to work. The outside pic shows the grain. Outside the camera gets reflection from the glass. Just the camera, not the eye. So the inside shows the glass. I designed the glass and had an expert execute the design. The flat sawn is OK but to me I like the ribbon. It is excellent in the weather, properly finished... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted March 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 WOW! That door .... beautiful looking thing that is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I'm with curlyoak I like sapele and think it is fairly easy to work, like mahogany. I used it as an accent wood on my Roubo bench and several small projects from the left overs. I agree on the door! Did you do the stained glass work curlyoak? I have taken some classes over the last year or so and would really like to do a door. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Great looking stuff!! I wonder if I would be allergic to it, like I am to Mahogany, and Redwood? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktb15 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I wish I could get sapele that cheap, it's around $8bf near me but I still use it quite a bit and actually about to finish up a little side table made from it. I find it an enjoyable wood to work with, I'm mostly a power tool user and it machines well. It's easy to finish and looks great with an oil finish but I've also used some general finishes dye and enduro poly to give a darker aged mahogany look and even with dye the striping still reflects light and has that color changing effect depending on the angle you look at it. It makes the shop smell nice too 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post curlyoak Posted March 14, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 I designed the glass. I have no knowledge on making stained glass panels. In town there is a shop that is very good at it. Thank you both for the comments on the door. As a hobby I grow orchids and that inspired the design. That and heliconias. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 You have good taste in beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 I don't know..we haven't seen pictures of the wife yet ! Sapele is some beautiful stuff. Just have to be aware of the fuzz issues. I use it more when it costs less than African Mahogany . I have found it mixed into a bin full of African Mahogany. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pwk5017 Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 Interesting, I’ve noticed African mahogany sucks in comparison to sapele. It doesn’t have the color, and I don’t think it’s as stable. I’m upset with myself for using African mahogany instead of sapele for my one Morris chair. It doesn’t darken with age either, from what I’ve noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 I use a lot of sapele and it is a wonderful wood. Just beware that it can have changes of grain direction in a board (called interlocking) so when you think it is ok to plane you hit a riser that comes from the other direction and get localised tear out. It isn't all like that but if you do encounter it you can use a high angle plane or a scraper plane and you will get fantastic results. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wnaziri Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 I am a big fan of sapele. I have not worked with flat sawn sapele but the quarter sawn version is gorgeous. If you intend to plane by hand, @TerryMcK is correct that the changes in grain direction can be a challenge; ask me how I know. Overall, it is easy to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 I tend to avoid colorants in my finishing so I enjoy the color spectrum more than a lot of "mahoganies". I agree that the workability is a lot like walnut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 In the old days pattern makers exclusively used Honduras mahogany. It was used among other places in Detroit in the auto industry for making castings. The wood was chosen for its great working ability. sapele is not Hondorus mahogany. But it leans that way... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 Pattern grade Mahogany was the straightest , cleanest most boring boards possible. It was available in large thick wide pieces that behaved well and didn't move much. Patternmakers were some of the most accurate & technical woodworkers. They were pretty much woodworking machinists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 In my very early woodworking I did use Honduras and remember the wide boards. We also used Philippine mahogany. It was beautiful but some would look down their noses at the Philippine. 18" wide boards were common. Point is the working characteristic were good on either. Just like sapele. None of it is as good as the old days but on a relative basis to other woods it is easy to machine and the ribbon grained was and is beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 I've only used Sapele for one project but it was enjoyable to work and finish. Here's the piece I did in Sapele - The trophy shop I do work for did the engraving and attached the memorabilia and badges. David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 Good work David. How did you finish it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 Thanks! Nitrocellulose - one good coat of sealer, one coat of gloss lacquer, one coat of semi-gloss lacquer. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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