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  1. #1
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    Default Red-Brown Hardwood with contrasting sapwood

    I want to build a table the design of which calls for a timber that is close to mahogany in colour that has contrasting sapwood.

    I want to run the sapwood down the edges of the legs and to veneer the top so the sapwood forms a flame shape radiating from the centre.

    The problem is finding the right timber. If you can help, please give me a yell.

    Cheerio!

    John

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  3. #2
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    Default

    The issue you're most likely to run into is getting timber with a wide enough band of sapwood to actually do anything useful with it. I have an irregular customer who does the same two-tone tabletop thing quite often. He tends to take two bookend pieces of timber then place a contrasting timber between them, often with wavy line jointing, or chevrons, or odd shapes. That makes getting the width to actually do anything fancy possible, and just means you have a three plank tabletop instead of two. The last job I seen of his had rose gum either side of Silver Quandong with a joint that looked like a sine wave either side. Looked absolutely fabulous, though the jointing work to fit it together would take more patience then I have.

    If you went that way you could find any number of mahogany coloured timbers, and use a piece of Silver Quandong, or Silver Ash, or similar light coloured wood between them. Mahogany colour is in itself quite misleading... which mahogany? Red brown encompasses a wide range of timbers, and a lot will depend on just which end of that spectrum you want to sit in, and how wide, how figured, and how long you want your table to be. Options that might work would include Red Tulip Oak , Crowsfoot, some of the lesser known acacia's that come under the Qld Blackwood umberella, Red Mahogany/ Red stringy, heaps of options really.

    Or you could just take a slab like this, square it up, and rip it down the middle:


    Raintree.jpg

  4. #3
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    Default How big a table?

    Quote Originally Posted by John Samuel View Post
    I want to build a table the design of which calls for a timber that is close to mahogany in colour that has contrasting sapwood.

    I want to run the sapwood down the edges of the legs and to veneer the top so the sapwood forms a flame shape radiating from the centre.

    The problem is finding the right timber. If you can help, please give me a yell.

    Cheerio!

    John
    Hi John,

    An issue to consider is that many timbers' sapwood, although light in colour compared to the heartwood, is very susceptible to attack by borers, so a difficult task to protect unless you want to use toxic chemicals.

    Depending on the size you are looking at, one timber that I know with such a contrast between heartwood colour and sapwood colour is Harpullia pendula, Tulipwood, though I have no idea as to availability.

    Regards

    David

  5. #4
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    Default

    I guess I got a bit lazy because the exact colour is not super critical, so long as the sapwood contrasts strongly.

    You are right. With many timbers the big issue is getting a wide enough strip of sapwood.

    I think I'll pass on the slab ... won't go through any of my saws.

    Cheerio!

    John

  6. #5
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Xanthorrhoeas View Post
    Hi John,

    An issue to consider is that many timbers' sapwood, although light in colour compared to the heartwood, is very susceptible to attack by borers, so a difficult task to protect unless you want to use toxic chemicals.

    Depending on the size you are looking at, one timber that I know with such a contrast between heartwood colour and sapwood colour is Harpullia pendula, Tulipwood, though I have no idea as to availability.

    Regards

    David
    David,

    Thanks for the Tulipwood suggestion. I'll have a look around.

    Yes, one does need to be careful with borers in sapwood.

    Cheerio!

    John

  7. #6
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    Default mackay cedar

    Have you considered mackay cedar?
    Perhaps a little reddish for you, not brownish?

    It has a very defined white border..... that if treated .....works just fine.

    Take a look at Mal's 'Boutique Timbers' web site for some photos of slabs and tables
    Greg

  8. #7
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    Default By Mackay Cedar do you mean Paraserianthes toona? Some people react badly to it

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Ward View Post
    Have you considered mackay cedar?
    Perhaps a little reddish for you, not brownish?

    It has a very defined white border..... that if treated .....works just fine.

    Take a look at Mal's 'Boutique Timbers' web site for some photos of slabs and tables
    Greg
    Hi Greg,

    Yes, that is certainly a beautiful timber, but it should come with a health warning. Some people have a very big reaction to the timber and its sawdust. So, I'm just saying "take care". Anyone considering using it should first Google it and see some comments in these forums and elsewhere. Full respirator required.

    regards
    David

  9. #8
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Ward View Post
    Have you considered mackay cedar?
    Perhaps a little reddish for you, not brownish?

    It has a very defined white border..... that if treated .....works just fine.

    Take a look at Mal's 'Boutique Timbers' web site for some photos of slabs and tables
    Greg
    I have bought some timber from Mal in the past. The only issue for me is that I would like to select the timber I want and picking it up from the depot over on the Southside can be a proper PITA. Last time it took me over an hour to find the bloke who could hand over the timber I could see sitting in the shed.

    I am actually considering making a trip to Boutique timbers. Mal has some nice stuff.

    Is there a similar supplier closer to Brisbane?

    Cheerio!

    John

  10. #9
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    Default Have you tried TG Creations? Maybe also Blackwood?

    Quote Originally Posted by John Samuel View Post
    Is there a similar supplier closer to Brisbane?

    Cheerio!

    John
    Hi John,

    I hate to give away a good source but if you do not know of him you could find that Trevor Gaskell at TG Creations at Northbridge has some great supplies locally at "woodies prices" rather than the full commercial rates (I have no financial interest and everything to lose if you buy something I want, but this is a friendly forum so ...) ph. 3314 6816. I have never asked him about Tulipwood but he does have some Tulip Oak (beautiful timber though no contrast in the sapwood with that). I don't know his full range, but it maybe worth a call as he isn't far from you.

    The other suggestion that I have is for blackwood, Acacia melanoxylon, which was also known as lightwood in the 19th century because it can be very light in colour to contrast to the rich brown heartwood. The sapwood may be borer resistant too, I have not checked but I have never seen borer in blackwood/lightwood. Mapleman (on the forum) here in SE Qld often has some good supplies of blackwood at Cedarton so you could pm or call him too. Of course Tasmanian suppliers have much larger supplies and sizes of blackwood. Beware, the dust is carcinogenic I have been told.

    Regards

    David

  11. #10
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Xanthorrhoeas View Post
    Hi John,

    I hate to give away a good source but if you do not know of him you could find that Trevor Gaskell at TG Creations at Northbridge has some great supplies locally at "woodies prices" rather than the full commercial rates (I have no financial interest and everything to lose if you buy something I want, but this is a friendly forum so ...) ph. 3314 6816. I have never asked him about Tulipwood but he does have some Tulip Oak (beautiful timber though no contrast in the sapwood with that). I don't know his full range, but it maybe worth a call as he isn't far from you.

    The other suggestion that I have is for blackwood, Acacia melanoxylon, which was also known as lightwood in the 19th century because it can be very light in colour to contrast to the rich brown heartwood. The sapwood may be borer resistant too, I have not checked but I have never seen borer in blackwood/lightwood. Mapleman (on the forum) here in SE Qld often has some good supplies of blackwood at Cedarton so you could pm or call him too. Of course Tasmanian suppliers have much larger supplies and sizes of blackwood. Beware, the dust is carcinogenic I have been told.

    Regards

    David
    David,

    Thanks. I have already bought some timber from Trevor, but this time he does not have what I am looking for. Tried Mapleman, too.

    Cheerio!

    John

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