Mahogany?

[Paul39]

I habe been picking interesting bits out of the off cut bins at my local wood supplier. I got a piece of glued up 50 X 50 mm X 200 mm that they claimed was Mahogany. It is yellowish brown.

Like this: http://www.wood-database.com/wp-content/uploads/african-mahogany-sealed.jpg

Today I put it on the lathe and started with my Bodger 1/2 inch bowl gouge. It sliced off curlies for about 5 seconds then just made dust. Looked at the edge and it was dulled. Sharpened the 5/8 inch Thompson bowl gouge, same thing.

I roughed it with the Easy finisher and finished with various HSS scrapers that cut for 10 - 15 seconds before needing sharpening.

It this timber abrasive? Would the glue dull the tool?

I have gotten rather spoiled using kiln dried off cuts that I can put on the lathe and have it turned, sanded, and first coat of finish on it in an hour or so.

[artme]

Which Mahogany did they say it was??

There is the original Mahogany from Africa, Honduran Mahogany, Brazilian Mahogany,
Mahogany from the islands to our north, a species of Eucalypt that we call Mahogany,
and no doubt several others.

A note to Runge will probably shed light on your query.:)

[pommyphil]

A quick check with Mr Bootle shows 8 AU natives called "Mahogany", every other warm country

probably has at least a handful each. :rolleyes: Not very useful, like "Deal", "Tasmanian Oak".

Or " Firewood" that I've written on a few bowls :U Phil

[Old-Biker-UK]

'Mahogany' seems to be used for any wood that's a bit pink!
My database of tree & timber common names has 160 'mahogany' (not counting other spellings) with various qualifiers from 'Accra' to 'Yellow', all of them published names and presumable in use somewhere at sometime.....

Timber trade species formerly named as 'Australian Mahogany' are:
Dysoxylum fraserianum (A.Juss.) Benth. aka. Rosewood; Roho Mahogany
Eucalyptus marginata Donn ex Smith. aka. Swan River Mahogany; Jarrah; Everlasting Wood

Mark

[chuck1]

my guess without smelling it is Melnuack may of spelt it wrong! we are using it at work a bit! and it takes the edge off you chisel real quick! it has a distinct smell. it Malaysian and the colour varies from red, brown and yellow, as does the density, one pack could of passed as ironbark