Replies

1. 
   user-5880422 | Dec 23, 2003 03:54am | #1

   there are a lot of true mahogany woods, just like there are a lot of maples, oaks, etc.

   cuban mahogany is what most woodworkers will think of when talking about heritage furniture, although it is extremely difficult to get these days.

   honduran mahogany, also called 'genuine mahogany', is really close to Cuban in appearance and workability. It's widely available... my favorite wood to work with. I believe that honduran is also known as 'tropical American'

   there's some African mahogany as well, but I'm not sure on species. I do know the african stuff isn't nearly as nice to work with, nor as attractive as genuine mahogany.

   philippine mahogany isn't actually mahogany, it's luan.

   for flooring, I think santos better than honduran because it's harder (on the Janka scale) and much less expensive.

2. 
   Sphere | Dec 23, 2003 03:55am | #2

   If it is a True Mahogony it's latin name begins with Switienia or a close spelling of that..it may be cuban mahogony.

3. 
   BillHartmann | Dec 23, 2003 04:01am | #3

   http://www.ihfinc.com/SantosMahogany.htm

1. 
   UncleDunc | Dec 23, 2003 04:13am | #4

   Yay, Bill!

2. 
   reinvent | Dec 23, 2003 06:43pm | #5

   Nice work. It says its a mahogany 'coloured' wood. So is it a true mahogany?

1. 
   UncleDunc | Dec 23, 2003 08:27pm | #7

   How do you define "a true mahogany"

   SPHERE wrote in message #3, "If it is a True Mahogony it's Latin name begins with Swietenia," which matches my understanding. The page that Bill linked to gives the horticultural name as Cabriuva vermelha. So by that definition, no, Santos Mahogany is not a true mahogany.

4. 
   gecko | Dec 23, 2003 08:22pm | #6

   more than 20 species are sold as "mahogany" but there are only two that are "true" mahogany. one is Cuban mahogany which has been virtually unavailable commercially for a century, and the other is Honduras mahogany.

   Custom Cabinetry and Furniture

   http://www.BartlettWoodworking.com

    

5. 
   r_ignacki | Dec 24, 2003 02:46am | #8

   It's only called "santos" mahogany now because that species changes it's name year round.   In the winter, it goes by " santos" because of, well, "santos claus", (notice that slieghs are made from that wood). 

   In the summer (july 4) it will be called "firecracker" mahogany, or " rebel" mahogany(depending on what part of the country you are from)