What is a good way to finish mahogany?

Rennie Heuer

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I am building a wine box for the daughter of a friend is getting married in August. Nothing terribly fancy, just a dovetailed box in Mahogany. I am looking for a good way to finish it. Normally I go with a clear finished but I know Mahogany can be enhanced using other products. What about grain filler? Anybody care to offer any information on that?

Not sure which way I will go with this but thought I would throw it out to the group and see what suggestions came up. I am not used to working in mahogany so I could use the help.

Yes, before anyone mentions it, this box is made of glued up panels. The wood belongs to the bride's grandfather. It sat in an attic for decades. It had originally been something else so this is all reused material.

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My favorite; oil varnish blend. The color of some mahogany can be a bit orange (like this one):


G&G-Bookcase-After-(5).jpg

You can warm it up by adding a little blue to the blend:

NWC-Final-sm.jpg

You can also hit it hard and go from this:

Deb Bath Cab (19.jpg

to this:

Deb Bath Cab (28).jpg
 
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Mahogany can be finished in many ways. Using a grain filler will leave a slick finish to be top coated, and there will be very little dimensional feel to the wood. Personally, I like to get a sheen but have it more natural looking and feeling. I've done finishes on Mahogany without stains or dyes, and it comes out in a brown tone. I don't find that objectionable. It has it's place depending on the project. Or, you can use a dye, like I did on this Mahogany Bar. I used an alcohol based dye (red Mahogany). It doesn't raise the grain, and can be diluted to just give a hint of a color change.


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