Mahogany jewelry box - WIP

Jim DeLaney

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Been working on this off and on for a while.

It's mahogany, milled to half-inch thickness, with dovetailed joinery.

DSCN0753 (Small).JPG DSCN0752 (Small).JPG DSCN0754 (Small).JPG DSCN0756 (Small).JPG

Now, I need opinions:

Below are pix with two different drawer fronts - curly maple and mahogany. I kinda like both, but haven't made up my mind yet.

Which do you prefer?

DSCN0757 (Small).JPG Maple? DSCN0758 (Small).JPG or mahogany? DSCN0759 (Small).JPG
 
If I use the mahogany, the pieces WILL match. What's in there now are just 'place holder' scraps.

I originally voted curly, but I think that is what threw me in the pic is the flow of the grain in the examples. If it looks as good as the back sides grain, I'd probably go with mahogany, but really is up to if you're going for a contrast or a flow, either will look great. :thumb:
 
Tough decision, because both do look great. If I was going to use the maple I'd want to put some sort of drop shadow (either a bead line or very thin dark inlay) around the fronts. Otherwise I think there's something with the matching mahogany that would really hit that "classic lines" feel.
 
...If it looks as good as the back sides grain, I'd probably go with mahogany...

The mahogany I'd use would be a perfect match to the back, since it'd be resawn from the same plank. All the mahogany started as 5/4 stock, which I resawed and finish sanded to 1/2 inch (except for the back, which was resawn to 1/4 inch.

The more I look at it, the more I'm leaning towards the mahogany.
 
Man, that's a tough call. My initial preference was the maple, but I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. Looking forward to seeing it when the finish hits the wood.
 
Curly Maple is almost always going to be a winner on most any project. However like Vaughn just said you really cant go wrong with either choice here. The Mahogany may not have the curl but matches the rest of it and the finished look of the piece. Great looking overall project.
 
I am not a mahogany fan and having mixed maple with it before the choice for me is easy....Maple.
I find mahogany to be a boring wood and don't like the pores on mahogany.
Joints and woodworking is impressive, but then everything u make is and compared to anything i make, heck i can't even comment.
Someone is going to be real happy with this piece. Who is the lucky person.
 
well here is a chuckle for you folks some of us just look t pictures now days and dont read the instructions,, i thought jim had made a mistake with the 2 different woods till i read the question which one i liked.. i can see matching mahogany but it needs some more detail as others mentioned beading of some type perhaps.
 
Update: The finished product.

I used the mahogany - one plank, cut sequentially so the grain flows across the front. Small brass knobs from Lee Valley.

Finish is shellac sealer, followed by about ten thin coats of Target EM6000 Waterborne lacquer with a slight amber tint added.

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