Mahogany??

[kubotaman]

I just did a small, 5 inch diameter, rosette out of Mahogany that a neighbor wants me to carve a 3D image in. I did this only to see how the material would cut. He claims it is African Mahogany but I have worked with that before. I claim it is just plain old cheap Phillipine Mahogany. The small sample came out like I had used old wet pallets to say the least!!! Has anyone cut regular cheap Mahogany with good results? I cut it with the grain with a .25 ballnose and finish with a .125 against the grain. Cutting with the grain does very poor results. Against the grain isn't much better. Any suggestions that will improve my results? The speed was X-Y at 2.5 inch per minute so it wasn't overly fast.

[bleeth]

I have never cut "Phillipine Mahogany" but have cut Honduran and African. Both of them cut just fine. "Phillipine" not only isn't Mahogany, it's not even related. As a soft wood it would have all the issues of trying to cut other soft woods. For some Rosettes I did a while back I used an 1/8 bit, 5% stepover, and cut offset from the inside out. Virtually no touch up prior to finish.

[Brady Watson]

It doesn't sound like you have Mahogany...Honduran, African and Luan (Phillipine) all cut well. Luan tends to be the stringyest. Although...If the wood is really dry, I could see it blowing out on you. Either way, tell him his material sucks and cut the same relief in some material that IS good, like Maple etc.

-B

[kubotaman]

Maybe I should back up and possibly correct myself. What I am calling Phillipine Mahogany is what you are calling Luan Mahogany. This material doesn't cut well at all. It is very stringy to say the least. What would be the speeds for movement you would recommend? Also what about the rpm's? I cut the rosette with the grain and it really was "stringy". Some of the so called chips were as long as 1.5 inches long!! When cutting across the grain it would be fine and then be quite "fuzzy" the next inch or so. I feel cutting this rosette in maple would be very good results. I will try it in the morning. Any suggestions?? I cut the same rosette in cedar and even it gave better results, not great but it did do better.

[Brady Watson]

Luan, which is called Philippine Mahogany...is not Mahogany at all as Dave pointed out. It is simply 'Luan' like the 1/4" Luan plywood you get for floor underlayment.

It IS very stringy, but I have cut 3D reliefs into it with decent results. No special tools or feedrates required. Just make sure your tools are sharp and raster with the grain. Do a roughing pass and a finishing pass. This will improve the final finish quality, unless the material is real junk.

-B

[kubotaman]

Couldn't do a cut today but I will retry tomorrow. Hope it comes out better. I don't think it could be much worse!!