How To Make Normal Mahogany Look Like Crotch Mahog

01/17/2015


From original questioner:

Anyone have any links to show how to make mahogany look like crotch mahog?

From contributor DC


Mike,
Are you referring to the flame pattern in "crotch" Mahogany? If so, the only way to make "Normal" Mahogany look like Crotch mahogany would be to grain paint the pattern in...Why not use "Crotch Mahogany" to begin with?
DCS

From contributor Mi


I dont want to mention the company i work for but we had crotch mahog veneer book matched for us to lay up on mdf,, when i laid it up with yellow glue, i think i used too much glue because it rippled and we couldnt sand it out, so we just used regular mahog and drew a pencil line to create the 4 quadrants . Because of how damaged the top was, its the owners hope the customer wont know they had crotch mahog. Id like to be able to fake in the crotch look.

From contributor Le


Bite the bullet do the right thing and start over. Lesson learned. Really!!

From contributor ri


Easier to lay up new veneer than learn the techniques of faux painting. Google faux painting crotch mahogany.

From contributor Ro


Can you have that same company lay it up on something like MDF ?

From contributor De


Do it right and give them what they paid you for.

From contributor Mi


If i were looking for life lessons, i would go see a shrink. Reread the post. Im not the owner. I'm just looking to learn something new.

From contributor De


I read your post again. You said:

"Because of how damaged the top was, its the owners hope the customer wont know they had crotch mahog. Id like to be able to fake in the crotch look. "

Owner or not you are looking for tips and moral support on giving the customer something other than what they are paying for because you messed the original up.

But as long as we are down that road, make a sample up for them of what you are proposing, show it to them and when they have signed off on it, then proceed.

From contributor Mi


Owners=owners of the company im working for, not homeowner.
Im not looking for moral support. Bi asked a very simple question... Does anyone have any vids or know how to make normal mahog look like crotch mahog

Im done replying, unless someone has suggestions on how to make real mag look like crotch mahog. Not through painting.

From contributor DC


Mike,
As suggested in all previous responses; either faux painting or laying up new "crotch" Veneer is your only way...
Staining "Regular" Mahogany cannot mimic "Crotch" Mahogany.
The regular Mahogany will have very linear grain and pore pattern, where as, the Crotch Mahogany will have a very different grain and even more so, Pore pattern that cannot be faked with only a staining technique...Sorry for the bad news, but the facts are the facts.
I don't think anyone was trying to beat you up. All respondents were trying to give you their best advise....
If you find a way to make normal mahogany look like Crotch, please post your findings on this site for all to see...
Good luck on this and all future work...
DCS

From contributor Mi


DCS,

Thank you! Although it may obviously not be the answer I was looking for, it's an honest opinion, which is EXACTLY what I was looking for.

Thank you and I certainly will post pics if I find a way to fake it.

From contributor Ch


Just some side questions that might help in the future for avoiding the problems you had in the first place:

Why did you use yellow glue? I would suggest a glue with a rigid bond. Yellow glue is not it.

Did you use a vacuum bag? Was sufficient, EVEN pressure applied over the entire surface? (That might have prevented the rippling.)

Philosophical questions:

Does anyone really like working for an "owner" who lies or misrepresents things to their customers? Personally, I like to sleep at night. But, this question is off topic.

It seems that the amount of resources (time, materials) now being spent on faking it, only to still lie to the customer, will soon overtake the expense of redoing the job properly. And, the public relations and long-term good will of the company is at stake. Of course, it's not my company in question. But such actions do reflect negatively on the entire industry.

From contributor Le


Charles
I could not said it better.

From contributor Le


have said it better

From contributor Jo


Working with crotch Mahogany is not like working with other veneers, there is a lot of "art" to go with the "science. If you use your "normal" adhesives and procedures, you are almost guaranteed to fail. Find a company that specializes in two-plying crotch Mahogany and let them take the risk off your hands.

From contributor Ba


I agree with others. Trying to make it look like crotch mahog would take an expert and cost lots of time/$$$. I've seen some crazy faux finishes and they were done by actual fine artist/woodworkers. Lots of expertise. Through it in the bin and start over. Stay in your wheelhouse.

my2cts

From contributor Gl


We have done a few large tables using crotch mahogany. It is a fantastic veneer but there is no way the client will not know it is a faux finish IMO. The real crotch has depth and grain that is unique. We have used yellow glue on it in the past with our vacuum press and it turned out great.