What do you do with boards like this?

[lowell holmes]

boards.jpg

What do you do with boards like this. They have been in my lumber rack for years. They both are about 48" long.
The philippine mahogany on the left is 9"X3/4"X48". The sapele on the right is 8"X1"X48". I can't just throw them away,
but they need to be used in a picture frame, table top, or something. Maybe a foot stool? Any ideas?

Philippine mahogany was popular in the 70's and 80's. You don't see it anymore.

The sapele is a nice board and I could buy more for a project.

Their time has come, but I don't have a project in mind.

[Chris Hachet]

Hold onto them until you know what you want to do with them. Projects turn out better for me when I am building something I am passionate about rather than just something I am building to build it.

I would perhaps suggest a small clock might be a nice project out of these....or they might make nice handles for back saws.

[Derek Cohen]

Drawer fronts.

Use them with a sympathetic wood for the carcase, and make the drawer colour and figure a feature.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[george wilson]

That response is hard to fathom,Derek!

[Prashun Patel]

When I have pretty scraps I make kitchen items like cheese boards or spoons/spatulas. Ironically, despite being super-simple to make, they often get the most oohs and aahhhs as guests chomp their charcuterie.

[Kevin Wolfe]

Would sending them to me count as a project?

[lowell holmes]

images (19).jpg
Since making the post, I'm thinking about this Becksvoort stool. I've made a painted one for my computer to sit on.
I like the design and it would be fun to build another. It is a handtool project.

If I had a cabinet or case project in mind, I would use Derek's suggestion.

When posting this, I was thinking I'm not the only one with boards like this in their lumber rack.

[Derek Cohen]

That response is hard to fathom,Derek!

Of course, George, you'd probably just make a violin or something equally basic

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Lowell

One more idea - no, not a violin - what about resawing the boards into decent thickness veneer. You could make it go quite far that way.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Falkner]

If I had them I would resaw into guitar backs/sides. But they would also be good for other small projects like jewelry boxes/cabinets, mirror or picture frames, etc.

[lowell holmes]

Veneer may be the way to go on sapele. I could probably get 6 or seven 1/8" pieces.

The sapele must be planed cross grain to prevent tearout. The thick veneer would be required in order to plane the saw marks out.

Maybe you instrument makers can shed some light on this issue.

[lowell holmes]

Well,

I bought another piece of sapele to go with the piece I already had. It is a piece that is 4/4x7 1/4x12' quarter sawn. It is curly with spectacular figure.

FWIW, I'm starting a keep sake box for my oldest grand daughter to take with here to college when she goes. I know what to do with the board now.

If you have never seen qs sapele, you're in for a treat. I may go back tomorrow and buy some more while they have it.

[Art Mann]

If those pieces were mine, I would resaw them into thinner pieces and make keepsake boxes out of them.

[lowell holmes]

That's a good suggestion Art.

When we stumble on to a spectacular piece of wood, it sometimes becomes difficult to determine what to do with it.
I am considering going back to the lumber yard and buying some more of the stack.

[glenn bradley]

Re-saw the sapele and make a sofa table. Mahogany or wenge for the legs/aprons depending if you wanted to go lighter or darker.

sofa table.JPG