If you haven't worked with Sapele lumber before,
check out what you've been missing. It's a lot like mahogany, but it's much more
affordable. And the boards are big and clear, which makes
it a great wood for furniture and cabinetry. And the best part of sapele is the ribbon
stripe figure you get with quarter sawn lumber. To get the ribbon figure, the log is cut in
a way that makes the tree's growth rings perpendicular to the faces.
The tree grows in western Africa to towering
heights of 100 feet and the logs can be as massive in diameter as 6 feet. Fortunately for woodworkers, it's not only
beautiful it's also a joy to machine and finish. You can see that the basic operations – like
sawing and routing – go very smoothly and cause no trouble. So you might be wondering, "What does it take
to make the ribbon figure look its absolute best in a project?" Here are three ways to finish sapele for a
great look.
The first is a simple clear finish using shellac
sealer and spray lacquer. And it looks pretty nice. What how the figure jumps out with just one
coat of sealer. The second finishing method is a little more
advanced, and it helps you get a little bit different color. We start with dye, then a little sealer, then
stain. An amber dye that's diluted way down to about
a ratio of 1:6 dye to reducer will establish a light, even color. You just flood it on and let it dry.
This is about what sapele should look like
when the dye is dry. The next step is to apply a very thin coat
of sealer. This should be a 1:4 ratio of denatured alcohol
to sealer. All we're trying to is control the stain in
the next step. Here's an oil based stain with a deep red
color. But any color will work that suits you. This adds just a touch of color and contrast
to the stripey figure in sapele.
The process is really simple. You wipe it on, and right away wipe it off. The result is a pleasing color that accentuates
the figure. From here all you have to do is let it dry
overnight, and finish it with lacquer or varnish. And finally, here's a third way to finish
sapele that gives it a lot of punch. And this is pretty easy, you just apply a
Danish oil, let it dry, then you top-coat it with your favorite finish on top. As you can see, the oil really makes the ribbons
jump out. By now I hope you can see how beautiful and
versatile sapele really is, and how you use the wood in a future project. Read real customer reviews, see customer projects
of sapele, and order securely online at woodworkerssource.com.