Is this a crazy idea?

[RichinGA]

I have a 70-80 year old mahogany buffet table that belonged to my Grandparents. The outer surface and legs of the table are in rough shape, and it doesn’t really have a good fit in my house. But, I had this wild hair idea that given it’s age (likely old growth mahogany) I might be able to find someone to cut it down and use the larger pieces to build a custom guitar with mahogany back/sides. (Doubtful there’s wood large enough for a neck). Is there any way to determine the (sound/voicing) quality of the wood without tearing the furniture apart?……Is this just a crazy idea, or am I on to something? The guitar would make for a hell of a story.

[Larrison]

Hopefully one of the resident luthiers can chime in- but while we wait I’ll give you a free bump to the top of the forum.

Your answer may hinge on whether that wood is flat sawn or quarter sawn.

This does remind me of a video from Driftwood guitars where they drove cross country to buy a bedroom set from a lady that was Brazilian rosewood. Most of it I would think would end up as bridges or fingerboards but they were quite excited about the score.

[Burton LeGeyt]

This isn't crazy. Just this past week I resawed Cuban mahogany planks from a 19th century table I purchased and disassembled into guitar sets. It is very possible.

There are reasons to pause, though-
Is the wood cut well? meaning is it reasonably quartersawn, and without a ton of runout? Will you be able to work around fasteners, joints, and seams to get useable material? Is the material riddled with small cracks? Do you have the machinery to be able to affordably mill it into guitar sets? And lastly- is it in fact solid wood? Lots of tables (and other things) are sneakily veneered. I dealt with all this stuff with this (and other) tables. Sometimes it works out and other times not.

There's also the issue of taking apart someone else's work. I'm not sure how to think about this. I have a solid Brazilian rosewood table I purchased for the wood but later came to understand it was made by a beloved maker in a specific community. I've gotten mild pressure not to cut it up and it does give me pause. If this was your grandparent's table I think you are very free to make that choice- but it is something to consider.

[RichinGA]

Originally Posted by Burton LeGeyt

This isn't crazy. Just this past week I resawed Cuban mahogany planks from a 19th century table I purchased and disassembled into guitar sets. It is very possible.

There are reasons to pause, though-
Is the wood cut well? meaning is it reasonably quartersawn, and without a ton of runout? Will you be able to work around fasteners, joints, and seams to get useable material? Is the material riddled with small cracks? Do you have the machinery to be able to affordably mill it into guitar sets? And lastly- is it in fact solid wood? Lots of tables (and other things) are sneakily veneered. I dealt with all this stuff with this (and other) tables. Sometimes it works out and other times not.

There's also the issue of taking apart someone else's work. I'm not sure how to think about this. I have a solid Brazilian rosewood table I purchased for the wood but later came to understand it was made by a beloved maker in a specific community. I've gotten mild pressure not to cut it up and it does give me pause. If this was your grandparent's table I think you are very free to make that choice- but it is something to consider.

There is a lot that I don’t know about the wood, but I’ll start off with what I do believe: The wood is solid, with no veneers. It appears to be very well constructed, (with dovetail joints on the drawers). The top alone is all mahogany, and measures 66” (length) x 19 1/2” (width) x 3/4” (thick). There are no cracks, seams, fasteners, or joints on the table top….It’s one long continuous slab. The front and sides also appear to be mahogany. There appears to be some other wood types used inside and backside of the drawers, but it’s not a veneer. There are two relatively small elliptical shape wood veneers on the two front panels of the table, but it is purely decorative. (Behind the small veneer is solid mahogany.)

I don’t know how to determine how the wood was cut, nor do I know the inherent quality of the wood.

I wish I could post pics of the table, but I don’t have a picture hosting service that I can use to upload pics.

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by RichinGA

I wish I could post pics of the table, but I don’t have a picture hosting service that I can use to upload pics.

The easiest way to post pics is to use the TapaTalk app from your phone (or tablet if that's where the pictures are)... you can do it right from the app without having to use a 3rd part hosting site.

[RichinGA]

Here are some pics of the furniture. Hope it helps give an idea of the quality/type of wood.

[Jimmy Caldwell]

Without an “in-hand” inspection, it’s hard to tell whether or not that is solid wood. My guess is it’s veneered, but by removing a short section of the edge band on the top, you’ll be able to tell. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[TomB'sox]

Srick did a project with a similar story. If I recall correctly, it was Mahogany from a table as well. Maybe he will chime in on his experience.

[Burton LeGeyt]

I agree with Jimmy, that looks like veneer. Peek under inside the cabinet- does the grain match the grain on top? A peek under the edge banding would be even better.

There's likely also fasteners on the underside that could make it hard to get clean side length pieces. But also maybe not? You never really know until you get it apart.

[runamuck]

The top is most likely veneer but it's hard sometimes to tell even in person when the edges are that dark. You might take a small swipe with a handplane off the back - the wall side - of the top to check.

Good luck.

[RichinGA]

I was able to get a picture inside the right drawer of the cabinet. The front and back of the drawer looks to be one solid piece of mahogany, but the back of the cabinet does not appear to have a mahogany grain (which isn’t surprising). At the very top of the picture you can barely make out the underside of the cabinet top-piece. Not sure why it’s not stained, but it doesn’t look like mahogany. I’ll inspect it in closer detail.

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Burton LeGeyt

I agree with Jimmy, that looks like veneer. Peek under inside the cabinet- does the grain match the grain on top? A peek under the edge banding would be even better.

There's likely also fasteners on the underside that could make it hard to get clean side length pieces. But also maybe not? You never really know until you get it apart.

I concur. The grooved top piece is often done to hide veneer lines.

[RichinGA]

The edge band along the top piece of the table appears to be a one piece part of the top, and not a separate strip. Below is a picture showing the edge along the top piece. Also is a picture of the underside of the top piece, which is unstained……The wood on the (outside) front of the top looks like mahogany, but inside (unstained) looks more like oak…….Also, I did find that the furniture was made by “Limberts” and was likely made between 1915-1925.

[RP]

I don't think it's a crazy idea, and it may very well be doable; but I'd sell it intact and use the money toward a new guitar. Cutting this piece of furniture apart doesn't seem like the best way to honor your grandparents. It would be too many ifs in the equation for me...

[TomB'sox]

That looks like a thin piece of Mahogany veneered to a solid piece of Maple to me, but I could be wrong.