MIMF

Well, I'm finally back to this. I had a neck glue-up that twisted on me, so I had to get some fresh stock, let it acclimate and sneak up on the final thickness before proceeding. Decided to embark on another "little project" while I waited for the fresh piece of sapele to stabilize, and as is the case with all "little projects", two month later, I'm finally able to get back to this build.

One complication that has developed is that the new stock is slightly lighter than the stock used for the headstock and body. Not too concerned about the headstock as I'm veneering the front and using some matching veneer for a back-strap from the volute up the back of the headstock, but not sure how this will look against the body.

I could do some experimentation now, before I've done any additional shaping on the neck shaft. I have some Transtint mahogany red dye, and could make up and apply some very dilute solutions to see if I can get the woods to match. I might get the raw wood to match, but the filling and finishing might react differently to the dye than it will to the raw wood, so I really should do this on some scrap that I could fill and finish to see whether the dyeing is a suitable approach.

On the other hand, I could just close my eyes and figure that once everything is filled and finished, the color variation probably won't be that noticeable. Given that this build has been interrupted so many times already I'm really leaning in this direction!!

Wood and dye change color differently over time. If you make it match now, it probably won’t in a year or two. Save yourself some trouble.

Bob Gramann wrote:Wood and dye change color differently over time. If you make it match now, it probably won’t in a year or two. Save yourself some trouble.

Good point, Bob - I hadn't thought of that! (Duh!)

I have a cherry love seat and sofa I made sitting in our living room whose color is nothing like it was when it got hauled out of the shop. I should know better!

I've had pretty good results staining mahogany to match other wood, usually rosewood, but I've never bothered about different pieces of mahogany.