Any way to get Polyshade "Bombay Mahogany" Effect?

[trouper]

I don't want to use the Polyshade product, I want to use a traditional stain and then poly as that is what I have experience using to get a decent result. I really like the redness of the Bombay Mahogany stain though. The regular Minwax product of "Red Mahogany" is hardly red at all, more dark brown. Is there any product out there that will get me close to the Bombay Mahogany color?

[trouper]

If it matters, I am using this over red oak wood.

[tiredofspam]

You might want to try mixing stains. I recently had to use a sedonna red ... it is very red... Add that to bombay mahogany or start with sedonna red and work from there.

Also I thought olympic or zar had someth> I don't want to use the Polyshade product, I want to use a traditional

[msschmenk]

FWIW, thinned Minwax Red Mahogany is just right for my tastes over mahogany.

Though I don't have any actual Bombay pieces, I have some similar to them. They are not made of mahogany. These have a bright red stain in certain places that would suggest that the "redness" comes from a multi-step stain process. Check out the experts at

I'm no pro finisher, but I suspect you could use water based aniline dye in bright red and apply it slightly diluted to the entire piece, then follow with thinned Red Mahogany. You can now glaze and/or spray a tinted lacquer to shade additionally if needed. Remember to practice on scrap from your project and to prep appropriately with raising grain and sanding prior to the dye, etc.

This is on a FWW article based on mahogany finishing. The author applied an amber dye to tone the various natural pigments of several different mahogany boards used in the project. Good luck! SS

[captmikey]

Trouper...

You might want to try General Finishes "Rosewood" water based stain. I recently used it on my TV stand, built with a combination of birch plywood with some oak edging. I hadn't intended on using oak, but not having a thickness planner or a local (EZ) source for birch/cherry, I used the oak. After applying a wood conditioner wet, I rubbed on the stain, got my color, then waited a day and sealed it with Bullseye wax-free Seal Coat thinned 2:1 with Behlen's Behkol. The finish was 3 coats of water-based satin finish urethane (Minwax).

BTW, General Finishes are sold at Woodcraft and they have a nice selection stain options in their store here in West Springfield, MA.

I know Bombay's kind of redish mahogany, and the only other product I could recommend would be a bit bizzare... Chris-Craft Red Mahogany filler by Interlux which is awfully hard to find. The last time I bought some it was from a boat outfitter/yard in Rhode Island on a tip I got from a Interlux techie.

Mike

[toller]

Consider using a red dye under the mahogany stain. I have found using moderate dyes and stains together works better than using either a stong dye or stain alone.

[msschmenk]

[trouper]

I am leaning towards the Rosewood stain. Is the seal coat necessary and what does it do? Does a water-based urethane have to be used or can I use an oil base one over the stain?