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Just got back from woodworking symposium at Wiliamsburg, talking about old furniture and hand tool techniques. We got a nice session from the harpsichord maker and I spoke with him afterwards.


He displayed an early instrument that he had recently finished and the case was walnut. The front of the case has a curve to it and I asked it it was solid or veneer. He said it was solid 5/16" walnut steam bent. He then said that instruments made a little later were mahogany, and you can't bend that thickness of mahogany so those were all veneered.

The curves were not severe, nice and gentle. I have bent 1" cherry, maple, and red and white oak with no problems. Anybody familiar with what he was talking about?

Ed

Its certainly possible to bend thick mahogany. I worked at the Old Town Canoe company many years ago and they still bent the mahogany gunwales for the pretty wood canoes. Those were probably 3/4" thick and a similar curve diameter to what you saw.

Once in a while I'll run into a piece of mahogany that simply refuses to bend. For the most part it's OK, but that odd piece can make you reluctant to try sometimes.