mahogany furniture

nsdr

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Feb 1, 2007
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Does anyone know a reliable and talented carpenter who can make a beautiful mahogany dining table?
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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That is not the work of a carpenter. That is the work of a woodworker. Yeah, I know, it sounds redundant but it is so. In Spanish it is " carpintero" vs. " ebanista" ..
Depending on where you are located, there are several dotted around the country that make truly great furniture.

HB
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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Do you know a wood worker near Sosua?
There's a furniture/appliance store in Sosua Abajo, near the small bridge, on the South side of the road, where they manufacture some furniture, but I can't say if they are good, nor if they work with mahogany, but if they don't, they may know someone who does.
 

The Virginian

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Mar 16, 2007
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My wife and I purchased 2 bedroom sets from a furniture maker here in Puerto Plata. He does good work for a fair price. If you are interested let me know and I'll track his telephone number down.
 
N

naturelover

Guest
there is one on the left going from sosua to cabarete after the carwash and potshop between the rattan place and the petshop with el chocos restaurant a little further on the right
.The furniture can be made to your requirements although being mahogony it is expensive. The owner is a very polite man that speaks English well there are books to look through for ideas
 

Rocky

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there is one on the left going from sosua to cabarete after the carwash and potshop between the rattan place and the petshop with el chocos restaurant a little further on the right
.The furniture can be made to your requirements although being mahogany it is expensive. The owner is a very polite man that speaks English well there are books to look through for ideas
Although I haven't been in there yet, it looks pretty nice from the outside.
If they have some mahogany furniture there, that they have made, then the OP would be able to judge if it's up to the standards he's looking for.
Good suggestion, NL.
 
N

naturelover

Guest
i have my moments of usefulness...yes they do have high quality dining tables....i sawed it wiv mi eyes
 
Sep 19, 2005
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I have walked through quite a few furnitures stores in the DR looking for varios things. I have some huge very beautiful dining rom tables...but the best ones were not mahogany, they were cherry and walnut.

but I have the opinion ( THIS IS A GUESS) That most of the mahogany furniture you see is made in the far east and imported.

I have seen almost the excact same things in the sr=tores there, that I have seen at "auctions" in the us near my house..

I can't imagine that there is as much mahogany cutting going on in the DR as would be needed to supply all the furniture they are selling there.

that is just a guess. though...if someone knows of a custom furniture maker, then obvioulsy....that is totally different.

I saw a 175,000 peso dining room table in Higuey...it was about 9 foot long. All burl walnut top.

bob
 

Rocky

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I have walked through quite a few furnitures stores in the DR looking for varios things. I have some huge very beautiful dining rom tables...but the best ones were not mahogany, they were cherry and walnut.

but I have the opinion ( THIS IS A GUESS) That most of the mahogany furniture you see is made in the far east and imported.

I have seen almost the excact same things in the sr=tores there, that I have seen at "auctions" in the us near my house..

I can't imagine that there is as much mahogany cutting going on in the DR as would be needed to supply all the furniture they are selling there.

that is just a guess. though...if someone knows of a custom furniture maker, then obvioulsy....that is totally different.

I saw a 175,000 peso dining room table in Higuey...it was about 9 foot long. All burl walnut top.

bob
I'm with you about the walnut.
I think it's my favorite wood.
 

Steve Costa Azul

I love Rocky's Ribs!
Jul 15, 2006
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Wood

I have walked through quite a few furnitures stores in the DR looking for varios things. I have some huge very beautiful dining rom tables...but the best ones were not mahogany, they were cherry and walnut.

but I have the opinion ( THIS IS A GUESS) That most of the mahogany furniture you see is made in the far east and imported.

I have seen almost the excact same things in the sr=tores there, that I have seen at "auctions" in the us near my house..

I can't imagine that there is as much mahogany cutting going on in the DR as would be needed to supply all the furniture they are selling there.

that is just a guess. though...if someone knows of a custom furniture maker, then obvioulsy....that is totally different.

I saw a 175,000 peso dining room table in Higuey...it was about 9 foot long. All burl walnut top.

bob

When I bought our dining room table from Plaza Lama or Casa Nelson (can't remember) in Santiago, I remember I paid the extra money for the table being made from Cojoba or Cajoba wood. The locals claimed the wood made the purchase, a table for life. It is a very hard wood that comes from the DR. Mahogany is softer.
Good luck!
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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CAOBA = mahogany

All mahogany used in the DR is imported these days (with a tiny few exceptions). In fact all exotic wood used here is imported.

Anything is walnut is almost certainly imported.

If you want incredible furniture, go antique hunting for the old stuff made of Dominican mahogany...with deeeeep pockets, of course.

HB
 

Steve Costa Azul

I love Rocky's Ribs!
Jul 15, 2006
405
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Lesson In Wood

CAOBA = mahogany

All mahogany used in the DR is imported these days (with a tiny few exceptions). In fact all exotic wood used here is imported.

Anything is walnut is almost certainly imported.

If you want incredible furniture, go antique hunting for the old stuff made of Dominican mahogany...with deeeeep pockets, of course.

HB

Thanks for the wood lesson Hillbilly! So, is Caoba a direct translation to Mahogany, or is it a type of Mahogany? They didn't get into this kind of detail but they sure seemed to rave about Caoba.
Steve
 
Sep 19, 2005
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I know this picture is poor quality, it was kinda dark and I edited it to lighten it up. I like wood as well and I really liked this all Mahogany doorway....the whole house was accented with mahogany.......

this is a friends house I stayed at the second hunting trip to the DR...the trip i eventually me Tavina....I dont stay there any more...just visit!! ha ha ha
86slp3s.jpg

86slp3s.jpg


what a doorway!!! huge double doors and THICK!!!!

bob
 

amparocorp

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Aug 11, 2002
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i have been under the impression that Dominicans call all dark expensive wood caoba. if you ask them what is caoba they will tell you mahogany. few know the differences in dark woods and those that know wood will specify, but very few know. all they know is coaba = expensive = good quality and 98% never had it in their house growing up as a basis for comparison, heck, most americans can't tell the difference. when i shopped for my dining table it took a weeks, till i found the "right one" , but i saw some absolutely georgeous stuff out there. i was going to have one made but price wise it turned out to be the same, also it can be hard to find a seller who only wants to sell the table, most come with chairs and they don't like to break up "sets", because not many people go looking for only chairs. so, you may find a table you like but if you don't like the chairs you could be stuck, of course, in the DR everyone likes to do business and probably make a switch for a few pesos more and since this is the DR you will get screwed somehow.....................
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Remember too that mahogany can be stained different colours and varnishes. Our ebanista asked us what stain we wanted when he was making our doors, cabinets etc (in fact all the woodwork in the house). Our dining room chairs count as one of the 'exceptions' HB was talking about. We grew them! :) Well, when we came to build the house there were 3 mahogany trees growing where the kitchen/dining room was going to go - so we got permission to cut, then stored to dry out, then got permission to transport & our man took them and made them into chairs.........and eventually returned the trees to where they had been, but as chairs. He made the dining room table, too, but that was from imported mahogany.
 

George Holmes

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Nov 15, 2006
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I know the places with the reputation for high quality wood working are around Villa Trina (?) and some other places near the capital. Buying furniture, especially from expensive wood such as mahogany or Ebano Verde, is difficult as the makers don't advertise themselves openly, so it is a case of knowing the right person.

I would imagine that it would be easier to find second-hand stuff, as the furniture making industry in the DR is much smaller than it was two decades ago or so, simply because it is now much more difficult to get the wood.