Genuine Mahogany has long been a favorite of furniture makers and woodworkers in general — and for good reasons, too. Its workability is second-to-none, and after finishing, the color and depth are simply breathtaking. Those aspects of the species have not changed. However, in … [Read more...]
What Lumber Grading Can and Cannot Tell You
When it’s time to place a lumber order, we all know the basics that need to be covered: species, size, and grade. But did you know that those things should just be a starting point for the conversation? If you give any lumber supplier only the basics, and they give you a quote … [Read more...]
Would Utile/Sipo Lumber Be a Good Mahogany Alternative for Your Project?
As popular as Genuine Mahogany remains with many craftsmen, interrelated issues like availability, sustainability , and affordability are making alternative species increasingly important to consider. At J. Gibson McIlvain, we have researched the issue thoroughly and believe that … [Read more...]
Spanish Cedar Is an Easy-To-Work-With Genuine Mahogany Alternative
The furniture and cabinet-making industries have long-term relationships with Genuine Mahogany. Also called Honduran Mahogany, this species boasts unrivaled beauty and workability. At the same time, its reputation has been blighted in recent years, being considered by many to be … [Read more...]
Sapele Is an Affordable African Alternative for Genuine Mahogany
As a long-time favorite of furniture and cabinet makers, Genuine Mahogany has enjoyed centuries of popularity. Unfortunately, years of widespread use, coupled with irresponsible forestry management, have led to concerns regarding sustainability. This South American species has … [Read more...]
African Mahogany Is a Viable Alternative for Many Mahogany Applications
The characteristics that make Genuine Mahogany a long-time favorite of wood workers are well known, if not quite as commonly accepted as the definition of “genuine.” One might easily reason that if one lumber species is named for its authenticity, the alternative must be … [Read more...]
Plywood Problems: When Do You Really Need Marine Grade Plywood?
In addition to veneer core, MDF core, and architectural plywood, J. Gibson McIlvain also carries two types of marine grade plywood. When discussing marine grade plywood, the first thing we need to do is to define the term “marine grade.” Many customers mistakenly believe that … [Read more...]
Plywood Problems: Core Comparisons
Appearance is definitely a major factor when it comes to plywood, but performance is even more significant. We've previously discussed the part that the number of plies plays in determining plywood quality as well as a few basic tips for finding the quality plywood you desire. … [Read more...]
Plywood Problems: 3 Steps to Finding Perfect Plywood
In a previous post, we explained how more important than the number of plies in a sheet of plywood, the quality and application of glue helps determine the quality. It would be nice if all you had to do was ask about the formula of glue being used, and voila! You would know if … [Read more...]
Looking for a Bargain on Quality Imported Wood? Consider Short Lumber
Most lumber customers in the United States have grown accustomed to their lumber boards to starting out at sizes that are no shorter than eight feet in length. Anything less than eight feet is considered to be a “short” board. The demand for these "under par" boards is incredibly … [Read more...]
Now Taking Architectural Plywood Orders
Architectural plywood panels are the crème-de-la-crème, when it comes to plywood. With exceptionally stable cores and top-of-the-line face veneers, these panels require consistency in the face veneer that meets requirements of large projects such as conference centers or hotels. … [Read more...]
Defining Terms: What “Quality Control” Means for Hardwoods, Part 2
In Part 1, we looked at what quality control means for exotic hardwoods up through the drying process. We truly believe that effective quality control begins at the source, as we evaluate the harvesting practices and overall reliability of each mill. Not only do we personally … [Read more...]
Defining Terms: What “Quality Control” Means for Hardwoods, Part 1
If there’s something we’re not ashamed to be obsessive about at J. Gibson McIlvain, it’s quality control. And it doesn’t start in our lumber yard; it starts where the lumber originates, at the source. Whether we’re sourcing domestic lumber or exotic lumber species from the other … [Read more...]
Defining Terms: What “Quality” Means for Millwork
J. Gibson McIlvain specializes in creating a wide variety of architectural millwork. Because we have a fully functional in-house millworks operation, we have full control over the level of quality millwork we offer. In addition to those designs in our current catalog, we can … [Read more...]
Defining Terms: What “Value Engineering” Means for Millwork
Value engineering. It’s important. It’s on trend. It’s environmentally friendly. But what, exactly, does it look like? Wood workers have been doing it for centuries, but some modern designers and builders have forgotten about it. In some ways, value engineering is a lost art … [Read more...]
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