Rhodesian Teak for making box ?

[Mel769]

Hi I have recently found some old rhodesian teak flooring pieces in a skip. I would like to make a dovetail jewelry box from them; is rhodesian teak suitable for this task ? Never worked with this timber before but it does have a nice grain patterns and colour so thought it could look good. Is there anything I should be aware of working with this wood ?? Thanks all

 

[niall Y]

That is a new one on me. I thought it might be one of the alternative names for Iroko - sometimes called ' Irish Teak'. However, a quick look on The Wood Database soon put me straight.

Judging by their entry it does blunt tools, owing to large amounts of silica, which in turn, means it wears well, hence its use as flooring.

I would think that as long as you keep your tools sharp. things should work out okay/

 

[SammyQ]

Depends on the teak. Some of it can be very coarse grained and look a bit 'splintery' when you are done tooling it. The 'Oul' Fellas' used grain fillers quite a lot with some of the pieces I used. From memory, Brummer stopper and coarse sacking to rub it in.

Edit: yes, it blunts tools. Even carbide.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Useful for fretboards, apparently.

 

[Mel769]

Thanks for responses, maybe then its probably not a good idea to use this for a box. Just ordered a new veritas dovetail saw for my first attempt at dovetailing so dont want to blunt it to quick. Anyhow no loss as I found them in a local skip; i will add them to the pile and maybe use for something else in the future !

 

[Henniep]

Thanks for responses, maybe then its probably not a good idea to use this for a box. Just ordered a new veritas dovetail saw for my first attempt at dovetailing so dont want to blunt it to quick. Anyhow no loss as I found them in a local skip; i will add them to the pile and maybe use for something else in the future !

Just a point of interest. You mention 'some old Rhodesian teak', treasure it because there is no more 'new' Rhodesian teak. It was used for railway sleepers initially. Since converted to concrete sleepers and Rhodesian teak is no longer available except in old sleepers and parque flooring.

 

[Mel769]

Just a point of interest. You mention 'some old Rhodesian teak', treasure it because there is no more 'new' Rhodesian teak. It was used for railway sleepers initially. Since converted to concrete sleepers and Rhodesian teak is no longer available except in old sleepers and parque flooring.

For sure I will not be throwing it away any time soon. Dont know what to use it for but it will be useful for something I'm sure.

 

[highwood122]

hodesianFor sure I will not be throwing it away any time soon. Dont know what to use it for but it will be useful for something I'm sure.

as a point of interest to me,how can you tell rhodesian from burma teak please. i myself have a small amount of iroko and burma teak that i can vouch for and cannot tell the difference

 

[Mel769]

as a point of interest to me,how can you tell rhodesian from burma teak please. i myself have a small amount of iroko and burma teak that i can vouch for and cannot tell the difference

There was a marking on one of the pieces I did not take as it covered in tar. On that piece there was an ink mark or something of that nature; it was a circle with "Rhodesian Teak" written in !!

 

[highwood122]

There was a marking on one of the pieces I did not take as it covered in tar. On that piece there was an ink mark or something of that nature; it was a circle with "Rhodesian Teak" written in !!

thanks,should have thought of the obvious