Ruobo style bench in Teak I think, What finish?

[Nameloc]

Hello everyone
My name is Alex and I am new to this forum.
I have recently developed a passion for woodwork, so sold my bike and bought and acquired a garage full of tools.
I don't have training , but have transferable skills from my old job in light vehicle body repair.
My first big project is building a ruobo style workbench (without tail vice)
I was given a load of very old ruff sawn timber that I think might be teak , as after planing it has a waxy feel and is light chocolate to golden in colour, but I am not certain.
The bench is nearing completion and I am wondering what finish to use after its all put together.
Can anybody help me out with suggestions?
I will post a pic of the wood later incase somebody can identify.
thank you
Alex

 

[sunnybob]

DO NOT WASTE TEAK ON A BENCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

It is now extremely valuable and many people will be desperate to buy it from you.

 

[Racers]

Teak oil for teak.

You shouldn't need much of a finish, just some thig to stop the glue sticking.

Do you have any pictures of the wood? to help identify it?

Pete

 

[AJB Temple]

Teak prices vary enormously depending on the grade and age. If you got it for nothing and you have no other use for it, it may make a fine bench. Be interested to see some pictures. I have some in my wood store (some of which was ex school science lab worktops that were recovered from a large skip!) and the sawn stuff that I bought years ago varies enormously in colour.

 

[thetyreman]

Boiled Linseed Oil is fine for benches, it doesn't have to be fancy, I used water based varnish on my bench but really didn't like the way it looked too plastic looking and it also was too slippery, so refinished it in BLO, looks much better + more grip, about 5 layers I think I used and let it dry for at least a few days before using it.

 

[MikeG.]

Teak! My goodness, I sincerely doubt it, but if it is, don't waste it on a bench. The stuff is just about priceless.

As for finishes on a bench. What for? They're working surfaces, and will take all sorts of abuse. I can't see the point of a finish.

 

[Ttrees]

Be nice to see some piccys when you can.
Plane some bearers up for it when you've got it completed, so you don't damage the top.

Tom

 

[kevinlightfoot]

Are you sure it's teak,a lot of people mistake iroko for teak,the chemistry lab benches in old schools were usually made from iroko,nice wide boards but the very devil to work,very dusty and reactive when being resawn,teak is much nicer to work.If it is iroko it will make a cracking bench,heavy and durable be care ful when glueing though the oily surface needs wiping down with thinners or acetone immediately before you glue.

 

[Nameloc]

Thank you for your replies,
As I say I'm not sure it is teak, but it has a waxy feel.Ive attached a photo of the wood if anybody could identify it , that would be great
Cheers
Alex

 

[Mike Jordan]

I have to allow that from those pics it does look like teak, but both teak and Iroko require gluing with epoxy resin two pack glues. Don't fool around with any kind of liquids to prepare the surface for gluing. Even if you don't blow the shop up or burn it down, it won't work! It's a myth put about by those who refuse to pay the price for epoxy glues. Fire and explosion apart most of the solvents normally suggested are harmful to health, they can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested. Don't be fooled.

 

[Ttrees]

I have never wiped down Iroko with anything, just glued it up quickly after planing using regular Titebond.
Not that it looks like it from this picture, as its browner than iroko.
Never had any issues doing so whilst keeping things warm, only brought the clamps out of the house recently
and would get the radiator and mesh table from the house if I didn't have time to do any tests.
The doggos would be short a blanket but would be beside the rad anyway.

Never worked with teak and am eager to see if this is teak aswell.
Only the few other examples I have seen that could look similar to that is afrormosia,
I guess I have a bit of this and it looks different to what you have.

 

[That would work]

Hang on, you sold a bike? (ok if its a motorbike I guess) AND you are using teak to make a bench? I hate to point out the obvious here but this post is 24 days late :lol: :lol: :lol:
Actually that could be afromosia?
TBH I dont see enough of my bench top to worry about a finish and nor should you.

 

[Nameloc]

ha ha yes maybe I should have joined a while ago :? , and if it is teak , hey ho Ive started now and every woodworker needs a bench right ? . I have some more of the wood , and only used the not so nice split pieces for the bench.
just how expensive is teak anyway ? compared to a different nice hardwood , oak or maple.
I hope it turns out that tight bond will glue it because Ive already glued the two half of the top :roll: . It seems to be fine , but I suppose we'll have to see .
so teak oil or boiled linseed , do I apply with a rag?
Ttree what did you mean by plane some bearers ?
thanks again all.

 

[Trevanion]

just how expensive is teak anyway ? compared to a different nice hardwood , oak or maple.

Basically, just slap any price you want on it kind of expensive. I remember a timber rep telling me it was something like £15,000 per cubic metre if you wanted it compared to £1200 or so with Oak.

Of course, there are moral and ethical reasons not to use the stuff anymore, it's not far off Ivory or Blood Diamonds.

 

[Nameloc]

oh wow, I think Id rather it not be now :shock:
I intend to use draw bore mortis and tenon Should I epoxy the joints ? its to late for the top. But what if it isn't teak?

 

[woodbloke66]

Teak! My goodness, I sincerely doubt it, but if it is, don't waste it on a bench. The stuff is just about priceless.

As for finishes on a bench. What for? They're working surfaces, and will take all sorts of abuse. I can't see the point of a finish.

Agreed, teak is THE most expensive commercial hardwood. Great stuff to use, but difficult to glue and and awful as regards retaining an edge on a plane. If you decide to do anything in teak, you'll need to hone your plane iron(s) pretty frequently; apart from that, it's almost as good as English Walnut!
Edit - enlarging the pic and I'd say almost certainly that it's teak. Aformosia isn't greasy and iroko looks very different - Rob

 

[AndyT]

If you want some idea of the price of teak, Robbins in Bristol sell it for the luxury boat trade. You can see prices in their Marine Price List, downloadable here https://www.robbins.co.uk/products-pric ... romotions/

Guessing that the pieces you showed in your photo could be about 75mm x 200mm, they would cost, for sawn timber, £253.38 per metre, + VAT = £304.06 inc.

 

[Mike Jordan]

Draw boring and preferably wedging the through M& T joints is good practice on a workbench. The epoxy is the best glue you can get so don't worry about using something of to high a quality. The talk about ethical use is not credible since teak has always been a very expensive material and very good for the economies of countries supplying it lawfully (traditionally India and Burma) there are many timbers which are far more endangered. Teak is supplied under the FSC scheme, most of the wingers are ill informed I think. The last time I priced some from a reputable supplier, 50mm thick was £260 per cubic foot ( I think that was plus VAT !)

 

[Trevanion]

The talk about ethical use is not credible since teak has always been a very expensive material and very good for the economies of countries supplying it lawfully (traditionally India and Burma) there are many timbers which are far more endangered. Teak is supplied under the FSC scheme, most of the wingers are ill informed I think.

I think it's irresponsible to make light of the deforestation of teak in Myanmar (Burma) particularly, even with the logging ban in place it's still quite bad there owing to the Indians and Chinese illegally harvesting it and paying off corrupt officials. It used to be expensive because it used to be a very labour and time intensive process to harvest the trees, now it's expensive for us because of all the red tape around it whilst the Indians and Chinese are using it for their internal doors and furniture because it's dirt cheap thanks to heavy machinery replacing elephants and handlers. Are there more endangered timbers? Certainly, but I don't think we should ignore the well-being of teak because there are others that are closer to being extinct, that's how they ended up being almost extinct in the first place.

 

[AJB Temple]

I agree Trevanion, but it is a very "first world" response. We do not live in that environment and it is easy to judge from afar.