On May 6, 7:24 am, "Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]> wrote:
> What is the closest thing to it in a typical wood? Oak, Ironwood, Teak,
> etc?
>
> Until today, I had never heard of this...
>
> Regards,
> Joe Agro, Jr.
well, in terms of looks it's closest to teak of the ones you've
mentioned. might even be related to teak. it's nice enough looking in
an unremarkable generically mahogany sort of way.
you might be asking about it's working properties, in which case
"ironwood" it is. of course, ironwood isn't a botanical term, it gets
applied to whatever is the hardest, meanest wood locally available,
and as such, it's one of the names for apitong.
the working qualities are it's pretty damn hard, the sawdust is fairly
toxic, the tree uptakes a lot of silica so it dulls tools rapidly,
even carbide. it's pretty strong but when it fails it has a brittle
fracture. it has a lot of resin in the wood so it won't accept very
much of a penetrating finish and adhesive bonding is problematic.
otoh, that resin makes it durable for below the waterline uses and the
toxicity makes it ideal for direct burial applications. it gets used
as dock pilings driven straight into the sea floor. it has a high
specific gravity, so it's less desirable as working timber in boats
below the waterline- lighter stronger woods are available.
Lew Hodgett wrote:
> "Joe AutoDrill" wrote:
>
>> What is the closest thing to it in a typical wood? Oak, Ironwood,
>> Teak, etc?
>
> Used for truck beds.
>
> Tough as nails in that application.
>
> Don't know of any other use.
>
> Lew
>
>
>
I have seen it used in boat building, as in sail boats, for the keel.
On May 6, 10:24 am, "Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]> wrote:
> What is the closest thing to it in a typical wood? Oak, Ironwood, Teak,
> etc?
>
> Until today, I had never heard of this...
There seem to be four or five species in the group. Similar to luaun
in one species, but used for boatbulding in others (as well as general
construction, veneers and similar items). No info on workability, but
one assumes durability is at least reasonable if it's used for
boatbuilding. Out of the Phillipines, from what I can find.
Joe AutoDrill wrote:
> What is the closest thing to it in a typical wood? Oak, Ironwood,
> Teak, etc?
None of those. General appearance similar to meranti or other Philippine
mahoganies but It is dark red, rather coarse grain. Hard, strong, durable.
Works OK, similar to white oak. I miss being able to get it.
--
dadiOH
____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:fJ_Tj.7064$zw.5290@trnddc04...
>
> "Joe AutoDrill" wrote:
>
>> What is the closest thing to it in a typical wood? Oak, Ironwood, Teak,
>> etc?
>
> Used for truck beds.
>
> Tough as nails in that application.
>
> Don't know of any other use.
Railroad car floors, too. Spent two or three years in the Purchasing
Dept at SPRR working the car repair facilities. We used tons of it on car
rehab projects.
Dave in Houston