I wanted some mahogany grab rails on my V21. It seems that mahogany is hard to find and expensive. I managed to find a couple 2 by 3's at a old full service lumber yard. He only charged me $20 for the two and they were 4 foot long each. Has anyone else found cheap teak or mahogany?
wood on my V21
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The alternative -- which we all seem to not know about -- is "IPE". It's the high-end other wood besides redwood or cedar or pressure treated fir that is used for back yard decks. Heavy, dense, and extremely resistant to rot. Sometimes called Ironwood -- similar to the wood used for airplane propellers back in the day. And a lot cheaper than teak. And expect also cheaper than real mahogany. If you find a lumber yard that carries IPE, likely you can find pieces very similar in appearance to teak by picking through the 1x6's.
... Just my two cents on the subject ...
Mahogany does have an appearance similar to teak. But is not nearly as rot resistant.
... Just my two cents on the subject ...
Mahogany does have an appearance similar to teak. But is not nearly as rot resistant.
I have seen what they call ironwood in Mexico. Is this the same wood? I remember that it was very hard and resistant to termites and used for figure carvings.
Ipe is some hard stuff baby. You have to pre-drill it to get a screw to go through it. I've often wondered if you can tap threads in it like Phenolic.
(Which is a great building material).
(Which is a great building material).
try andaroba it is the middle of teak and high grade mahogany and runs from 4 dollars a board foot and up .....takes oil well and works well also....
Ipe is a very hard wood that has to be drilled to use fasterners like ss screws it is prone to splitting if not drilled or worse breaking the screws...does not take oil finsh very either sorta of like cocobola....useing it is like banging your head aginst a brick wall...why bother...
regards
woody
it used to be used for shaft log bearings back in the day ...it also is used for mallet heads for carving tools as well as mallet heads for calking in ship wright work among other things....
regards
woody
I think we are talking about the same "ironwood" , yes it is rock hard and dense. The Mexican craftsman use common brown shoe polish to finish it. The common problem with these woods seems to be bans on importation and exportations. My African Mahogany was very dusty, no telling how old it was. I saw on the Catalina direct site that they can only sell the old stock they have as no new supplies can be found for Teak. They want what seems like a lot of money for their remaining supplies, $350 for a cabin door.
Ipe is the type of ironwood still on the market and is reasonable. Not as dense as lignum vitae but very durable and resistant to rot. Also known as Brazilian Walnut though it is not a walnut of any kind. Specific gravity is 1.1 and almost as hard.
I'm right now in the process of making a decision on hand rails. I've given Ipe, (Ironwood, Brazilian Walnut, all the same), some thought but damn that stuff is hard. Near four TIMES as hard as teak. Old schoolers use brown boot polish on the stuff, presumably because varnish or oil won't soak into it. Be very tough to put that 10 coat Bristol varnish finish on that..
Sapele is starting to look good for this. Beautiful, strong, more available than teak. And without chewing up every bit and blade on the farm trying to work it..
(And it is a type of mahogany if I remember correct).
Sapele is starting to look good for this. Beautiful, strong, more available than teak. And without chewing up every bit and blade on the farm trying to work it..
(And it is a type of mahogany if I remember correct).
I used ipe extensively on several projects and it is one of my go to woods. One project was a replacement bowsprit for a Willard 8 Ton several years ago. The original looked to be 31/2" pine with teak planking top and bottom. Rotted nearly to dust when I bought the boat. Used 3 1/2" purpleheart with ipe top and bottom planking screwed and plugged with stainless fasteners. Very hard on sawblades, router bits and chisels but seems to last forever. We also used it on the ranch in Colo. for corrals where horses would crib ( chew )
the top rail of the fence. With ipe they never did that again. It's so dense that it just barely floats.
Highest regards,
Darrell
the top rail of the fence. With ipe they never did that again. It's so dense that it just barely floats.
Highest regards,
Darrell
Re: IPE looks OK
I am guessing this is more of a jewelry box than a rusty wrench tool box, very nice.
I am guessing this is more of a jewelry box than a rusty wrench tool box, very nice.
The only kick that I have with IPE is when you machine it the edges are as sharp as a knife and have very fine slivers, untill you get the edges broken.
I've built three decks with it one is 25 years old and never had any finish on it, just scrubbed with deck cleaner a couple of times a year, to get the bird crap off. It still looks good, no rot at all. The only deck that had any repair was because a 4 foot dia oak blew over in a storm and broke four planks, if it was any other wood it would have been destroyed.
I'm building a bowsprit anchor roller and rub rails for the Mac out of it, when the hip heals.
I've built three decks with it one is 25 years old and never had any finish on it, just scrubbed with deck cleaner a couple of times a year, to get the bird crap off. It still looks good, no rot at all. The only deck that had any repair was because a 4 foot dia oak blew over in a storm and broke four planks, if it was any other wood it would have been destroyed.
I'm building a bowsprit anchor roller and rub rails for the Mac out of it, when the hip heals.
Troutman, It was a gift mostly made by a dear sailing friend who's since passed away.. He was pissed that I didn't put tools in it.. but yes, it is a treasure on display in my garage without rusty tools in it. The only part I made is the tray..
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