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Teak as side walls

Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:20 pm
by mitch
I have read in a few forums about people intending to use teak as side walls but havnt seen any after thoughts. It has a high oil content and rather robust is used as decking all the time in marine enviroment. Just needs to be degreased just before glue up. Any thoughts or info would be great

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:16 am
by lucacasty
Teak is generally used for boats decking because of the oil that protects the wood from salt and water.
Consider that in boat building is commonly used with epoxy without degeasing it. So you souldn't have any problem during curing.
Keep in mind that if on one side it is resistent to water on the other it is not a particular hard wook.
In fact it is relatively soft and mechanical resistence is not very high.
Here in Italy there is an architect firm that designed a ski as a present for their important customers and I know for shure they are using teak as sidewall.
Ciao

Luca

Macaranduba

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:50 pm
by SHIF
I proposed using teak wood for sidewalls but have since reconsidered.

My preferred core material is vertically laminated bamboo (flooring boards) and I've build several pairs having UHMW sidewalls. That material is very difficult to bond with and although its tough, it tends to delaminate from the base layers after several days on the skis. Sometimes it even detaches from the bamboo while shaping the core, long before the ski is finished.

Right now I'm in the process of building a couple more skis, this time using Macaranduba (Brazilian redwood) decking boards for the sidewalls. This rainforest hardwood is about as tough as UHMW but it cuts, sands, and bonds like wood because it is wood. It also adds structural integrity to the core unlike plastic sidewalls. It is commonly used as decking and left unfinished. It is unaffected by moisture and I believe it will make a fine sidewall.



Cheers,
-S

ipe, ironwood, lignum vitae

Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:01 am
by thefreshpimpofbigair
ipe, ironwood, aka lignum vitae.....
commonly used for decking...
read a post from way back....some dude used it for his base....
I used it in a 68" flatbow (never finished).....laminated a black walnut handle.... read that it dosent like to glue due to being oily...but had no problems.... have a few totally clear boards left... and plan on using them for sidewall....heavy, but will probably have very good dampening...
it is a bitch to machine though....dulls blades like a mutherfocker.....
will report
R