Iroko....

[Lee_Shaw]

Hi folks.

I have to replace some external joinery, hatches, coamings etc and I have received two quotes from the same guy. One is using teak and the other is for Iroko. It goes without saying that the Iroko is significantly cheaper, and for a reason.

I'm fairly ignorant in such matters and would like to know if Iroko is suitable for this purpose or if some other, as readily available, hardwood should be used.

Thanks

Steve

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[rjp]

If economics is the main factor then I think iroko is quite suitable in terms of strength and rot resistance. However I think teak has a definite edge in terms of looks and prestige and also weathers better in the uncoated state. As you will have observed, the price difference is phenomenal, though how significant compared with labour depends on the job.

John

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[tritonofnor]

I was lucky enough to find a huge Iroko plank that had been removed from a school physics lab a year or two ago. A chippie friend of mine made my new skylight from this, and it's holding up very well indeed, though it was so oily (even after years of service) that the first few coats of varnish, although very well thinned took ages to go off. It looks just great varnished, really "spangly" grain, but if leaving the wood in its natural state I would probably still go for teak - and a bank loan!

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[ongolo]

Classification I have seen was teak 25+ and Iroko 25 years in Marine environment.

I have a steel boat, but inside is mostly tang and groove Iroko and the hatches are iroko as well. When not treated outside, here in very severe corrosive, suphur and other nasties (316 rusts) Iroko looks almost like teak.

I then got hold of trawler doors that spent a good deal of their lifes under water, then were stored for an unknown period dumped in a big heap, steel frames (20mmx100mm sections) 50% gone, I used some of the planks 30mm x 150mm and 2500mm long to make all sorts of things from. This second hand Iroko still look super. Parts of my binnacle are made from that.

Iroko is OK, I would say 5% of the tang and groove was a problem because of twist.

One disadvantage (if it is) Iroko burns like hell, easy to ignite.

Hope this helps

regards ongolo


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[Lee_Shaw]

Thanks for the info.

The difference in cost is about £800 extra for the Teak over the Iroko. The former being thrice the price of Iroko.

As It seems an acceptable material for the proposed use I reckon I will go for the Iroko.

Much obliged guys.

Steve

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[Mirelle]

Like Ongolo, lots of t&g iroko down below, because it was 1/3 the price of teak.

I subsequently felt richer and used teak in some other parts; I find that if you stain iroko it looks better than if it is allowed to develop its natural brown colour. You can find pieces with reasonably attractive grain, if you look, and stain brings this out nicely.

It is not, imho, suitable to be left bare, certainly not above deck, because it develops tiny surface checks which trap dirt in a way that teak does not, iroko therefore goes black and mucky looking whilst teak goes a nice silver grey colour.

However, mindful of Alec's point, above, whilst I am 99% sure that any teak one buys is plantation grown, I suspect that the iroko is logged out of West African forests.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Lee_Shaw]

Thanks Mirrelle.

You've lost me with your last paragraph. As I've said I'm a bit of a thicky regarding timber.

Steve

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[Mirelle]

Sorry, did not make myself clear.

I was referring to some remarks posted by Alec on the "teak decks" thread above yours.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Lee_Shaw]

Gotya.

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[ongolo]

Yes Iroko is form west african countries. I got mine in a deal from a friend who is/was a wood merchant operating in Liberia, Ivory Coast and similar states.

Nothing plantation grown.

For those interested, he used to fly with a Minister (palm greased) over an area, the minister would allocate a section of forrest (how could anybody be sure where the boundries were? was just formality) then the caterpillars made roads and logging began. This is background.

Having done this for almost 30 years, he observed that elephants retreated further from the coast as years went by. Over the last 8 or 10 years many vilages have disapeared and elephants are going again to the coast. He puts it down to aids reducing the population and huts built of clay and branches disapear quite quickly when no longer inhabited.

When 4 people are together here, one will have aids, in some sections one in three has aids already. By 2020 our population will be reduced to 1Million made up of 500000 adults and children and about 500000 aids orphans. You'd like to own a gamefarm in Africa? Book now.


regards ongolo


<hr width=100% size=1>So what......... it floats<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ongolo on 15/07/2004 20:57 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[richardandtracy]

Just a small thing.

When machining Iroko, wear a dust mask. The dust is a respiratory carcenogen in moderate quantities. The health & safety books say splinters are quite likely to fester (can't confirm as I've never had iroko splinters).

Also, TCT machine tools last much better than steel ones. There's a lot of silica in the wood (one of the reasons for it being nasty to breathe the dust..) and that wears the tools fairly quickly.

Regards

Richard.


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[davidbuttriss]

Iroko can be difficult to work as mentioned above it does dull blades and other tools quickly. On an aesthetic note, iroko has a strange grain pattern, it can change direction within a length of timber and therefore causes problems with rough faces etc etc.
Ex school science desks are a great source of good timber. A number of hull planks in my Stella started life as chemistry desks

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[Strathglass]

I can confirm that iroko skelf's do fester.
It is essential to remove them completely.
I have used it a lot. I used to buy it in large planks (about 5" x 10").

Iain

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[bonehead]

I have just noticed another reply which says just about everything.
Remarks about dust are to be taken seriously, not just because of the carcinogenic aspect, but also because many, many people have a severe asthmatic response. If you are not in a workshop, use masks and a fan,if available.
Ordinary TC cutters are fine, though do need to be kept clean. Decent handsaws are perfectly good on Iroko, but need tickling up often. Throwaway saws don't last long.
Chap's comments about grain duck and dive absolutely right. Set plane irons low and shallow so as not to tear out the grain.
Iroko is stronger than Teak, no problems there. They used to make those old fashioned kitchen draining boards from it. As to colour; it does vary a lot, from a chocolate brown, down through to even the odd creamy streak, but it weathers to an even shade.
Good luck with this lovely wood


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