Paduak

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

I just purchased a skid of paduak with the intentions of using it for furnature and interior joinery. but, I wonder, how is it for other parts of the hull? Have any of you used paduak for framing, planking, or whathaveyou where rot could pose a problem, or where strength is an issue?

[Jeff Evans]

Don't know about its use in boats, but my friend, a professional luthier, just built himself a padauk guitar. It sounds (and looks) fantastic! Has tonal qualities very similar to Brazillian rosewood. I suspect it'd make a great sounding boat!

Jeff

[rodcross]

All I know, you already know, probably. It is heavy, very pretty, not particularly stable, and eats saw blades for lunch. Some interesting things can happen as you are shaping a piece of that wood as there is a lot of internal tension. Don't even think of ripping a piece without a good splitter in place.

[John Blazy]

Paduak sure is beautiful Thad, and I envy your skid of vanilla smelling lignin (when freshly cut). The only problem after creating that brilliant pile of scarlet sawdust is that it turns rather dark brown with a little age. Keep it out of the sun for interior work, and even in interior, use plenty of topcoat with UV blockers, if you want to keep the color. Or, an idea that just came to the top of my pointy head, is to leave it unfinished 'cept for oil, suntan lotion, and wax, that way you can sand it down to brilliant new color every so often when the dullness creeps in or just before you want to impress some guests. Remember, wood is the original solid surface. - JB

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

I have made cleats and deadeyes out of it. It cuts bright orange, but seems to fade in the sun to a candy apple red. That could be because the pieces I made were kept varnished... I dunno.

The fids I turned from it were coated in tung oil and appear to stay fairly red, as well. They are lighter than fids I turn from bloodwood, lignum vitae, and cocobolo. It seems to be about the same density as bocote. Maybe a bit denser than good dry holly.

[John Blazy]

If you want a serious hot pink / red color that will stay, try Pink Ivory (from Africa), if you can get it and be prepared for a hefty price cuz the local tribe near the good stands of it consider the wood sacred. Use for inlays / detail. - JB

[videoguy]

I haven't worked with it all that much but one thing I can tell you is the dust from working with it is realy nasty stuff. It;s the only wood that ever got to me .Wear a verry good resprator when working with it ..........Phil

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

I turned a fid from pink ivory.

It worked out to about $80 a board foot, but yes, It is indeed quite pink.

Personally, I get worse irritation from cocobolo.

planing down boards of that stuff kills me.

That and iroko.

[Jeff Evans]

Irritation? Aren't you the guy that works with poison ivy wood?!

[Chipito]

I'm pretty sure that Francis Chichester's boat Gypsy Moth was planked with Padauk. It was built in Asia somewhere.
Chipito

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

poison ivy wood isn't dusty...Its the dust that irritates me.

[helvit]

"Where strength is an issue"...

You'll have to test your stock. I've used some that was unexpectedly brittle. It was laminated with maple, then deeply carved for some interesting color contrasts. In testing for strength, the parts failed within the padouk, along lines which seemed to have nothing to do with the visible grain. No conclusion other than a questionable "brittle".