Jotoba Table Top

[Limey556]

i am about to embark on a table top for an outside cart that holds one of those large Komodo Cookers / grills (Primo XL )
The base is made from Cedar but the Top will be made from Jotoba this is a Hard Brazilian Cherry Wood used in flooring and hard wear areas. This is my first experience with Jotoba and would like any help from members that have used it before

How does it machine ? especially routing across the end grain I intend to rout a table lip profile all around.

What about finishing I had intended to leave it outside in the sunlight for 2-days or so unfinished I am told this brings out the deep redness in the wood ? Then seal the end grain with an epoxy, finally adding a marine grade spar vanish all over. What do you think?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.
Terry

 

[tjbnwi]

I've never worked with Jotoba, my suggestion would be to by a slight extra amount and tool it. That will answer your tooling questions.

For finish, let it sun tan a couple of days then oil it. I really like the Surfix outdoor oil. The worst parts of surface finishes is the sun is hard on them and repairing is harder.

Tom

 

[NAS]

You won't have too much trouble machining it.  Sharp carbide cutters will work well.  You may fight a little chipout on the end grain.

Never had it outside though, but as far as interior regular poly work great.  I did a kitchen table top a few years back with a simple chamfer edge and it holds up to kids abuse very well.

 

[epicxt]

I used it as a border in a hardwood floor I did for my parents about a year ago. It machines well as was previously stated and is a very heavy, dense wood. Make sure that it has had time to acclimate as well because it can take more time than some other less oily hardwoods.

 

[junk731]

This is another finish you might want to consider. Works well if you follow the instructions.
http://www.penofin.com/products_rl.shtml

For routing use very sharp bits and consider using climb cuts on the corners where there is potential blow out. The sand content in these hardwoods can kill carbide quickly compared to most NA hardwoods.

John