Teak and glue

[Tinker]

I just came across a pile of fully weathered teak. Some of it is splintered. It has resided out side for twenty five, or maybe even thirty years. It has never been oiled other than the natural oil in the wood.

I am trying to think of projects to make. Most of the projects involve glue. I will run the pieces thru my table saw and do some sanding. I don't plan on running any of the pieces thru my planer.

The quickest projects would be cutting boards and if I find decent lengths, mabe side coffee tables. I have the scraps of walnut, ash, oak mostly that I can mix in.

Cutting boards receive the most varried wear with temperature and moisture. I will probably keep the pieces of teak inside for a few months to dry out before doing any thing with them.

Is it futile to even think of using the teak for cutting boards?

TIA
Tinker

 

[bertv]

Don’t know — maybe the natural oiliness of teak prevents sealing with food safe oils? Could it be that teak is not food safe? Hope someone chimes in here, bc I am curious too.

 

[Cheese]

I don't know about the safety/health aspect for cutting boards, but Teak has a high silica content which may be tough on cutlery.

 

[Tinker]

I don't know about the safety/health aspect for cutting boards, but Teak has a high silica content which may be tough on cutlery.

The "tough on cutlery" is why I won't run it thru my planer. I have a laminated cutting board that I think is teak. (only a guess) The three layers are end grain teak/center of ply wood/end grain teak. Again, I think it is teak. The board has been coated both surfaces with some kind of oil. It was given to my wife somewhere along the way, we have been using it for our main cutting board for the last five or six years.

My knife gets burnished every time I use it--- or if i think my wife will use it. I sharpen it once every one or two months, but it never needs much sharpening. I really don't  know if the wood is rough on my cutlery, or not.

I am interested in knowing
Tinker

 

[jeffinsgf]

I am guessing that your laminated cutting board is bamboo, rather than teak. They were wildly popular a few years ago and remain so in some circles. I have one that I like, but I've seen signs of joint separation.

Depending on how much of the teak you have, I would look at outdoor furniture or accessories as the best use of it.

 

[Alanbach]

If you use it for a cutting board use epoxy, not pva glues. PVA on Teak will just frustrate you!

 

[Cheese]

I am guessing that your laminated cutting board is bamboo, rather than teak. They were wildly popular a few years ago and remain so in some circles. I have one that I like, but I've seen signs of joint separation.

Depending on how much of the teak you have, I would look at outdoor furniture or accessories as the best use of it.

You're correct, and I'm guessing that his cutting board is made from unobtanium. At the end of the day, a guess is just a guess.

I'm sorry, but how can you ascertain that Tinker's cutting board is bamboo without even seeing a photo of it? Do you have some divine skills that the rest of us lack?

Throughout the years, maple has also been "wildly popular" as has been hundreds of different varieties of woods. So I'm confused as to the degree of your clairvoyance considering your lack of any factual information about what Tinker actually possesses.

 

[Tinker]

I am guessing that your laminated cutting board is bamboo, rather than teak. They were wildly popular a few years ago and remain so in some circles. I have one that I like, but I've seen signs of joint separation.

Depending on how much of the teak you have, I would look at outdoor furniture or accessories as the best use of it.

I don't believe the cutting board is bamboo. It could be any other hardwood, but not bamboo (IMVHO)

The splintered wood I know is teak. It originally was OUTDOOR Furniture. Don't even ask how it got destroyed. In the process, I got a very black eye. I am trying to figure how to make lemonade from a pile of lemons. Probably next year's Christmas presents.
Tinker

 

[Tinker]

[quote author=Cheese
You're correct, and I'm guessing that his cutting board is made from unobtanium.
[/quote]

That's it, [member=44099]Cheese[/member]. In the current state of the splintered pile of wood, it is unmatchable. To take unmatchable to make copies of unobtainable will be an unfathomable task, I am unwavering in my misunderstanding of what is unconditional.

Thanks to all for your replies.
Tinker

 

[rmwarren]

Wayne,

I made a teak knife block years ago and had a heck of a time getting the multiple layers to glue together. IIRC I went to the extent of cleaning the surfaces with lacquer thinner or acetone before the glue up and used west epoxy, even after that I had one joint delaminate.

Just my [2cents] pesos but I suspect cutting boards would be a frustrating project.

I would, however, be interested in hearing your tale related to the source of this teak bounty...  [poke]

RMW

 

[mike_aa]

...I would, however, be interested in hearing your tale related to the source of this teak bounty...  [poke]

[popcorn]

 

[jeffinsgf]

You're correct, and I'm guessing that his cutting board is made from unobtanium. At the end of the day, a guess is just a guess.

I'm sorry, but how can you ascertain that Tinker's cutting board is bamboo without even seeing a photo of it? Do you have some divine skills that the rest of us lack?

Throughout the years, maple has also been "wildly popular" as has been hundreds of different varieties of woods. So I'm confused as to the degree of your clairvoyance considering your lack of any factual information about what Tinker actually possesses.

The operative word there was "guess". The age and the fact that it was layer laminated were the basis of my guess. I am sorry if my involvement in this thread some how offended you.

 

[Tinker]

[member=69167]RMW[/member] quote I would, however, be interested in hearing your tale related to the source of this teak bounty...  [poke]

RMW

Read it in my memoirs  [wink]

Anyhow, thanks for the info about teak. It confirms my suspicions. I will try to fix whatever I can. I am going to experiment with rocket  heaters if i have time this winter. The splitered wood will find a purpose for my education... [wink]
Tinker

 

[Oldwood]

I have tried a lot of different glues but have had the best glue joints with teak using Gorilla urethane glue. If your relative humidity is very low like where I live it helps to lightly mist the side of the board without the glue with water just before glue up. It foams up but the cleanup is quick.

I was working with new lumber that had cleanly jointed edges so YMMV.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I have tried a lot of different glues but have had the best glue joints with teak using Gorilla urethane glue. If your relative humidity is very low like where I live it helps to lightly mist the side of the board without the glue with water just before glue up. It foams up but the cleanup is quick.

I was working with new lumber that had cleanly jointed edges so YMMV.

Tinker’s teak is old and weathered so there is a good chance it will glue up fine with ordinary glue as he suspects. Just give it a try.

Some info on gluing oily woods.

 

[Oldwood]

"Tinker’s teak is old and weathered so there is a good chance it will glue up fine with ordinary glue as he suspects. Just give it a try."

I agree Michael it will probably work fine. It is quick to do a glue test and then you know for sure.

 

[Tinker]

Actually some the wood is soaking wet. Some is even starting to get a little soft and spalted. I have a few pieces that are too short to use for anything but knife scales. There are enough scraps that I can afford to experiment. I am hoping to try a few pieces with Tite Bond 3. If that doesn't work, I will pick up a small container of gorilla glue. Thanks for that suggestion [member=7143]Oldwood[/member].

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] I did not know where I got the idea the cutting board is teak. I got thinking and there is a stamp on the under side (I consider it the underside) that tells where it was made. "Dank made in Denmark"  I think we got it at the same time we got the teak outdoor furniture. Our daughter had just married a Dane and my wife insisted to get Danish out door table and chairs. All teak. I don't think the teak actually was grown in Denmark.

[member=69167]RMW[/member]. A hint at how I came to inherit a pile of splintered teak. I have just spent the evening filling out insurance forms. The missile that supplied those splinters is heading for the scrap heap. I better find a good publisher because it will be a great story.
Tinker

 

[Cheese]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] I did not know where I got the idea the cutting board is teak. I got thinking and there is a stamp on the under side (I consider it the underside) that tells where it was made. "Dank made in Denmark"  I think we got it at the same time we got the teak outdoor furniture. Our daughter had just married a Dane and my wife insisted to get Danish out door table and chairs. All teak. I don't think the teak actually was grown in Denmark.

Hey Tinker I also believe the teak was not harvested in Denmark. It's kind of like all the Danish modern furniture that states "Original Danish design, materials imported from..."  [smile]

On another note, I think Michael's thinking is correct in stating that any natural oils within the teak are now pretty much depleted so any good glue will probably work well with the glue-up.

I'll be interested in how things pan out.  [big grin]

 

[rmwarren]

[member=69167]RMW[/member]. A hint at how I came to inherit a pile of splintered teak. I have just spent the evening filling out insurance forms. The missile that supplied those splinters is heading for the scrap heap. I better find a good publisher because it will be a great story.
Tinker

And now you are just being a tease...

Sounds to me like a case of a sabotaged brake line, probably involving international money laundering, a mega-yacht and a few starlets.

[popcorn]

RMW

 

[Michael Kellough]

[member=69167]RMW[/member]. A hint at how I came to inherit a pile of splintered teak. I have just spent the evening filling out insurance forms. The missile that supplied those splinters is heading for the scrap heap. I better find a good publisher because it will be a great story.
Tinker

And now you are just being a tease...

Sounds to me like a case of a sabotaged brake line, probably involving international money laundering, a mega-yacht and a few starlets.

[popcorn]

RMW

I’m thinking International Harvester.