# Working with Teak



## gemnw (Aug 1, 2010)

I have never worked with teak, and I have been asked to make 4 Adirondack chairs.
Any special problems that I should know of before I tackle this job?
I have worked a lot of wood over my lifetime (70) but it has always been personal or for loved ones and friends. 
Thank you for your help


----------



## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

That's going to be one expensive set of chairs. 

Ive worked a little with teak making band saw boxes, it works fine the only thing I noticed it was maybe a little waxy or oily (Not sure how to describe it) the saw dust stuck together when I was cutting it on the band saw, had to keep cleaning the kerf out with a shot of compressed air.

Make sure you post pictures I'd like to see the project when done.


----------



## gemnw (Aug 1, 2010)

*Thanks, teak info*

I agree, it will be very costly. It was suggested that I use ipe at 1/3 the cost, but teak is what he wants! Will take pictures. Will not start for two weeks.

Ted, Oregon


----------



## jetpilot (Jul 7, 2010)

Hi GEMNW: You have alot of work ahead of you. In my experience with teak, it may be oilly, but it has a very high tendency to dry out and to develope hugh cracks. kGood luck with the finished chairs.


----------



## gemnw (Aug 1, 2010)

Jackie Oily- cracks, I dont imagine they glue together very well.

Tede, Oregon


----------



## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

gemnw said:


> Jackie Oily- cracks, I dont imagine they glue together very well.
> 
> Tede, Oregon


I glued several 3/4" thick planks to make the band saw boxes I talked about above, and had no issues with the planks not sticking.

I see your in Oregon where abouts are you? I am looking for a peice of land up there to build a retirement house and shop on. Both the wife and I have family that live up there in Oakland, and Springfield.


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Ted

Are you sure you want to use teak for the Adirondack chairs, you will need to put wheel on them and maybe a motor to move them around they will be like making them out of concrete 

You will need to post a arm guard around them, teak is very high end wood and not cheap.

I would suggest cypress lumber it's not real cheap but it will last a very long time outside.

=============



gemnw said:


> I have never worked with teak, and I have been asked to make 4 Adirondack chairs.
> Any special problems that I should know of before I tackle this job?
> I have worked a lot of wood over my lifetime (70) but it has always been personal or for loved ones and friends.
> Thank you for your help


----------



## gemnw (Aug 1, 2010)

JD99 Thanks for the info. I am just 15 mi. south of Eugene and Springfield. Creswell, Oregon. A good choice for you would be Cottage Grove. Its 8 mi. south of Creswell and maybe 45 mi. north of Oakland. Its a small community of 12? thousand on Interstate 5.
Quick shot to Eugene, good access to Coast and the Dunes, access to Snow and Mt.s.
Good fishing and hunting. (Gods Country)


----------



## gemnw (Aug 1, 2010)

bobj3, If this was for me I would agree. This is for my daughters friend. Money does not seem to be an issue. He saw some in teak, and that is what he wants.
Ted. Oregon


----------



## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

gemnw said:


> JD99 Thanks for the info. I am just 15 mi. south of Eugene and Springfield. Creswell, Oregon. A good choice for you would be Cottage Grove. Its 8 mi. south of Creswell and maybe 45 mi. north of Oakland. Its a small community of 12? thousand on Interstate 5.
> Quick shot to Eugene, good access to Coast and the Dunes, access to Snow and Mt.s.
> Good fishing and hunting. (Gods Country)


Oddly enough, I'm looking in Cottage Grove, and arround there.

We usally make a trip up there once or twice a year.


----------



## jetpilot (Jul 7, 2010)

Hi TED: In regards to teak cracking, it will mostly depend on the enviornment it was curred in. When I bought Teak objects overseas and brought them back to US into dry areas sometimes they were starting to crack even before I got back with them. To prevent this I put small carvings into plastic bags with a light oil (even baby oil). Kept them from cracks, larger objects I rubbed with oil and warped in plastic. repaired cracks by soaking in a solution of white glue and water, about 1:3 closses up the cracks and prevents recrack. Use area seasoned, oil treated wood and should be okay.


----------



## jetpilot (Jul 7, 2010)

:dance3:


gemnw said:


> Jackie Oily- cracks, I dont imagine they glue together very well.
> 
> Tede, Oregon


TED: in regards to teak cracking; you will be using flat dem'nal wood for your chairs. If the wood is well seasoned for the local area, and is not cracked it should be okay for your project. The problem IMO is when a Teak item is moved from an
area of high humidity to a dry place, that's when you get the cracks. I learned this the hard way, carvings which I got in the far east started to crack by the time i got them home to US. To prevent this happening I put them into plastic bags with a little water and baby oil. To repair the damaged ones I soaked them in a solution of 
white glue and water, the water closed the cracks and when they were dried the glue kept them from recracking. About a ratio 1:4, but do some testing yourself. This method also works on small rough timber, oak,walnut, pecan, etc. Further season the chairs with a good deck oil like Thompson oil seal.:dance3:


----------



## gemnw (Aug 1, 2010)

*Teak chair-temp. hold*

My daughters friend is thinking of doing the chairs in Ipe. I gave a sample to my daughter for him. He will not be back for 5 weeks. His work takes him out of the country. He works 6 weeks and then is home for 6 weeks.
Ted, Oregon


----------

