IROKO

[Russ]

Had a small amount of iroko left over so decided to make a couple of bedside tables. Nothing special, as it was just to see how the wood came out once waxed.

It may be a bit smelly to machine but I really like how well it finishes.

I'd be interested to see any larger projects in iroko that any of you chaps may have done, I think a kitchen would look great using this stuff.

Cheers

Russ

 

[Philly]

Very nice, Russ!
Just be careful with Iroko - its easy to become allergic to, so make sure you use plenty of extraction.
Cheers
Philly

 

[wizer]

wow they have come ot nice, I still can't make my mind up about Iroko. I think it's the fact that it's so horrible to machine which mainly puts me off.

Can you tell us about the construction? What thickness are the boards? How did you do the mitres?

 

[Russ]

Very nice, Russ!
Just be careful with Iroko - its easy to become allergic to, so make sure you use plenty of extraction.
Cheers
Philly

I use one of those Trend face masks, seems to work well.
What kind of allergy do you get from iroko? Oak dust used to bring me out in tiny spots until I bought the mask.

 

[Russ]

wow they have come ot nice, I still can't make my mind up about Iroko. I think it's the fact that it's so horrible to machine which mainly puts me off.

Can you tell us about the construction? What thickness are the boards? How did you do the mitres?

Actually, I found it easy to machine, but I was using fresh blades to cut and plane.

The boards are all 40mm thick and I mitered the corners on the table saw adjusting the blade with a bevel-box, which is a great piece of kit.

Dominos' were used to bond the miters and the bottom shelf is simple fixed using pocket-holes.

I know theres a risk of movement and the miters may open, but this was simply an experiment to see how well they hold over time.

 

[head clansman]

hi

wizer wrote

I still can't make my mind up about Iroko

simples , don't use it , it's easy to use, can plane up and works nicely but that dust that comes from it is lethal , it's worse than mdf dust we all been here before with a thread on here about dust from certain timbers , this is only my HO of course. I worked it for years in the dockyards i had no choice, but i do now, It's totally band from my workshop even if it's free, no way .hc


psd oh nearly forgot. russ, nice job by the way . 8)

 

[Philly]

Russ
I'm alright with Iroko, but Cocobolo completely floors me. And that's wearing a respirator and using proper extraction.
Cheers
Philly

 

[wizer]

Too late HC, I already have more Iroko than I know what to do with. I haven't found any obvious reactions from Iroko yet but then I always put barrier cream on and wear a mask for most of the time. I occasionally get a runny nose after being in the workshop but I think that's a response to all dust rather than specifically Iroko. However, there's still something about Iroko that is just unpleasant to work with. I think next year I'm going to use it all in the garden to use it up. Even using it for planters and raised beds.

 

[Derek Willis.]

Well I guess you've covered it all but, I must agree, I love Iroko, the look and tte final finish, if you can put up with all the problems with the working of it an the awful aroma given off, I have a bit left over and I really must try and bring myself to making something of it.
derek.

 

[lurker]

People need to be aware that allergies are not black & white.

You can start off with a very mild reaction eg a runny nose etc.
Your body is saying "I don't like that don't do it again mate!" if you carry on the reaction can get worse & worse & eventually become life threatening.

Iroko gives me mild "flu like" symptoms and not wanting to sensitise my immune system I'm like HC the stuff is banned even though I have access to lots of free struff - it goes on the fire!!

 

[head clansman]

Hi philly

i dont know what size and quanity of iroko you use , but in the dockyards we had a domino 24 " thicknesser , goverments then ordered all timber in bulk sizes it use to come straight from the saw mills to portland with dust imprecnated into it from there machines , it took t four guys to lift the slice of tree usually 3"- 4" thick and god know how long the lengths were that we used .

even with the beast of an extraction system we used when a slice of the tree was being fead underneath the dust was thrown out the other end in clouds , its use to make your eyes and nose run like a tap steaming out of you then the coughing would start till you were sick
( no masks or eye protection was supplied in those days ) thats why i hate it ) it was.nt just me but all the joiners in the shop it would affect even whilst they were working on other jobs in the shop jst breathing in the dust,
please everyone listen to me i learnt the hard way with this stuff , don't use it, it's lethal .hc

 

[Russ]

Hi philly

i dont know what size and quanity of iroko you use , but in the dockyards we had a domino 24 " thicknesser , goverments then ordered all timber in bulk sizes it use to come straight from the saw mills to portland with dust imprecnated into it from there machines , it took t four guys to lift the slice of tree usually 3"- 4" thick and god know how long the lengths were that we used .

even with the beast of an extraction system we used when a slice of the tree was being fead underneath the dust was thrown out the other end in clouds , its use to make your eyes and nose run like a tap steaming out of you then the coughing would start till you were sick
( no masks or eye protection was supplied in those days ) thats why i hate it ) it was.nt just me but all the joiners in the shop it would affect even whilst they were working on other jobs in the shop jst breathing in the dust,
please everyone listen to me i learnt the hard way with this stuff , don't use it, it's lethal .hc

I only machined one board and the workshop smelt like it was full of rancid chickens. Must say, it did make me run for fresh air even with the Airshield.

 

[head clansman]

hi

:lol: :lol: that not that far wrong , in my days it came from the swamps of africa , wish they had kept it there .hc :lol: :lol:

 

[cutting42]

I'd be interested to see any larger projects in iroko that any of you chaps may have done, I think a kitchen would look great using this stuff.

This is my TV cabinet, not put a finish on yet, threadhere:

 

[head clansman]

hi guys

iroko can be machined and worked very nicely as seen here in two different posts (really nice work) but use it now , not for me , the other let down side of it is , what every your finish is, it's color darkens very quickly over a year or so . hc

 

[Russ]

I'd be interested to see any larger projects in iroko that any of you chaps may have done, I think a kitchen would look great using this stuff.

This is my TV cabinet, not put a finish on yet, threadhere:

Thanks Gareth... Looks great.

What type of finish do you have in mind? Sorry, haven't followed the thread but will.

 

[wizer]

Does it take paint well? Out of Interest?

 

[catface]

hello Russ, you ask for other iroko projects -
below link to an iroko bed I made a while back. Had no probs with allergies so far . . . . Like your work by the way.
regards Catface.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... ht=catface

 

[Derek Willis.]

Just gos to show how nice a piece of Iroko can look, and it always has a good colour.
Derek.