Uses of Idigbo

[Roxie]

As the title suggests what woodworking application is Idigbo used for? I have managed to acquire some and am finding it difficult to "hand work" with, it has a habit of shedding large "splinters". I am making a box with it and the joints, dovetails, are awful due to these chunks breaking away.
Any help/suggestions much appreciated.
Happy New Year to you all.
John

 

[peter-harrison]

I've used it to make gates. It's durable and relatively cheap, and paints quite well. I agree with you about the splinters though!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My neighbour was a lecturer and had his own joinery for years - he swore by it for making windows.

 

[topchippyles]

Used for doors and windows a lot.cheap imported hardwood.

 

[AndyT]

I was given some by a chap who got a lot of surplus from a conservatory builder. I used a couple of planks to make an ornamental bargeboard on a friend's summer house. I didn't use any treatment on it. After about 4 years so far, it's gone a bit greyer than its original yellowish tinge but is still looking good, rot free. It is ok for turning as well.

More here

anyone-used-idigbo-t86531.html

 

[Steve Maskery]

I made a pair of French doors with side windows with it.
It has good durability. Horrible to work with, and yes, the splinters are bountiful.
The biggest problem I had was that I accidentally dropped a transom. Lets say it was 100 x 50 and 3m long, something like that.
I dropped it just a couple of feet and and it fractured into two pieces, a very long scarf. It was clean, so I could glue it up again, but it was a pain to do.

I'm surprised that Peter's experience is that it paints well. In my experience paint just slides around on the surface. You need a specialist primer, I forget what it was, but it might have been a Zinser product. After that, painting was no problem.

Edit Teknos (www.teknos.co.uk)

It's not nice, but it does have its place, especially for external joinery. I've not used it for anything pretty.

 

[g7g7g7g7]

I've used it for allsorts, got a mallet made out of idigbo, made some small pieces of jewellery amongst other things. Whilst it may not like paint it absolutely drinks up steel wool and vinegar ebonising mixture and takes the black stain beautifully. If you are looking for a finish that works well with idigbo you could do a lot worse than ebonising it and varnishing it.