Need expert advice

[Oldwildcat]

I recently went to a beautiful hardware store that as a huge exotic wood department to pick up some wood for a project I'm trying. Some of these woods left me speechless needless to say. One variety I fell for was Padouk ( it's a beautiful Red color. I didn't need it for my project but bought a small amout. I have 2 piece's both 1/4" thick 1 is 5" the other is 7" wide and both sre 24" long. Now give me recomondations what is something You would make with this small amount of wood. I'm dying to make something with it but can't find the right thing. Hope to hear from you, Wildcat

[lkbraa]

Hi Wildcat, congrats on the wood score...I'm envious that you have a place that you can hand pick out your own boards locally! Most of my wood is purchased thru the internet and I am at the mercy of the vendor.

Any whoos, on the Padauk, it is a beautiful wood and fairly easy to cut. However you need to take some precautions when using it...not meaning to scare ya, but it will save you a lot of grief in the long run. First off, it is VERY important to use proper ventilation such as dust mask, fan/air filter and/or vacuum with Padauk as it can be very tempermental with some users. Other precautions is protecting your surrounding areas and other woods used in the same project...as the dust can stain very easily. Before finishing, make sure to remove all dust with vacuum/air compressor and/or tack cloth. When applying your finish, do it in several very light coats as not to allow the finish to run if using it with a combo of other woods. Another note about Padauk, over time the orangish/redish tone turns to darker brown when exposed to direct UV lighting.

In regards to projects, the uses are endless...however, I like using it as an accent wood in my boxes.
Good Luck & can't wait to see whatcha come up with!

[handibunny]

Wildcat,

Padauk is a great accent wood in the 1/4" thickness. You could use it as the bottom and lid of a box made from a contrasting wood, or use it for some fretwork backed by a contrasting color. It works well as the front, or front and back of a bandsaw style box, like the kind in Gary McKay's box book.

Kim is right about the need for precautions. It will bleed unless you apply finish in very light coats. The dust can be very irritating, and you do need to vacuum up frequently. The dust tends to get into the pores of other woods, so if you do combine it with other wood, stay away from open grained wood like oak or mahogany.

However, I've worked with it a lot, and it makes a beautiful project. It tends to be brittle, but is not difficult to cut, like bloodwood.

So, take your time, until you find just the right use for it. Then please post pictures of your results!

[paul44224]

Hey Wildcat, where's that store? I can't seem to find any local stores with thin woods, other than Lowes or HD. Is it the Woodcraft store?

Paul

[Paladin]

As Kim said, it is a great-looking wood, but expect everything around you to turn orange if you don't clean up often.

[sawdustus]

Wildcat, I used some 1/4" padauk to make baskets and to accent some candy dishes and bowls. It is beautiful. If you put a light coat of dewaxed shellac on as a finish before you glue it up, the color shouldn't bleed into other woods. The alternative is to lightly spray your finish on after gluing to eliminate runs and wiping from the padauk to the other woods. The sawdust stains everything in its path. Wash your clothes separately or, like several of us have found out, you will end up with pinkish underwear.
We are all envious of your good fortune to have such a hardware store. Is it part of a chain or just a local?

george

[Oldwildcat]

Wildcat, I used some 1/4" padauk to make baskets and to accent some candy dishes and bowls. It is beautiful. If you put a light coat of dewaxed shellac on as a finish before you glue it up, the color shouldn't bleed into other woods. The alternative is to lightly spray your finish on after gluing to eliminate runs and wiping from the padauk to the other woods. The sawdust stains everything in its path. Wash your clothes separately or, like several of us have found out, you will end up with pinkish underwear.
We are all envious of your good fortune to have such a hardware store. Is it part of a chain or just a local?

george

George I live near Canton, Ohio and the hardware store is about 45 minutes from me in a large Amish area. It is owned and operated by the Amish, It's called Keim Lumber. This place is huge, not sure of the sq. feet but larger than grocery stores and near as big as your average Walmart. The Exotic wood Dept I'm guessing is around 100' by 300' rows and rows. they carry stock from 1/4 " to 2" and some stock as wide as 3' or more. They have a section of slabs for what I assume would be conference tables some I saw were 20' long and can;'t remember what species it was but breathtaking ans I believe 12,000 lol. my next project ; ) The nice thing is they will sell pieces as small as 20" and have bins of precut of 24" from1/4" to 1" pieces and bins of small pieces of left over pieces. I found a piece of Purple Heart there 1X8X12 it was $9.99. They even have a Cafe that serve's amish food. theres at least 4 Cheese Factorys within a few miles also it is a huge tourist area. So if your close or gonna be on N.E. Ohio I recommend a trip to this entire area. Wildcat

http://www.keimlumber.com/

[Catlyn]

George I live near Canton, Ohio and the hardware store is about 45 minutes from me in a large Amish area. It is owned and operated by the Amish, It's called Keim Lumber. This place is huge, not sure of the sq. feet but larger than grocery stores and near as big as your average Walmart. The Exotic wood Dept I'm guessing is around 100' by 300' rows and rows. they carry stock from 1/4 " to 2" and some stock as wide as 3' or more. They have a section of slabs for what I assume would be conference tables some I saw were 20' long and can;'t remember what species it was but breathtaking ans I believe 12,000 lol. my next project ; ) The nice thing is they will sell pieces as small as 20" and have bins of precut of 24" from1/4" to 1" pieces and bins of small pieces of left over pieces. I found a piece of Purple Heart there 1X8X12 it was $9.99. They even have a Cafe that serve's amish food. theres at least 4 Cheese Factorys within a few miles also it is a huge tourist area. So if your close or gonna be on N.E. Ohio I recommend a trip to this entire area. Wildcat

Lumber Company | Lumber Yards - Keim Lumber Company

Wow. What an amazing store. I was just looking thru their web site. It would be so much fun just to go there and browse.

[Oldwildcat]

Hey Wildcat, where's that store? I can't seem to find any local stores with thin woods, other than Lowes or HD. Is it the Woodcraft store?

Paul

Hi Paul, it is in charm,ohio but has a Millersburg mailing addrerss. It's easy to find, 77s to strasburg exit rt. 39turn right go to rt. 577 turn left ( there) go about 4 miles on right. several signs to lead u in. let me know i'll go with u. are u going to the meeting sat. ? I'm having surgery thurs. to fix a hernia if i'm feeling good enough I'm gonna go. Bob

[lwsjc]

I also buy from Keim Lumber. They have rough sawn lumber of most any kind you can think of.

Larry