unlimited supply of teak!

[drunkensailor]

There is literally an unlimited supply of teak furniture on craigslist. I saw a teak entertainment center for $300 that was big enough to build an entire pocketship! Easily enough to make the interior floor and do all of the decks. Please let me know what's wrong with this idea, I can't be the only one who's thought of it.

[ahamm]

Be very carefull, most "solid" Teak/mahogany/oak /etc. funiture is laminated.

[drunkensailor]

Ok. I did think of that possibility but there are definitely some pieces that are solid (especially patio furniture, older furniture, imported furniture etc.). My biggest worry is that I won't be able to cut solid teak on my table saw.

[decurtis]

Teak will definitely be hard on your saw blade just like working with any hardwood. I had to rip the tongue and grooves off the hardwood flooring I used for my decking and there were no problems but when I had to do crosscuts though the 1/2" boards it was a lot tougher than cutting through fir or spruce.

However, as can be seen in the chart in the link below working with teak is like working with any hardwood. Teak is less hard than oak and actually at the lower end of the hardwood hardness scale (unless it is Brazilian teak which is more than 3 times as hard as regular teak)

http://www.woodfloorsonline.com/techtalk/hardns.html

[drunkensailor]

Awesome! Thanks for the link Dave. I found a place selling plantation grown teak that seems like it would work fine for the cabin sole and it's reasonably priced. I was thinking of maybe putting a stripe of holly down the center of each plank (If any one else gets to that stage before I do and wants to use it I'd love to see pics). I'm wavering on the teak deck idea though. On further inspection it seems to complicated. Also, just for fun, I read this quote somewhere: "The only thing more durable than teak are diamonds but they're not as pretty." I'm not sure who wrote it but I agree with the pretty part.

[chriscrash]

It's not the hardness of teak that will kill a carbide blade, but rather the deposits of a very hard mineral in the wood. Some of the teak substitutes might not have them.