Apitong for free?

[Kevin]

I might be able to score a free load (maybe 2 loads) of Apitong (1 3/8 x 6" x 4 - 8 feet) left over from a flat-bed trailer repair. A quick google leaves me wih mixed feelings. I haven't went over to look at the pile, but what I can find on the internet says it's hard, heavy and maybe resinous (which I take to mean full of tar?). Google can find me examples of it being used for boat building and bird houses and at least one bowl turned from "Oak Apitong". I'm considering using this for making a whole back yard full of patio furniture.

I'm thinking this stuff should stay far away from HSS jointer & planer knives, but do I dare run this through my Woodworkers II blade and CMT router bits?

I know they use a sealer once it's installed on the trailer, so hopefully it doesn't have some kind of pressure treatment already applied.

Any advise from real life encounters with this stuff would be great.

Kevin in Bakersfield

[Lew Hodgett]

Best use of Apitong is for trailer beds, just as you describe.

Not good for much else IMHO.

Lew

[bridger]

had a client in the boat importing business who had a steady supply and wanted us to make stuff out of it.

it eats tools. lots of silica, I think.

it's mostly uninteresting looking.

it's heavy, dense, hard and naturally rot resistant.

I made some mallet heads out of it...

[John DeBoo]

[bridger]

yeah, the slivers.

an apatong sliver *will* get infected. prolly a good reason to not use it for furniture.

[J T]

Wed, Jan 5, 2005, 8:50am (EST-2) [e-mail] says: yeah, the slivers. an apatong sliver *will* get infected. prolly a good reason to not use it for furniture.

Sigh, you're right, and not even for people you don't like.

JOAT EVERY THING THAT HAPPENS STAYS HAPPENED.

- Death