# Padauk tray



## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

My sister asked me to make a TV tray for her (for Christmas) to use as a lap board for eating and writing. So basically, a TV tray with no legs. 

I had a couple nice pieces of padauk laying around, as well as some curly maple scrap. Today I threw it together. I've never used padauk before, but have to say it was pretty easy to work with. It made some nice shavings with my recently refurbished antique Stanley #4. The stuff machines really easily.

The last pic shows it with a coat of gloss poly. I have to do one side at a time, and have to build it up pretty thick, so finishing will take a while.

Fun little project, and an easy Christmas gift. I think I've found a new favorite wood...Except sanding it turned me and everything in my garage orange!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Very pretty!

G


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Looks great!!! The wood kind of reminds me of chechen. I turned a piece of it once and it looked like a bag of paprika spice had exploded around my shop.:laughing:
Your sister will love it.
Ken


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

That looks great and your sister should be very happy. I've been told there is a possibility of bleed over from Padauk to maple or any lighter wood when finishing. Did you do anything special or have any problems? Again looks fantastic!

John


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

Sand it without a mask on......... you'll think you have a nosebleed!!!!


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## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

jdixon said:


> I've been told there is a possibility of bleed over from Padauk to maple or any lighter wood when finishing. Did you do anything special or have any problems?


Haven't noticed any bleeding yet. After reading this I did go look just to make sure!

This stuff does make the garage look like a 20lb bag of paprika exploded in there.


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## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

Very nice color to that wood and nice job too! Itchy


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

termite, I bought a board of it awhile back to use in a couple of projects and I asked the guy if it turned well. He was a very big guy and said he was turning it in his garage and sweating heavily and his wife came into the shop and went into hysterics as she thought he was bleeding profusely. He said he hadn't even noticed but he checked the mirror and it looked like he had been hit with an axe. :laughing:

John


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## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

jdixon said:


> termite, I bought a board of it awhile back to use in a couple of projects and I asked the guy if it turned well. He was a very big guy and said he was turning it in his garage and sweating heavily and his wife came into the shop and went into hysterics as she thought he was bleeding profusely. He said he hadn't even noticed but he checked the mirror and it looked like he had been hit with an axe. :laughing:
> 
> John


I can only imagine!


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## tribalwind (Dec 7, 2008)

thats gorgeous wood'
i used to have a tv tray thing ,not nearly as nice,store-bought . 1 thing i did like about it was that it had a cloth beanbag glued to the underside so it molded nicely to your lap ,could actually put a drink on it and cereal bowl etc...it kept it from sliding off a lap real good.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

termite: my wife LOVES paduak. Now any time I ask her what type of wood she wants that's her "go-to" which is nice, but get's a bit boring for me after a while. Great figure in the wood though, and hard to beat the color. It will get quite a bit darker with exposure and age though. 

Fantastic looking tray, by the way. Good contrast with the maple.


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## Ohio Ron (Dec 22, 2007)

Beautiful!

I have used Padouk a lot and it is easy to work with. I have had 2 problems with it. When sanding on the lathe, the dust will carry over from the Padouk to any lighter colored wood and slightly stain it. Gluing it can cause problems, some of it is very oily and you should clean it first with acetone. I had some so oily that it turned my cloth red. It is one of the few woods I use Poly glue with.


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

Ron, You may have hit on what I was told. It was probably during sanding on the lathe that bleedover occured not during finishing as I stated earlier. Thanks

John


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## Ohio Ron (Dec 22, 2007)

You can see it here on this toothpick holder


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## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

That thing is gorgeous Ron. I can definately see the bleeding though. Fortunately, I've only had a very very very slight amount of that where I missed a spot on the maple with the air hose.

Definately had no problem with titebond III. It glued up nice. 

Finishing has been a challenge to say the least. Having a heck of a time getting the poly to dry. Already sanded the first application off and went with a very light re-coat. Seems to be working so far.


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## Ohio Ron (Dec 22, 2007)

Don't use Poly on cutting boards. The only recommended finish is mineral oil. It is safe for food. You can get it at any big drug store, it is also used as a laxative. If you sand it down, generously apply the oil and let it set over night. Oil it again and let it set. When it seems quit taking oil, wipe it down and let it dry some. All cutting boards should be cleaned and reoiled a couple of times each year. It is the safe way to go


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## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

Ohio Ron said:


> Don't use Poly on cutting boards. The only recommended finish is mineral oil. It is safe for food. You can get it at any big drug store, it is also used as a laxative. If you sand it down, generously apply the oil and let it set over night. Oil it again and let it set. When it seems quit taking oil, wipe it down and let it dry some. All cutting boards should be cleaned and reoiled a couple of times each year. It is the safe way to go


Yup, I know. This in't a cutting board, it is a TV tray.


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## Ohio Ron (Dec 22, 2007)

As they say.................Duh. 
I was thinking it was a cutting board because I made a cutting board very one very similar to what you did for a serving tray It is still one beautiful piece any way you look at it. I am sure she will be proud of it, it is a work of wood art.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Bleed over*

I never have a bleed-over problem with padouk. I use my air compressor to blow the dust off before applying a finish. 
As for clothes, everything light colored will be pink after coming through the washer.
Padouk is one of my favorite woods


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## Cdat (Jun 27, 2007)

My only concern would be the color changes quite a bit the older the wood gets. Pretty now. Not so pretty later.


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## Ohio Ron (Dec 22, 2007)

That is very true. I made my grandson a firetruck and used Padouk. It has darkened a lot and I think it will end out as a very dark Maroon truck. This is the color it was when I made it, but I haven't seen it for a while and I'll bet it is much darker.


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## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

I've heard that using a finish with a UV inhibitor will prevent the fading, or lessen it significantly. Not sure what finishes have it, or if it is an additive though.


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## mjdtexan (Dec 13, 2008)

Its beautiful. I love the color of it finished.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

kctermite: that's correct, though the UV protection generally only lasts a few years. I personally like the color of paduak new or aged, so I'm happy either way. If I wanted truly red colors though, I'd pick something else, like bloodwood or redheart or something.


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