Padauk

[Robert L Stewart]

Has anyone had issues wide belt sanding this material? Seems like drum sanding is ok.

Thanks,
Robert

[Bill White]

Used it once-ONCE with smalls and thought that I would NEVER get the fine orange dust off of everything (including me). It does morph into a deep maroon color after a few years. It is very pretty wood, but that dust was a bear.

[Tony Joyce]

Has anyone had issues wide belt sanding this material? Seems like drum sanding is ok.

Thanks,
Robert


Very resinous, It will gum up belts unless run at a bias and light passes or in combination with hardwoods like maple or oak.
If you can sand with a drum, then wide belt will be no problem.

As aside, I did resaw and sanding for a well known lumber company here in NC for several years.
Several exotics are more resinous than you would think. Most have a learning curve, to keep from ruining belts.

[Warren Lake]

sands great on a stroke sander. You control the pressure as you work. Two types if I remember correctly one darkens more than the other or faster. Takes lac finishes well. Dust is aggressive smells sweet almost at first but its a trick.

[Tom Bender]

Use caution with this wood, it can cause health problems.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Use caution with this wood, it can cause health problems.

I was going to say I'm allergic.

What exactly is your question? Did you run it through the wide belt and have problems? I run it though my drum sander no problem. Except for being allergic and red dust all over the place. It does stain other wood if you're making boxes.

[Justin Rapp]

I like using it for small projects. I just used some and yes, red dust, but it's mostly in the dust collector or sanding vacuum.

[George Yetka]

Ive done well with jointer/planer as these were chips. TS seemed to be Ok But I definitely smell it there.Drum sander seemed to do Ok at 100 grit without gumming and/or bleeding into maple. The Rotex and RO both seem to do well with a good extractor and clean paper. I have had very little issue with the Padauk and bleeding. I did try hand sanding it and have ran RO without extractor and both bled.

[Robert L Stewart]

So far so good. Running at an angle seems to do the trick. Appreciate the info.
No Padauk in this board, 18x12x1.125. Making more soon.
469834

[Alan Lightstone]

Used it multiple times in my wide belt sander. Absolutely hate the red dust, plus the dust seems to keep coming out while wiping down the cutting boards after the board is finished.

Pretty wood, though...

[Paul Haus]

Used it multiple times in my wide belt sander. Absolutely hate the red dust, plus the dust seems to keep coming out while wiping down the cutting boards after the board is finished.

Pretty wood, though...
I've made a few projects out of padauk over the years. A bunch of lathe turning, sanding in the lathe along with machining the wood and hand planing. The dust gets into everything (including my lungs) and the need for a good mask while working with it.

[Larry Edgerton]

The only difference between Paudauk dust and any wood, say maple, is that you can see it. Its always there, just more obvious

[Warren Lake]

No, its a very aggressive dust, maple is not. It smells all warm and fuzzy at first but its evil.

I almost think there are fumes off some woods, Ive had nose bleeds in the past from some mahoganies.

[Jim Becker]

A lot of tropical/exotic species (as well as common ones like walnut) can be insidious to our bodies. But I'll agree that species like paduk are a lot more "visible" on surfaces due to the hue. :) (I can't use bubinga in any way, shape or form as I react to it)

[Justin Rapp]

A lot of tropical/exotic species (as well as common ones like walnut) can be insidious to our bodies. But I'll agree that species like paduk are a lot more "visible" on surfaces due to the hue. :) (I can't use bubinga in any way, shape or form as I react to it)

Send me all your spare Bubinga. Seriously, what reaction do you get?

[Jim Becker]

Send me all your spare Bubinga. Seriously, what reaction do you get?

There is no "spare". LOL Major skin rash and puffiness even with wearing PPE. I love the look of that stuff, but will never touch it again.

[Erik Loza]

I remember one trade show in upstate NY from the Minimax USA days. One of the exotic wood vendors was there (Hearne???). This was during the bowl turning craze. I had an MM16 with a Lenox carbide in the booth and somehow, that lumber dealer kept bringing over all sorts of odd billets of this or that tropical species to cut down. It was fun but I'll never forget the terrible smells that resulted. Of course, respirators were unheard of my crappy single-bagger seemed to spray out as much dust as it kept.

Erik

[Larry Edgerton]

A lot of tropical/exotic species (as well as common ones like walnut) can be insidious to our bodies. But I'll agree that species like paduk are a lot more "visible" on surfaces due to the hue. :) (I can't use bubinga in any way, shape or form as I react to it)


Makore is that way for me. I bought a huge load of it years ago and ended up making T&G ceilings out of it so I could use it up fast with machines that had good dust collection. On the plus side, it did force me to buy a Festool ROS, a decision I have not regretted. Side note on Padauk, I sprayed it with an acid catalyzed finish and it turned a nice purple like fresh cut and finished purpleheart, but the color stays that way. But I have the same issues with padauk as you.

[Stephen White]

So far so good. Running at an angle seems to do the trick. Appreciate the info.
No Padauk in this board, 18x12x1.125. Making more soon.
469834

Great board! So is that end and face (long grain) mixed or are you mixing 4/4, 8/4 and 12/4 lumber? Can you drum sand that with boards running horizonal? Planner?

[Jim Becker]

I remember one trade show in upstate NY from the Minimax USA days. One of the exotic wood vendors was there (Hearne???). This was during the bowl turning craze. I had an MM16 with a Lenox carbide in the booth and somehow, that lumber dealer kept bringing over all sorts of odd billets of this or that tropical species to cut down. It was fun but I'll never forget the terrible smells that resulted. Of course, respirators were unheard of my crappy single-bagger seemed to spray out as much dust as it kept.

Erik

Those were the days for sure! Shows were fun, productive and worthwhile. And yea, sometimes vendors did favors for other vendors. Who knows, maybe my MM16 cut something at the NJ show I picked it up from as it was a "booth babe special". I just don't remember at this point.

[Robert L Stewart]

Stephen,
Some face grain but mostly edge grain. 4/4, some 6/4 and 8/4. No planner, all wide belt sanding. I have no experience using a drum sander.