Yo Ken, if your still around your up on this one. Far as Composites go I am with the Larry/whoever We are for the most part. Composites are really no longer using recycled material because there is just not enough of it so most of the raw stuff is virgin,the energy used to make composite is an enviro no no, when its time to remove the project composite is not real big on bio degrade its tricky to burn shreading it would be silly. Bottom line composites are not so enviro freindly. Info like that might suggest its not all that good to clean it either, with anything. I dont agree>> composites will out last Ipe, left to go silver/gray Ipe is as close to no maintance as a person can get. With the softer composites like Choice/MoistureShield even trex= tjunk I have found a coat or two of TWP 116 seals up the decking,locks in the color and keeps mold,mildew,stains from causing major problems. Of course not needing to do this is the reason the Wallet goes for composite in the first place. I my own self dont like composites at all for the reasons stated in several posts here and on other sites. Welcome aboard Larry!!! Sorry I dident understand your intent at the begining . John

Iron Woods is definitely used interchangeably across several South American tropical hardwood species including Ipe and Cumaru, but believe is also a proper noun in the instance of "Iron Woods" whose parent company is Timber Holdings USA which we believe is owned by Coastal now. Regardless, good guys with good wood. This does open the door to an interesting topic for wood geeks and homeowners alike. Grading standards.... There is currently no uniform grading standard for South American tropical hardwoods. Generally speaking the best Ipe coming into the US right now is clear three sides with allowances for small tight pin knots no bigger than your pinkie. So how can a layman homeowner differentiate between "grades" and know they're getting the quality they expect? Nominal vs. actual dimensions can be confusing enough..... As stated, there is no uniform grading standard, but here is a list of common "grade descriptors" that are indicative of top quality: 1) Clear 2) Premium 3) Prime 4) FAS (acronym for "First And Seconds") 5) FEQ (acronym for "First European Quality") While a company may use these and send you something of lower grade or water it down with a small percentage of B-Grade... (like all industries there are unscrupulous characters and companies), if you purchase wood in any of these five "grades" what you should receive is "clear three sides with allowances for small tight pin knots no bigger than your pinkie." In addition to "grade" names, always check references of the supplier and they should be happy to give you a list of satisfied customers. Another qualifier is whether the company is FSC Certified. While you may not be purchasing FSC Certified material, the certification process is arduous and an indicator of a reputable company. We don't know of any companies out there who would risk losing this certification just to make a few extra bucks. Advantage is right though, you get what you pay for and if the price seems too good to be true then you're probably receiving some percentage of inferior grade before we even enter the realm of discussing botanical names and specie substitution....., but we can save that for another thread.....

When I hear of someone using cedar for railing, I feel I must tell them of my experience.18 years ago the popular belief( at least at my lumberyard) was that cedar was low maintainence and lasts forever. So I sided, trimmed, railed and decked w/ cedar( white cedarsiding, red cedar everywhere else). It was beautiful afterward. We stained w/cabots, used sikins on the deck. After 5 years we noticed, especially the deck and rail, that everywhere cedar touched cedar( the butt joint at the post/ rail and post /deck) it was getting soft. We hadn't sealed the end grain before installation nor did we caulk each joint. By year 12 the railings fell off and the posts and decking boards rotted along each edge ( we didn't space the deck boards enough, thinking they would shrink- they might have even expanded). A word to the wise, wait until a stretch of dry weather and silicone caulk those joints. Fine Homebuilding Magazine recognized this problem and published an article a few years after we built and after the damage was done. They recommended geotextiles layered between built up trim and cutting chamfer grouves at the butt joints for the caulk to adhere better- esentially a miniture pitch pocket for the caulk. Good luck w/ the cedar.

I haven't tried yogurt yet, but am planning to try it in a few weeks. then down the road, cottage cheese and a cheesecake. don't have the right pan for the cheesecake yet. Besides I have other things I want to try in it first. like the potatoes for potato salad. I haven't made that for decades. I've made 2 roasts, meatloaf, dressing (at Christmas), mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, eggs, rice, chicken, barley soup, spaghetti soup, macaroni and refried beans. I think that's it so far. but that's a lot for me! Rusty - you'd love an IP. I have the 3 qt duo plus, bought it last TG day for 56.00 and I love it. Size depends on how much you make at one time and how many you cook for. I make enough to feed me for a few days with some left over to freeze. I finished off my meatloaf and dressing in the AF. they both turned out wonderful that way. I've also made steak in my AF, chicken, half the recipe for the green bean casserole and meatloaf in it. I love both the AF and the IP.