Has anyone made a pen with Ipe?

[Rchan63]

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Richard

 

[bitshird]

I've made 10 or 15 out of straight grain and some curly that Steve Switzer gifted me. In fact my every day carry fountain is a baron in Ipe, it's no worse to turn than Osage orange or Lignum Vitae

 

[MarkD]

I have. It turned ok but the grain isn't very interesting to look at. I believe someone recently posted a picture of a pen they did in IPE on this site but I'm not able to find it now.

 

[Rchan63]

Thanks Ken and Mark, I may just have to turn one or two.

 

[bitshird]

Here is my every day fountain pen Ipe on a baron, this pen is about 2-1/2 years old, I couldn't find a picture of the curly Ipe, IF you can find some it is incredible.
http://www.penturners.org/photos/index.php?n=3459

 

[Rchan63]

That look nice, I like the straight grain of the blank. I just might have about 6 curly Ipe blanks in my stash.

 

[MarkD]

That Ipe sure has a nicer grain than the peice I turned.

 

[DJ2759]

Ipe

I have used Ipe and it does finish nicely but be careful, the dust and wood can irritate the skin.

 

[gketell]

Here's mine. Ipe with Parallam segment. Leftovers from a friends deck install.

 

[bitshird]

I tried to take a pic with my new phone, but the light sucks, the old bugger is finished in CA and I don't know which is harder, the wood or the finish. But nearly all the plating is worn off.

 

[Rangertrek]

I did a couple for a flooring contractor to give to his customer. Made from the flooring in a house. Not much to look at, dark plain grain. Heavy, dense wood, the dust can cause skin and respiratory issues.

 

[dankc908]

I've made several ... sold them all. I like the way it polishes up and plan to make more in the next few weeks.

Dan

 

[JAZNCARR]

its great

The saw dust is yellow and can irritate the sinuses.... I have about 30 board feet of reclaimed bellawood epe flooring.... 35 bft of brazilian cherry so if anybody wants to try a piece or 3 shoot me a pm

 

[toddlajoie]

Here are a couple I did with Ipe. I've got a bunch of blanks that I cut from leftovers from a deck I made out of it, so they came from a 3/4 x 6 inch board that I cut at a 15 deg. angle. it's rather dense and hard, and if you're tools aren't sharp it will pull and tear, or just blow out if you're too aggressive. The stuff I have, being decking, is very plain, straight grained. No figuring at all, but it does have a nice rich red-brown color with some green streaks or speckles... It can be oily, so you need to plan for that if you're going to do a CA finish (start with some acetone...) but it would also do fine with no finish...