Ipe pens?
- Thread starter MikeyMike
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bitshird
Member
I've done 3 barons from Ipe, it's not that bad to work, I do use a metal lathe though,(it's all I have) but it sands well and takes a good CA finish, I've had a harder time with Pomelle Bubinga getting a hole drilled straight, Cross cut Ipe might be a bear to turn with out chipping the ends.
I'd planned to build an outdoor furniture set with it, but went with cedar, instead. The Ipe is beautiful, but i"m a real newbie to turning so figured it would be a good idea to ask for advice.
For cutting, I have a number of 1x6 and 2x6 planks and even some 2x10. I can make just about any sort of cut I want
For cutting, I have a number of 1x6 and 2x6 planks and even some 2x10. I can make just about any sort of cut I want
bitshird
Member
it's a pretty wood, I use one of the baron fp I did every day no dings or dents in the wood yet,[)][)][)][)] I imagine super sharp tools will do the trick, for having such a high Janka rating I thought it would be difficult to work, but it wasn't that bad.
)][)][)][)] I imagine super sharp tools will do the trick, for having such a high Janka rating I thought it would be difficult to work, but it wasn't that bad.I turned one Ipe Baron and while the wood looks great, I ran into problems later with checking.
See
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=34337
See
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=34337
ahoiberg
Member
i got a piece of Ipe that i tried turning a lidded box with and had all sorts of troubles with it tearing out. granted, this was probably 99% my fault as it was close to the beginning of my turning... it seemed really open grained. perhaps the blank was mislabeled. i still have the blank and hope to make a save out of it someday... i'm sure it would make a fine pen though.
i'm sure it would make a fine pen though.
redfishsc
Member
Ipe makes a very nice pen. I have made several, one is a worn out slimline I made a few years ago, one of the first pens I ever made, and the wood is still great. However, it WILL stain if you don't put a good oil finish on it (this is about the only wood I'd use an oil finish on for pens).
1) Cut your pen blanks, bring them into the nice, dry house, and forget them for a month, at least. Ipe is almost always milled up for *exterior* use and not always kiln dried to proper moisture content since exterior stuff doesn't need to be. If you don't let them "dry out" some more, you run a huge risk of the pen cracking.
2) Sharp tools are necessary, but turning the stuff really isn't hard at all. It cuts great for me.
3) Do NOT build up a lot of heat when sanding, or you again run the huge risk of the pen cracking (even later on after it's sanded). BTW, Ipe is a brown wood, but the bright green sanding dust is just plain weird. I've never seen wood do that before.
4) If you decide to make furniture out of your lumber stock, just know that Ipe HAS A HORRIBLE reputation for not being wood-glue friendly. The joint will only last long enough for you to like your furniture, and then the joint fails. I don't care what solvent you clean it with, what kind of saw blade or jointer you used for the glue joints, what kind of wood glue/PVA glue/Resorcinol glue/epoxy you use. Ipe is just too dense for glue to be effective. Use lots of screws!
1) Cut your pen blanks, bring them into the nice, dry house, and forget them for a month, at least. Ipe is almost always milled up for *exterior* use and not always kiln dried to proper moisture content since exterior stuff doesn't need to be. If you don't let them "dry out" some more, you run a huge risk of the pen cracking.
2) Sharp tools are necessary, but turning the stuff really isn't hard at all. It cuts great for me.
3) Do NOT build up a lot of heat when sanding, or you again run the huge risk of the pen cracking (even later on after it's sanded). BTW, Ipe is a brown wood, but the bright green sanding dust is just plain weird. I've never seen wood do that before.
4) If you decide to make furniture out of your lumber stock, just know that Ipe HAS A HORRIBLE reputation for not being wood-glue friendly. The joint will only last long enough for you to like your furniture, and then the joint fails. I don't care what solvent you clean it with, what kind of saw blade or jointer you used for the glue joints, what kind of wood glue/PVA glue/Resorcinol glue/epoxy you use. Ipe is just too dense for glue to be effective. Use lots of screws!
DJ2759
Member
I used Ipe on my deck and went through a number of drill bits, the stuff is hard. I also turned several pens with success. I would pass on to watch out for the dust and extensive handling. Ipe has a high toxicity and it did irritate my eyes and skin. Everyone is different so you might not have the same reaction.
I was recently going through a gifted set of fine woodworking and saw a toxicity table. I was kind of surprised to see that it was an irritant. I love the wood, though. Dykes lumber carries some beautiful boards. I'd love to build with it, but I'd never be able to move it I've never used a heavier wood.
I've never used a heavier wood.