Ipe' Adirondack Chairs

very nice…i used the FWW plan last summer with no modification…I like yours…I havent seen any with such large gaps in both the seat slats and back slats…was the IPE hard to weork with?>??

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

Those chairs should last a life time. You did a very nice job. What made you decide to use Ipe, most people shy away from using it due to it’s reputation of being hard to work with and hard on blades? I have been thinking about making my new furniture for out on the deck using Ipe. I love the look of the wood.

-- Ed - Milan, IN

they look great…. How many blades and drill bits did you destroy on the IPE.?. that stuff is fantastic but sure does put a hurting on the tools.

-- making sawdust....

Those are nice looking chairs. If you make any more outside furniture with the ipe, try wiping the wood down with water and sanding a couple of times before you put on the finish. It should raise the grain enough that you won’t have to much problem with it later. Go for the Morris chair. I made one out of purple heart once. It was a job that I don’t look forward to doing again though.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

Excellent job of modifying the plans to come up with a unique touch.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

My conclusions about Ipe’ based upon this project:

1) Because it is so dense, it can be sanded to an amazing finish.
2) Because it is so hard, it is also very brittle. I wanted to pattern route the curves and was unable to do so. Big pieces would snap-off right along the grain line, and climb cuts would not work either. You must be extremely careful when driving screws. Pilot holes must be at least equal to screw shanks and you can’t take a chance on overtightening or you’ll split the wood.
3) I don’t have a bandsaw, so I had to cut all my curved parts with my Bosch 1590EVSK. This jigsaw is a beast and is more than adequate to the task when settings are adjusted (slow speed, max orbital cut). I used their aggressive wood cutting blades. I did the final shaping and smoothing with my Festool RO125 (worth every cent).
4) My cheap roundover bit (Skil – was afraid to use the Freud) has shown no decrease in cutting effectiveness after four chairs.
5) Learned I had to wear a respirator when doing any type of cutting or sanding. I don’t think I’m as sensitive to the Ipe’ dust as some folks (no skin reactions), but it sure does cause me a headache.
6) Did not put any of it through the planer, and I don’t think I ever will. Dimensioned stuff seems very stable and more than adequate for lawn furniture.
7) For a tropical hardwood, Ipe’ is relatively inexpensive (although supposedly not as inexpensive as it was just a year ago)
8) Ipe’ color varies WIDELY. If you want consistent coloring, you’ll need to make an conscious effort in choosing your boards.

About the design:

1) I was initially concerned about the potential weight of the piece and the strength of the Ipe’ allowed me to use less material than the plans called for the back and seat slats.
2) As I was messing around with widths and spacing, I began to appreciate the more airy and sleek design that was evolving.
3) I want to make the next set even more airy and sleek. As a warm-weather chair, I think this might have a broad appeal.

Excellent job

-- jeanmarc manosque france

Your write-up on this project was worth the price of admission! Thanks especially for your insights into your design!

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

Cool! mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

Very, very nice.

-- Bruce from Central New York

Nice project, thank you for sharing.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

Hey Mike need a chair tester…they look beautiful…nice post…Blkcherry

Good looking chairs – look like nice setters.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Y ipe’s those are nice chairs. Thanks for sharing.

-- Kip Northern Illinois ( If you don't know where your goin any road will take you there) George Harrison

Looks great and thanks for the insight into working with Ipe. I’ve turned a few pens with it and found it turned well but you have to be aware of the fine yellow dust.

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

Beautiful chairs! I like the airy look as well.

I think it’s a good idea to wear a respirator sanding and sawing any wood – no matter what the particle’s made of, it doesn’t do your lungs any good.

Thanks for the lessons learned working with this material “We all learn from experience – the wise person learns from someone else’s experience.”

Jake

-- Jake http:/www.adirondackchairscentral.com

The chairs look great, and you won’t have to worry about the wind blowing them over!
A question about Ipe- I do turning and I often tap a thread into the wood piece I’m working on to mount it to my lathe.

Do you have an opinion as to the STRENGTH of the wood compared to rock maple or white oak? I know the stuff is notorious for dulling tools.

Thanks

-- John