LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Confetti Lamp Inserts  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

Uses for Ipe

« back to Woodworking Tools, Hardware and Accessories forum

Forum topic by ellen35 posted 251 days ago 375 views 0 times favorited 11 replies Add to Favorites Watch
View ellen35's profile

ellen35

541 posts in 331 days


251 days ago

Topic tags/keywords: wood ipe question

My neighbor gave me some ipe wood. He used it for a deck railing. I am not really interested in building a deck…or a railing. Can Ipe be used for anything else…like cutting boards (or parts of cutting boards) or band saw boxes or other indoor woodworking projects? It is hard as hell, dense and heavy. Will it ruin my new bandsaw blade or my mitre saw blade? I am used to working with mahogany…a much softer wood and more pleasing to the touch. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. He says he’ll give me more (so far a couple of 3’ 4×4’s and a few other pieces.) I would really rather have the cherry he has hanging around but I think I have to take this stuff too..or first!
Thanks.
Ellen

-- Ellen on Cape Cod

View Julian's profile

Julian

695 posts in 424 days


251 days ago

I built a pair of adirondak chairs out of ipe. It’s tough, dense, and hard to glue. I don’t know what hobbiest things you would want to make out of it, but anything that will be used outdoors would be a good start.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

View Boardman's profile

Boardman

158 posts in 660 days


251 days ago

A boat anchor comes to mind….the stuff actually sinks in water. Beyond that it’s pretty much just a pain. It makes this sickly green/yellow sawdust that’s like talcumn powder, requires oversized pre-drilling as it will snap screws like matchsticks if the screw meets much resistance, and is just plain heavy as lead.

Besides that…..well, it looks kinda pretty.

View Steve2's profile

Steve2

48 posts in 469 days


251 days ago

Use the IPE to form a rack to get the cherry and store it until next winter in Cape Cod, then you could put it under your firewood to hold it out of the snow. :)

-- Regards, Steve2

View Chris 's profile

Chris

1469 posts in 889 days


251 days ago

I have seen it used for Decks, Arbors, Gates, Outdoor furniture, etc…. If I could get my hands on enough of it I would like to make a English Garden bench. Notice these are all outdoor projects? I personally know someone in Alaska who had their deck made out of Ipe 10 years ago; Guess what? The nasty weather up there has not hurt it at all.

-- Chris

View Chris's profile

Chris

300 posts in 256 days


251 days ago

It makes a great deck, but I’ve heard from the friend that used it on his deck that it really is tough on tools, bits, and sawblades. I have no quantitative facts to back that up, however, so I don’t know how much wear a few pieces are going to cause.

-- Chris

View PurpLev's profile

PurpLev

2763 posts in 547 days


251 days ago

I wouldn’t go about bandsawing this one… maybe use it for a workbench, or outdoor furniture/fixtures (planters etc?)

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

View Dan Lyke's profile

Dan Lyke

607 posts in 1023 days


251 days ago

I used it for a threshold, and I’ve got some more of it as scraps from the deck place that I want to play with. It actually mills fairly nicely, but the sawdust is some of the most noxious stuff on the planet; I don’t always wear a respirator in the shop, but when I’m working with Ipe I open all the doors to get airflow and wear a full-on filter.

Because of that I definitely wouldn’t use it for cutting boards, but I’ve thought about it for chairs, maybe boxes, places where really hard wood is a plus.

I don’t have a band saw, but I had no problems cutting it with the jigsaw.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

View motthunter's profile

motthunter

2079 posts in 697 days


251 days ago

It is great stuff, and I love to work with it when I am making anything for the outdoors as it can last forever.

Consider projects like birdhouses, doorway thresholds, exterior trim, outdoor furniture, etc.

Beware of blade wear. Also, pre-drill everything. It will not take a finish and if you glue, you may want to use polyurethane glue like gorilla.

-- making sawdust....

View dadefreese's profile

dadefreese

16 posts in 919 days


251 days ago

I have read that Ipe is like walnut in that the dust is more of an irritant than most other wood species. That could be because of the minerals in the wood or perhaps the specific oils which make it hold up so well outdoors.

The recurring theme here and elsewhere is that it’s almost always recommended for outdoors use. As for me, I have been thinking of using it for a blanket chest but these cautions keep popping up any time I research ipe.

View ellen35's profile

ellen35

541 posts in 331 days


251 days ago

Thanks everyone. Your help, as usual, has been invaluable.
The ipe is going back…hopefully to be traded for something else in my neighbor’s woodstove “burn” pile.
I’ll never understand burning cherry…or oak…or any other hardwood!!
Also, for such a dense and hard wood, it certainly makes for a TON of splinters!

-- Ellen on Cape Cod

View Chris 's profile

Chris

1469 posts in 889 days


251 days ago

One other item I ran across…. In South America (I think…) local utilities use this tree for utility poles.

-- Chris

You must be signed in to reply.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase