IPE question?

[Sharp Shooter]

I've never worked with IPE before, is there anything I should know before I start gluing it up? Will it work well as lams in the limbs? Tony

[jsweka]

Lots of folks use ipe in all wood bows with good results.  I haven't heard of anyone using it in glass laminated bows.

Be careful with it and at least wear a dust mask.  I've heard of some that have a pretty bad allergic reaction to it.  It doesn't bother me.

I hope you have a good supply of elbow grease, 'cause that is some tough wood. Much tougher than anything I've ever worked with - even osage.  The first time I started running it through my bandsaw it made the blade spark!!

[Roy from Pa]

It gave me a pretty bad allergic reaction.. Wear protection.

[StoneAK]

Agreed use protection and a good rasp cause it is tough. It was supposed to be 10X as hard as oak

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Thankfully I guess I'm one of those guys that Ipe doesn't bother very much. I used the dust collector drop hoses over the belt sander and the band saw, then I did all my planing outside the garage to keep dust down and when I did any rasping or hand sanding I kept a fan blowing a cross wind over my work while the big garage door was open. I washed my hands and arms after working with it and when I would take a break so I wouldn't spread the dust all over my face or get it in my mouth. Then I took a shower after every session working with Ipe before I came in contact with anything inside my house, usually whent I shut it down for the evening. Jump in the shower before eating or climbing into bed or coming in contact with anything else. I also kept my clothes seperate from the rest of my laundry and washed the Ipe garments seperately, just in case. Might be over kill but it worked and Ipe doesn't bother me anymore than bamboo does, just a bit itchy.

Just use your head and take some of those precautions I mentioned and you'll be fine, unless you are alergic to it then you probably won't be able to be in the same room with it?

Lots of guys on here working with Ipe at the moment so look around for the threads that are already started on the subject of working with it and you'll pick up some tips I'm sure.

[Jeff Smith]

Ipe may be a dense wood but its scrapes very easily.It doesnt take much in width or length to make a bow, alot less than most woods.
Jeff

[ber643]

I did a BBI out of a glue up from Rich's Bowyery in CA (great guy and probably knows as much about Ipe and Bamboo in conjunction, in bow use, as anyone going). It came out great, and still is. I pulled up the link to the build here (still in the archives) a couple months back but don't know that many looked at it.

I also bought one of Dave Knight's BBIpe glue ups at the Hickory shoot here in NC last month. It's a beauty but I haven't gotten to start on it yet. I may not until after deer season - so that means in Jan - LOL

Need to take a pic of that beauty.

[D]

I took David Knights BBI class at the TN Classic this past year and mine came out great.  He builds great stuff.  As far as scrapping goes I was impressed with how easy it did scrap to be such dense stuff.  But I really enjoyed working with it.  I've got 3 more cut out and ready to be glues up.  I agree with everybody else and make sure to wear a mask.

[ber643]

I apparently was another of the lucky ones that Ipe doesn't bother, but I have a friend that starts itching, sneezing, and eyes watering like crazy at the slightest contact with unfinished Ipe. So, as has been suggested, better safe than sorry, until you're sure.

I tried to get some pictures yesterday evening but we have so much smoke blowing around NC, from a large forest fire south of Jacksonville, that they didn't show the various Ipe colors well. I'll have to try again when conditions clear.