Brazilian walnut's (Ipe) qualities?

[Minuteman]

We just got a 10,000$ load of Ipe delivered to the deck job we're working and there should be enough to make a few bows left over when we are done. I'll probably have to make the general contractor a bow in order to get some of the leftovers.
 Anyway, what I'm looking for is info on the qualities of ipe so when I go to make a bow from it I won't break the first half dozen.
 Any info would be appreciated. Glues useable, dimensions, degreasing/ acetone before glueing,anything you think might be useful information for a guy just starting out with Brazilian Walnut.
 You heard that joke? A blonde lady's reading the newspaper on a bus, the headline states "Brazillians injured in soccer riot" . She turns to the guy next to her and says "How many is a brazillian anyway?"

[elk ninja]

http://www.geocities.com/salampsio/ipe1.htm
Great build along here, not sure if it's what your looking for, but it's got some good info.

[bvalentine002]

haha...funny Joke. I'll be sure to tell it to my blonde wife (the one with a 4.0 GPA Master's Degree).    

Anyway, I have not used Ipe yet, but I'm planning to use it in a tri-lam with bamboo backing. As far as I know it's rediculously dense and heavy, has a high modulous of elasticity (springy), and it nearly indestructable. It seems that using it with a backing like Bamboo or Hickory is the best way to get the most from it.
-Brett

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Thanks Chris,I needed a good laugh this morning    

I will make sure to show the wife when she gets home,She is a true blond and loves blond jokes too.

Tracy

[Minuteman]

Thanks You-daho. Got alot of info from yer link there.
 002, You could just as easily tell the joke with "compound shooter" in the place of the blonde woman I guess.

[bbassi]

10K worth of Ipe huh? what will that cover? About 48 square feet?  

I've got some sitting in my barn from a deck we did a couple of years ago. That stuff is so dense it doesn't float. it's also hell on tools and screws. If you don't pre-drill every hole you'll have a lot of scrap for bows before they are done. Trust me.

Good luck, I'd love to see what you come out with.

[PV]

I've built a half a dozen or so with ipe.Great wood.Prefer it over osage. Just as strong if not stronger and no early wood to speak of. For a 60#,64"NTN Bamboo or hickory backed R/D I go  1 1/4" wide at the fades to 1/2" tips.7/16" tapered belly slat will get you that weight and more.It seems to like narrow and not thin. The only failures I've had was when I thinned the belly on a trilam and lost it at the bottom of the deflex.The darker wood seems to be stronger than the lighter stuff.Urac works well for glue. I don't degrease it before glueing.Haven't had a glue failure.
Good luck!

[Minuteman]

Yeah, they figgered out the whole pre-drill thing yesterday.
 Its a pretty good sized bunk of wood but it doesn't look like 10,000$ to me.