Author Topic: IPE (Read 2844 times)

Buemaker · « **on:** November 26, 2018, 01:33:09 PM »

Does anyone have any experience with this wood as a belly wood?
I have some straight stuff without any pins and blemishes.
I think I heard that some people react severely to sanding dust from this wood.

Flem · « **Reply #1 on:** November 26, 2018, 02:03:07 PM »

No experience making a Bow with Ipe, but it makes a great deck! The stuff is hard as hell, really heavy and will dull a saw blade faster than any other wood I have worked with.

BMorv · « **Reply #2 on:** November 26, 2018, 02:32:30 PM »

Yeah I do. It's a great belly wood. The best IMO. Osage is great too, but my ipe bows are always faster.

What kind of bow are you looking to make with it?

I haven't had any reaction to working with it, but either way make sure you wear a respirator. It has silica in the dust; really bad for the lungs.

Buemaker · « **Reply #3 on:** November 26, 2018, 02:47:49 PM »

I was thinking a trilam ELB and perhaps a flatter design with bamboo on the back.
What design are you making BMorv?

BMorv · « **Reply #4 on:** November 26, 2018, 03:01:50 PM »

I made a few tri lams with it. Some bamboo backed bows too. I'm working on a bendy handle ipe/bamboo one right now. It doesn't take much ipe to make a bow.
It works well in almost any bow style, but I really like it in a tri lam.
The bendy one is the 1st pic and it's only 7/8" wide.

Buemaker · « **Reply #5 on:** November 26, 2018, 03:14:59 PM »

Looking good.

Flem · « **Reply #6 on:** November 26, 2018, 03:50:00 PM »

Those are looking good! I've got a bunch of Ipe off-cuts, guess I'm going to have to dull some tools with it. Wonder if it will make a decent lamination?

BMorv · « **Reply #7 on:** November 26, 2018, 04:41:45 PM »

It makes an excellent lamination. I haven't made ELB style bows with it, but I've seen people use it for cores in that style. I think its best used as a belly though.
I've had the best luck with the really dark brown colored ipe boards. I weigh the boards I get and those seem to be denser and make better bows.

If you think ipe is bad on tools try purple heart.

Crooked Stic · « **Reply #8 on:** November 26, 2018, 04:44:07 PM »

It makes good riser ibeams.

Buemaker · « **Reply #9 on:** November 26, 2018, 05:19:40 PM »

What is the best way to treat it before glueup, and what kind of glue is best. Thanks.

BMorv · « **Reply #10 on:** November 26, 2018, 05:59:39 PM »

40 grit sand paper for lams or toothing plane for riser parts. I've used TB3 and Unibond 800 both with good success. I just get the dust off with a rag then use my shop vac to get all the fine particles off.
You'll see some things online suggesting that it's very difficult to glue because of the oils; not sure if these guys ever actually tried gluing it

I've never had gluing issues with it. I treat it like any lamination.

Lelliott8 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 26, 2018, 08:49:48 PM »

There is a really good BBI buildalong on poor folk bows and he talks about Ipe a bit. Here is the
link.

I have a board of it rescued from a deck that is begging for me to make a few bows out of it. Just need to find a good place to get bamboo backing strips

Roy from Pa · « **Reply #12 on:** November 27, 2018, 08:36:19 AM »

No more IPE in my shop.

It really messed me up bad.

I still have lingering health problems after the initial exposure to it 10 years ago.

BMorv · « **Reply #13 on:** November 27, 2018, 09:24:15 AM »

Man sorry to hear that Roy. Was it lung related or was it part of an allergic reaction?

Roy from Pa · « **Reply #14 on:** November 27, 2018, 09:27:11 AM »

allergic reaction

BMorv · « **Reply #15 on:** November 27, 2018, 09:33:33 AM »

I wonder if there is a way to slowly or lightly expose yourself to ipe to see if you are allergic to it???
No bow wood is worth lingering health issues.

Roy from Pa · « **Reply #16 on:** November 27, 2018, 04:07:39 PM »

I really don't know.

I got a very high dose of the IPE sanding dust on my face for an extended period of time, like 6 hours.

Looked like I fell into a fire pit that night.

Several trips to dermatologist, steroid shots and pills for a couple years and now use of a hand cream a few times a month as needed.

Free and clear laundry detergent, dryer sheets, hand soap, and shampoo now for the past 10 years.

It messed up my immune system..

Buemaker · « **Reply #17 on:** November 27, 2018, 04:27:16 PM »

Roy, that sounds really bad, I better be carefull. I took a small dose of the stuff yesterday and feel no ill effects.
The wood dust thing can come creeping up on you, I have worked Yew wood for nearly 30 years and for the first half felt nothing, but now get a headache if exposed to Yew dust. I try to sand it outdoors.

Roy from Pa · « **Reply #18 on:** November 27, 2018, 04:46:39 PM »

Yupper, Bue.

Protection is the best defense.

Black walnut gave me a bad bronchial tube infection 2 weeks ago.

Just got me a new respirator last week.

Yew bugs me just a little, but even a heavy dose of Osage dust causes my hands to get dry and crack now.

I wash my hands after every sanding sequence now on Osage.

Seems to be helping.

Heck I darn sure don't wanna start making them glass bows.

LOL

Pat B · « **Reply #19 on:** November 27, 2018, 05:34:50 PM »

I know a few folks that can't be near ipe for the same reason as Roy.
Ipe and boo or hickory backing makes an excellent bow.

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Author Topic: IPE (Read 2844 times)

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