Turning Ipe

[kevin nee]

I may have an opportunity to get some 4 inch thick Ipe. I have read that it is very tough on tools. Should I pursue or stay away from Ipe. Thanks in advance, Kevin

[Tim Rinehart]

I'd say give it a go. May be a good candidate for using a heavy duty scraper...wonder if Reed's had any experience with it. Hopefully, he'll chime in. I think using conventional gouges could be troublesome from what I understand about it's turning characteristics. Kinda like turning corian or other solid manmade materials.

[Mike Stephens]

Personally I'd pass. Makes nice floors and decks.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

I've made a couple of pens from it because the wood was free.

it's not really exciting wood - but it is tough.

[David Gilbert]

I've turned some lovely tool handles from Ipe. They are almost indestructible. If I remember correctly, sharp gouges worked fine along with scrapers. It will sand and polish up wonderfully. Be sure to wear a dust mask because it will generate a lot of very fine shavings and dust.

Go for it!

Cheers,
David

[Kyle Iwamoto]

You have a sharpening jig? Give it a try. Don't know if there are varieties of Ipe, but the ones I've turned are a bit aromatic. I think it's quite a nice (pretty) wood to turn. Hard, yes. Heavy too.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Have fun practicing your sharpening shills. Hope you have some D-Way strength tools

[Reed Gray]

I have turned some Ipe, and do love it. The nearest similar wood to it that I can think of is Teak. Hard, oily, and a lot of silica in it. When I bought a board at one local wood supplier, he said, lay it out in the sun and look at it. When I did, it glittered. Lots of silica..... Doesn't sand well, unless you use liquid of some sort like oil or soapy water maybe. If you have to glue it, then you need to hit it with a solvent like acetone first. I have a bench and picnic table out back, for the last 10 years. It has a few cracks, but still rock solid in our rainy northwet winters and dry summers.

robo hippy

[Marc Tuunanen]

I have a 4x4x15 piece which should make an Ideal mallet. I'm turning it in the morning. Should be fun. I'll be using Thompson and Sorby tools.

[Adam Petersen]

I've turned a small platter out of ipe and have some more that I aquired a few years ago. It turns easier than it works for flat work, that's for sure. The color turned out a rich brown with little to no grain visible. The dust is yellowish and quite annoying to me. It's very fine. It sands to a high gloss though. I don't mind the smell, but the overall smell/dust is irritating to me; I always were my best mask when I use the stuff. Also, the splinters really suck from ipe. Other than that, it really does turn nicely in my opinion. Again though, that was a platter, not a bowl and certainly not a HF. Good luck!

[Dietrich Floeter]

I made a gavel years ago in high school for my dad. As I recall, I had to sharpen the tools regularly, and did some of the final shaping weigh a file. The piece never received a finish and it still looks good 38 years later.