Ipe

[smessick]

I have some small pieces of ipe and a source for more, offal from decking work. It has nice color and pattern and is dense.

Has anybody here used ipe for woodworking projects? If so, please share your thoughts and experiences.

I'm thinking about maybe boxes. I'd like to make a cutting board but my research indicates there is a toxicity factor with ipe.

 

[DaveO]

I have done several things like you mentioned with Ipe. It is a very hard and heavy wood but machines well, with slight splintering. You must pre-drill for any fastener. It sands well, and polishes up nice. I know nothing about any toxicity factor, it would make a great cutting board wood, but I would check if there would be any issues with toxicity. I think in my Album under "boxes" is a tea box I made with Ipe 5/4 deck boards, I re-sawed it and routed my mouldings with no problem.
I say go for it, it will make something nice, and very heavy. Dave

 

[smessick]

The teabox is nice. Would you describe the joinery?

 

[DaveO]

Miter joints at corners, plywood bottom just glue on bottom of the box and hid by moulding. Plexiglass in a rabbet with silicone adhesive. Half bridal joints for the dividers (I think that is what they're called). Thanks for the compliments.
Dave

 

[smessick]

I'm really glad to hear that. I'm getting back into woodworking after a few years of allowing work to interfere and there are some things that I'm having to relearn. Last spring I decided to make a photo keepsake box for my Mom's birthday and I started doing a hand dovetail, which I've done, aborted, played around with the idea of finger joints and finally decided that if I didn't do SOMETHING I could forget the idea. So I did it with rabbet joints.

After that I bought "BoxMaking" from Taunton Press and I'll play around with scrap wood until something comes back to me.

One other question: does something like Titebond work O.K. with ipe?

 

[DaveO]

I have had no problem with regular PVA glues like Titebond. For extra security you might want to make sure that you apply the glue to freshly milled surfaces or wipe down with mineral spirits or acetone. But I have never done either of those techniques intentionally.
Dave