Your Works In Progress Or Finished Pics

[gueuzeman]

Originally Posted by Paul

I just added the functional bits to make it removable and cleanable and figured out how to hide all the screws

Oh, you mean the important stuff.

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[Steve C]

Originally Posted by Paul

The Ipe is 3/4 wide by 1.5" deep.

So what's Ipe stand for?

[gueuzeman]

IPE- It's pretty expensive.

And I haven't even had a cup of coffee yet.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabebuia

Tabebuia is a neotropical genus of about 100 species[1] in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae.

Well-known common names include Ipê, Poui, trumpet trees and pau d'arco.


Species in this genus are important as timber trees. The wood is used for furniture, decking, and other outdoor uses. It is increasingly popular as a decking material due to its insect resistance and durability. By 2007, FSC-certified ipê wood had become readily available on the market, although certificates are occasionally forged.[3]

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[Steve C]

Thanks, gueuze. Didn't know that.

[gueuzeman]

That it's pretty expensive? Yum, coffee is good.

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[ceramictec]

I had a customer use it in his shower as a curb.
he wanted a rustic type look and had me cut some Brazilian 18x18 floor tile
down rough to make 6x6 tile for the shower floor.

[Houston Remodeler]

The wood is much like teak. Dense and very heavy. It has a redish resin which gets on your hands. It makes a very fine sawdust. Did I mention its heavy? That floor is 4x6' and prolly weighs well over 125 pounds.

[ceramictec]

they were using it for 6-8 year now or longer in other country's.
when I was in Panama & Costa Rica they were using it in various
places like a carport or entry at homes I was looking at.

[mossypath]

Helped build a deck with the stuff for a friend of mine .He bought a whole shipment from a mill and got a fair price on it . It it nice wood .

Thing to think about is whenever you are working with imported woods is to have protection from the dust when sanding or cutting , The imported woods can have spores and molds that you have not grown up with . Something I had never thought about in tell I was buying some purple hart for a job and the shop warned me to work smart .

[pooky]

you think ipe is crazy . . . check this stuff out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocobolo

I had a 4" by 4" by 12" chunk that a lumber broker friend passed along to me--

the thing was literally a block of resin -- the trees are generally almost a thousand years old.

Very dangerous to work with -- the oils and resins are considered carcinogenic.

Finally gave my chunk away to a mandolin maker for inlay --

good move on my part

[grymes56]

Cocobolo is IMO the most naturally beautiful non-burl wood that exists. Alot of people are allergic to the dust and get severe hives/rashes when working with it. Knock on wood (no pun intended) but I have not yet had a reaction to it.

I turn pepper mills on my lathe for fun. Here is one I made from cocobolo - the 3x3x12" block was about $30. It is expensive - but no where near as much as some of the burls like Amboyna, etc...

[mossypath]

Kyle ,,, Nice work !

[matman]

Originally Posted by Tammara

Thing to think about is whenever you are working with imported woods is to have protection from the dust when sanding or cutting , The imported woods can have spores and molds that you have not grown up with . Something I had never thought about in tell I was buying some purple hart for a job and the shop warned me to work smart .

An imported wood story that''ll get your attention.
My wife works at UMASS medical on the school side where all the scientists and researchers work. Well one of the researchers up there wanted something and whatever it was, I believe wifey said it was shipped from S. America in a wood crate. While unpacking the crate it was either the scientist or a lab tech got a sliver from the crate. That was the beginning of an infection.

The infection was treated with antibiotics and couldn't be stopped. Then they operated and started removing flesh, more than once. After the last operation the doctor told the patient, if that doesn't do it , the next time I'm gonna have to take off the arm if you wanna live.

The last operation was enough and the arm was saved but it was almost destroyed in the process. I never found out what it was exactly that was destroying this persons arm but the word was, be careful when working with imported wood. True story

[gueuzeman]

Kyle- WOW!

Matt- great story- the South American flesh-eating virus. Sounds like a cheap horror movie.

(Do your own search for pictures, I did, and I'm not gonna post them)

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[ceramictec]

I did and came up with this.....