GOT SOME IPE -- Got a Few Questions for those with Experience - Please??

[barebo]

MAN.......is this wood ever Dense and Heavy !!! I hope that of the 3 available at the mill, I picked a winner. (Expensive also).
What I'd like to ask is this: How would you rip a 1x6" (actual 3/4x5-1/2") If I were to use 1-3/4" - I could get 3 pieces. Is this overkill
for width If I were to use 1-1/4", I could get 4. Is 1-1/4" wide enough to make backed bows in 68-70" NTN Would I lose stability laterally?? I know that there was just a thread on narrow IPE, but I'm looking for suggestions on how to cut this pricey board.

[stringstretcher]

If you can, I would get some pictures and contact knightd here on PA.  He is the master when it comes to working with IPE and glue ups.

[Marc St Louis]

1 1/4" is plenty with IPE

[medicinewheel]

1,25 inch is plenty of width for ipé! Actually 1 inch is good enough...

[Jesse]

1 1/4" is plenty with IPE

1,25 inch is plenty of width for ipé! Actually 1 inch is good enough...

What they said. I would cut it into 4 bows

[bryan irwin]

1.25 is good i built a 66' 1.25 ipe boo backed 58#@28 no problems and yes talk to david.

[Justin Snyder]

1 1/4" is plenty with IPE

What Marc said.  1 1/4" is the right width to cut Ipe. You can build narrower, but if you cut them at 1 1/4" you will be able to make other bow styles with the other pieces.  At 68" to 70" and 1 1/4" you could make 100#.

[bcbull]

1.1/4 plenty  easey to overlkll ipe   brock

[jthompson1995]

If you're going to glue it up to a backing, you may try resawing, preferably on a bandsaw with narrow kerf blade, each 1 1/4" piece to get two 3/8" +/- pieces and possibly get 8 bows from that piece of wood. 3/8" of ipe with an 1/8" backing should be plenty to get a decent weight bow

[Grunt]

When you saw it let the sawed pieces sit around inside a heated space for at least a week- ten days. My experience with Ipe is that lumberyard dimensional Ipe is air dry not kiln dried.

[Justin Snyder]

If you're going to glue it up to a backing, you may try resawing, preferably on a bandsaw with narrow kerf blade, each 1 1/4" piece to get two 3/8" +/- pieces and possibly get 8 bows from that piece of wood. 3/8" of ipe with an 1/8" backing should be plenty to get a decent weight bow

I like enough to have the handle area at least double the limb thickness just for safety sake. I used to try splitting all of my boards to near finished dimensions. I quit because I wasting too much wood. Yes you read right. Whenever you get greedy you wind up ruining wood and getting nothing. At least that is my experience.

[barebo]

O.K.......heres what I've got - the board was one of 3 that came from an upstate NY hardwood specialty shop. They have everything for the professional woodworker. The owner calls it a "candy store for woodworkers"!!! He demonstrated some carborundum sandpaper - 400 grit. This cut 100 times faster - cleaner - and smoother than any 100 grit you'll ever find. He also has amazing finishes, and tools. But............OH MAN !!!!! The WOOD....!!!!! I saw  Wenge board that was - no lie - 13-14" wide by an honest 2-1/2" thick and 12' long!!! Saw similar Canarywood - Padouk - Purple Heart -- etc, etc, etc.
He took me on a tour of the mill and shop. They saw all of their wood to various dimensions, and kiln dry it to 6% mc. There are so many varieties of ribbon and curly and birdseye. He has 4x4 solid clear Ash for turning ball bats !! He said that a lot of Luthiers (guitar
builders) use him exclusively. I wish I had a couple of hundred bucks to drop there - it'd take about 3 minutes!!!
Anyhow, I agree with Justin. This 6' board will be cut into 4 pieces that are 1.25". The other 4' piece (had to buy a 10' piece) will be cut the same giving me 4 pieces that are 4' long that I can splice. The ends can be used for tips and handle pieces. Thanks very much to everyone for the input. Much appreciated.                                                                                                                My first attempt is going to be backing the IPE with a stave of White Ash back/crown. Not a flat sawn backing. I'm slicing the belly off from a beautiful stave about 3/8" and will run it on the jointer to get a nice flat glue surface.
I want to leave the unviolated back intact,and in it's natural form as it has a pretty flat crown, and I've never seen it tried.

[PatM]

Marc does that with Ash backing. The Yew R/D bow he posted on here is built like that.  I've got a couple like that too. Ash  on Bulletwood.

[Rich Saffold]

A board like that shouldn't cost more than 25 dollars.. Do you have a real good bandsaw or table saw to cut this wood? And very sharp blades...

Remember 1.25 can easily get you a 100# bow if you wish If you paid a lot for that board I'd be making the first cut at an inch and leave the rest until have learned a little first hand experience with this wood as its very different from all N. American woods..

And the dust can really mess you up...

1" wide can easily make a 75# self or backed bow with no stability issues..

[barebo]

Rich , I think that is good advice. I know that I need to invest in some good quality masks, no doubt. I have a decent bandsaw that has a  new 3/4 hp motor that I just put on . I'll cut the shorter length board first to get a "feel" for it. If it doesn't cut well for me , I can take it to the carpenter's shop at work and cut it on an industrial grade table saw with accuracy.
Pat M -- it's good to know that I'm not attempting something that hasn't been proven !!! I'll do some searches and get a clue of what's been done here before. Never heard of "Bulletwood" Sounds nasty.... how does it perform for you I'm really enjoying the wealth of ideas and great craftsmanship that everyone offers here. Thanks much !!