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

[dragonman]

Hi Barebow, I've got some experience with ipe, and I pretty much agree with all the above, I 've experimented with different widths and I concluded 1 3/16" was best but I also made wider and flatter and that was good too, better for  if you recurve the limbs because they are more stable, 1 3/8" is plenty for this, but like Rich said dont cut it all at once, cut one stave and see how it goes. Use a high angle plane  if you are going to plane it, or put a high angled new edge on the blade you  got  otherwise planning can be difficult.
also I dont think ash is strong enough to compress the ipe and isnt suitable for a backing you need something stronger

[Marc St Louis]

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..

I would go the other way.  Cut 1 1/4" and see how that works then go narrower if you feel you can.  As Rich says, 1 1/4" wide can make a 100+# bow but it will also make a 60# bow easily enough. 

Remember that even though your cut is 1 1/4" wide, by the time you have smoothed the edges down you will have less than 1 1/4" and it's best to be a bit safe in width for starters.