Gluing Ipe?

[Matthew N. Masail]

I read that this is impossible, but I've seen apparently successful planes made with it as a sole, so what should be used? epoxy, polyurethane glue?
I must say the teak I have glues very well with Elmers yellow glue. I do plane it fresh just prior to glue up.

[Maurice Ungaro]

I think you will have better luck if you use some type of solvent on the gluing surfaces prior to glue up. This pulls the oils from the joint area, and provides the glue a better pathway into the cell structure.

[Dave Beauchesne]

I think you will have better luck if you use some type of solvent on the gluing surfaces prior to glue up. This pulls the oils from the joint area, and provides the glue a better pathway into the cell structure.

What Maurice said - - - - -

Dave Beauchesne

[russell lusthaus]

I glue ipe often as I user it for the bellies of bows where I am gluing it to bamboo or hickory backings. When I am not rushed, I clean the glue surfaces with DNA, but as often as not, I don't clean it at all. Some say that wiping it down brings more oils to the surface - I just don't know.

I find that you must score the joint - - I use a toothing plane- but a hack saw blade scraped across the glue surface will work - and I do this to both sides of the joint. Lastly, the glue I use is URAC-185 - a two part epoxy type mix - liquid and powder portions, mixed 2 to 1.


Russ

[Terry Beadle]

Steve Knight has a great deal of experience with ipe. You might PM him. I think he used epoxy but it's been so long since he posted about it I'm not sure. I've used lignum vie-tea on some krenov style planes I've built. I fresh planed the surfaces and then gave them a good rub down with Acetone. After several years use, I've had not problems. I did do a lignum v sole with Tight Bond II and after 2 yrs or so, it started to separate. I took the sole off, fresh planed, acetone rub down, and re-glued with Tite Bond II again. Two more years down the road it the sole is showing no signs of separation.

Bottom line, get a fresh planed surface, card scrape it dead flat, acetone rub down, glue of choice, and you're good to go.
YMMV but I doubt it.

[Tony Shea]

I've done lots of gluing of IPE and have never used anything but Titebond III. My latest experience was gluing the sole of a plane I just made to a maple body. I ALWAYS rub the freshly planed area with acetone just before glue up. Just as the acetone dries off of the surface is when I apply the glue. You'll be surprised at the amount of stuff (oils, wood fibers, etc) that will come off onto the rag soaked with acetone.

In 4 years or so I have never had a glue joint in IPE fail. Just take your time and use the proper precautions. I don't think epoxy is necessary.

[Chris Fournier]

I have never wiped Ipe down with any sort of solvent prior to gluing and I've used PVAs, PUs and epoxies with success. Good joinery is critical because this wood is not going to be persuaded to close in on a poorly fitted joint with clamp pressure.

[John Coloccia]

I remember reading some studies where wiping down with solvent actually made for a weaker joint. For thing like this, cocobolo, etc, I've lately done nothing except freshly plain/scrape or sand the surface and glue. Most any glue seems to work.

[Chris Fournier]

I agree completely with John's comments. Instrument builders face plenty of oily, resinous and gummy woods and fresh mating surfaces has always been the modus operandi. Solvents will end up thinning oils present and dispersing them all over the place as well as removing a quantity, and as has been proven, causing migration of oils into the freshly wiped surfaces.

Worried about this problem in your shop? Do a test joint with the proposed wood species and adhesive!

[Tom Vanzant]

I built a small box for my son 25 years ago using Ipe. The joinery was edge-to-edge or simple rabbets... I used 5-minute epoxy without any solvent wiping of the joints. The box is still sound today.

[Jim Matthews]

I built my outdoor garden bench with IPE as one of the main materials.

I used Titebond III. It's been outside, in all weather for more than a few months.
There are no open joints, to date. No special preparation other than planing both sides clean.