IPE picnic tables

[John Christiansen]

Well I got to build some more IPE picnic tables this year.

If you would like to see the construction progress click <a href="http://www.jcshop.netfirms.com/tables2.htm">here</a>

Putting this page together and getting it on the site was my weekend accomplishment. It's almost as much fun as shop time. emphasis on "almost".

<img src="http://www.jcshop.netfirms.com/1fin.JPG">

The post came out right when I previewed it, but if it doesn't have the pic or link when I post it, just go to my www button and then look at picnic tables part 2

[Von Bickley]

John,

Knowing how heavy ipe is, it might be a good idea to build these tables in place. Thanks for sharing your work with us.

[Lee Schierer]

THat table looks nice. Is that the natural finish or did you coat it with something? How many people does it take to move onee? Ipe can be pretty heavy.

[John Christiansen]

Lee,

There is no stain or colorant on them other than Flood brand UV protectant, by this time next year the protectant will be gone from the tops and they will start to show a mellowing to grey. I am considering spraying last years tables again, just to see if it helps bring back some of the brown tone, But one of the nice things about IPE is the lack of annual maintenance necessary to keep the wood in good shape.

Four of us can pick one up and carry it, but not very far before someone cries "Uncle". I moved them into place with a fork lift, and set them on concrete so we wouldn't have to deal with them when we mow. I think my 500Lb estimate may be on the light side.

J.C.

[Lee Schierer]

LOML wants to redo our deck surfaces this year. I am considering Ipe, she wants the composite decking they make from recycled plastic and wood sawdust. How is the Ipe to cut. Did it dull your blades? Did you do any planing or jointing? Did you use screws or nails for fasteners and did you pre-drill the holes?

Finally, did you get your Ipe from a local supplier or order it from somewhere? What was the cost per foot or board foot?

[Mark Hulette]

JC- Very entertaining website. Really enjoyed seeing all your projects! Your trailer rebuild was really nice. I'd be interested to see it when you get the outside where you like it.

You're right about there's something about pictures of a project taken in the shop vs where they will reside in the house! Those end tables look really nice!

A very informative site! Nice work.

[John Christiansen]

Originally posted by Lee Schierer
LOML wants to redo our deck surfaces this year. I am considering Ipe, she wants the composite decking they make from recycled plastic and wood sawdust. How is the Ipe to cut. Did it dull your blades? Did you do any planing or jointing? Did you use screws or nails for fasteners and did you pre-drill the holes?

Finally, did you get your Ipe from a local supplier or order it from somewhere? What was the cost per foot or board foot?

Lee,

Cutting IPE is great, All these tables and the eleven others that I show on my site were cut with the same blade and it is showing no sign of dulling. Of course a few cuts were made with other blades, like the cuts I show with the circular saw and some small amounts of ripping that had to be done to make cleats, but 90% of the work was done on our DeWalt CMS.

There was no machining necesary, other than to run a roundover bit around the tops of the tables and seats, and that was only done to ease the edges of the crosscuts.

My material all came nominal 2 X 4 and 2 X 6 S4S. Surfaces were so smooth it was almost like they had been polished.

I think the price works out around $5.00/BdFt I can't tell you for sure, but the material for the four octogon tables, minus one extra 2X6 - 14' came to about $2,500.00. We have a nice wood supplier in south central Mi. called Johnsons Workbench, that supplies exotic and hard to find lumber.

You will have to pre-drill and use screws.

If it wasn't for the expense, :mad: I'd have an IPE deck too!!:)

[John Christiansen]

Originally posted by Mark Hulette
JC- Very entertaining website. Really enjoyed seeing all your projects! Your trailer rebuild was really nice. I'd be interested to see it when you get the outside where you like it.

You're right about there's something about pictures of a project taken in the shop vs where they will reside in the house! Those end tables look really nice!

A very informative site! Nice work.

Thanks for the compliments Mark.

I've thought about it all winter and have looked at some other campers like mine that were painted, and, well I think I'm going to leave it bare. But I will be replacing those rust dripping screws with some stainless, sometime this summer.

J.C.