Quote:
Originally Posted by look 171
I don't know where you are getting your Ipe, but all the Ipe I have used over the years was cut with simple carbide saw blades, router blades and the typ. HHS drill bits. Sure, it will chew through the HHS bits faster then most lumber out there, but very manageable. I have been pushing and using Ipe over 20 years ago when I first learn about them at a trade show. This was when people were still using Redwood. When I mention IPe, they all say "Ip what?" They were never $.90 a lin.', even back then. Now that their popularity had grown, the demand is also higher and naturally, pricing goes up. I just price out 5/4, 1x6 at about 2.90 a lin.'. That's my wholesale price.
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Got it at crosscut hardwoods in Seattle. 2002? Price included delivery. 1x4 in 10' and 12'. Other mainstream places at the time were much more expensive. I remember at the time it was a miracle for the money, I remember some places you couldn't get knotted pine for the same price. I also bought a few 2x6 for railings and that stuff was much more expensive. I think $2.50/foot. Maybe they discounted my batch of 1x4 because it was so f'ing hard?
A clean cut is shiny like vinyl with edges like a knife, crazy hard.
As for tool wear, some pieces were just insanely hard, like soft stone. My normal bits were eaten alive. Cobalt bits wore very quickly. I built pallets, screwed from the back with #12 stainless sheet metal screws, lots of taking that poor countersink bit to be resharpened. I experimented with #10 screws but the heads would twist off unless I made the predrilled hole too big.
I'm a woodworking idiot so maybe I did it all wrong.