Ironwood

Well since we're in Maine and we often stain pine and call it oak, we have Ipe and can call it Ironwood. It just isn't as 'purty' as the stuff mac collects in the desert.

So where abouts in Maine are you Kevin?

Lenny

Actually Iron wood is a local or regional wood. It is the hardest local.

I have some Iron wood from the South Pacific. I know it is different from yours.

In Maine - you likely have a species that is locally known as an iron wood.

Likely the Iron Wood from Arizona is very dense and hard. It is likely nice for small projects - pens and such.

I don't know that wood, but the general term available to localities.

Mart> I got some desert ironwood from friends who spend the winters in Arizona.We

Mostly, be prepared for a mess... It's a wonderful wood once you get it polished, but you're going to cover your lathe with brown or black dust..

Like all turning, sharp tools and light touch are important.. Watch for cracks/fissures and expect it to come apart on you... It might not, but IMO it's better to be ready..

I'm guessing that since it's from AZ, it's not a large heavy piece? The first 2 problems if it's in it's natural state are sand (sometimes impregnated) and stones.. Check it well.. If it's small enough to cut on the bandsaw it will work fine until the blade dulls.. cuts pretty normally.. If you have to use a chainsaw, good luck! D. I. loves to dull chains..

Once you get it on the lathe, turn pretty much like any other wood, being very aware of tools dulling.. Even if you're getting nice shavings, most D.I. will also throw out lots of gritty dust, so us a DC and mask..

The difference comes when you're in the final stages... Scrapers work well but can be touchy, it's the only wood that I take the burr off of my scraper for..

Sanding is sort of backwards... Speed/heat/pressure not only don't hurt it but seem to work best to get a glass-like finish.. It's not going to absorb a finish, so I wouldn't try.. I sand to 400 and buff with the Beall system and the finish is amazing.. (looks like it's sanded to 1,000 or more)

Let me know if I can help!

mac

mac

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Searsport here. Work with a guy that use to live in Milford, know any Quills ? Also went to college with a guy from up that way, Tim Deschane ? He had a twin brother Tom. Ever heard of them?

Lenny

I know Lie-Nielsen uses locally grown hornbeam for their chisels ...

but I'm pretty sure at least what we get for Ipe decking (and it is referred to in the brochure as ironwood) comes from somwhere out of state (and probably not even in the Northeast). Lenny

Scientific Name Ostrya virginiana

Trade Name Ironwood

Common Names Eastern hophornbeam Ironwood

Regions of Distribution North America

Countries of Distribution United States

On IPE - I find 21 results in search. Perhaps Eastern red cedar

Wood Explorer software. Good resource for wood information!

Mart> >

Ipe

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - South America (Brazil)

BOTANICAL NAME - Tabebuia Serratifolia

OTHER NAMES - Pau D'Arco, Ipe Tabaco, Yellow Poui, Bethabara, Pau Lope, Ironwood

Ipe information can be found at:

IMO, a great place to check on wood looks is Hobbit House Inc (no I'm not kidding)

Wow.. I'd forgotten about that.. lol

I made him a few but found out that he wasn't even carving yet, just "getting ready to".. Knowing him well, I know that this translates into "I read about carving in a magazine, I'm now an expert and someday I might get a few tools and try it", so we stopped with a few samples..

Did a couple mini's out of oak branch wood that was laying around.. One out of redwood as a joke.. I was going to try a set out of maple, but realized that he was never gonna USE them, so decided not to waste my diminishing supply of maple..

Thanks for asking!

mac

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As far as I know, "Desert Ironwood" from the Sonoran Desert (Arizona/Mexico/New Mexico) is usually mesquite. Lots of carvings from Mexico are made of it. It's very had, takes a great polish, and I bet it's a bear to turn. Sharpen those tools!

Nope.. 2 very different woods.. Mesquite is a larger tree, pretty straight grain and reddish in color.. Used for ceiling beams in the "old" days in Mexico.. A local company here (N. Baja) specializes in custom mesquite furniture made from old houses..

It also turns a lot easier than ironwood and with less mess..

mac

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Are you sure that was Ironwood? I've seen several mesquite tables, but not ironwood... Mostly because in the Sonora desert, it's illegal to cut a tree down, AFAIK, so most pieces of ironwood have lots of holes and cracks. That makes it really hard to build furniture out of it..

I do mostly "wood art".... vases, bowl-like thingies, free forms, etc.. a few examples are on my main page:

Someday, I'll get the gallery up..

mac

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Thanks... I find that the fun with ironwood is USING the holes and cracks..

Just turned a fairly conventional bowl, but used a huge hole that went through the wood.. The hole going through the bowl are what makes the piece attractive, IMO..

I just threw some quick pictures up for you:

mac

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Thanks you.. flattery will get ya almost anywhere... ;-]

On the ironwood, I sand to 400 or 600 on the lathe, touch up with any hand work (to same grit) and run them through the Beall buffing system..

With most other woods, same as above, but higher grits, depending on the wood..

On soft wood, I wet sand with natural Danish oil on the lathe and then buff when they're cured..

Just read your last line.. I've never had a piece of ironwood with ANY natural oil.. lol

mac

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