Adhesives

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

interior use of ipe for gluing

2/20/13       
Steve Member

Website: http://divinedoorsandtrim.com

We are being asked to provide ipe for the use of interior staircase. We will need to be using bending rail and be glued in the field. I have read alot about exterior use and it seems the Titebond III is the best product but has anyone used it for this type of application or am I just looking for trouble?

2/21/13       #2: interior use of ipe for gluing ...
David R Sochar Member

Website: http://www.acornwoodworks.com

In my experience, I can say a few things:

Ipe is not a good interior wood. It is a very good exterior wood. People (owners, some designers) seem to think that since it is good as an exterior product, then it should be good as an interior product. It also is not attractive, no matter what you do to it.

Ipe is several different species marketed together as Ipe. Some species appear to glue better than others. Some will not glue, no matter what. I know of a large commercial job in Ipe that failed so miserably, the fabricator closed their doors and walked away from it. 10 years later, and everyone in town has tried to patch it up, and it still looks terrible. Every glue joint failed, even though they used a customized epoxy to bond it all.

TBIII may or may not glue the Ipe, but it certainly does creep. A lot. I have seen a 12' flat radius rail made of 1/8" plies change to a 18' radius in 48 hours. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it. I thought the carpenter that complained was delusional. He was not. As a result, TBIII is never used for bent laminations around here anymore.

2/22/13       #3: interior use of ipe for gluing ...
Jim Baldwin  Member

Website: http://www.handrailer.com

I agree with every word that David has said.

Here's the deal as I see it...
Because it's so hard, ipe (ironwood?) is being used to good purpose for floors and decking (no glue-laminating here). Now that it's become popular for that, idiot architects and interior designers are specifying it for just about everything else ("so that everything will match"). We've all seen this before...

Anyway your question was regarding glue and bending rail. T3 is never a good choice for bending and laminating since it remains "flexible by design". The original T1 would be better and plastic resin would be much better (you're looking for glue that dries or crystallizes absolutely hard).

Of course hard glue will not stay stuck when unstable wood decides to move. That's why I suppose, some have suggested the use of T3. (You are as they say, "between a rock and a hard place".)

I've made several curved stair rails from ipe but not bent-laminated. (This would be the last thing I'd want to try). Ipe is very hard and brittle and the glue lines will be clearly visible.

The use of ipe for interior finish woodwork or furniture is a misuse and mistake. I would try tactfully explaining this.

3/28/13       #4: interior use of ipe for gluing ...
Gene Wengert-WoodDoc

Excellent advise so far.

I would add that ipe seems to have some natural oil that makes it difficult to bond, along with the high density. In fact, the high density means that it will be very unforgiving if things (like flatness) are not perfect, plus the previous machining may have heated the surface (common with dense wood) enough to have dropped the ability for the surface to "wet" and glue well. (The hot knives burnished the surface.)

5/19/13       #5: interior use of ipe for gluing ...
Chaim Gottesman

I too have had my failures with Ipe.
I try my best to stay away from the stuff and especially if the situation calls for gluing it!
Chaim

5/19/13       #6: interior use of ipe for gluing ...
Gene Wengert-WoodDoc

ooops....I meant advice

12/20/13       #7: interior use of ipe for gluing ...
Alan Member

Website: http://www.ajbrothers.org

We have had good results by wiping the two edges that are being glued togather with denatured alcohol then glueing.

It's pulles the oiles and let's the glue do its work.


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
  • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!

    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)