# Planing Ipe 411???



## rkwjunior (Apr 14, 2010)

Hello, newbie here, I'm looking to plane about 60 lineal ft of 5/4 Ipe to 3/4. Can this be done on a bench top planer, say like, the Dewalt or some of the other popular bench tops? A local mill wants to charge me about 200 bucks to do this. A friend of mine has a Dewalt, not sure which model, but would i be taking a chance on ruining the planer motor or anything else? i don't mind buying some new knives for him when i'm done.

thanx


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

rkwjunior said:


> Hello, newbie here, I'm looking to plane about 60 lineal ft of 5/4 Ipe to 3/4. Can this be done on a bench top planer, say like, the Dewalt or some of the other popular bench tops? A local mill wants to charge me about 200 bucks to do this. A friend of mine has a Dewalt, not sure which model, but would i be taking a chance on ruining the planer motor or anything else? i don't mind buying some new knives for him when i'm done.
> 
> thanx


i have been doing wood for about 50 yrs I haven't plane this but i did a google search is this for floring or deck ? if so I would say yes maybe a set of knives or sharping at the end As far as dammage to motor nothing will happen


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## rkwjunior (Apr 14, 2010)

It's old decking that has some face checking, so i want to get it down smooth to make some v groove bulkead doors. The mill i brought it to said he wouldn't plane it until he was ready to change out his blades, i guess he just got them sharpened. I don't want to invest much money into this, but i thought it would be good to use up the wood..... shame to toss it out.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I have planed and jointed ipe. Take your time, take small cuts and you'll be fine. It may dull your blades faster, but that's any exotic hardwood with comparable density.


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## gregL (Feb 1, 2009)

Before I bought my 15" grizzly planer I had a Dewalt 735. I tried planing ipe, cumaru and some teak and it was a apin in the arse. The ipe and cumaru were were by far the biggest problem because of the extreme hardness and wavy interlocking grain that caused a lot of tearout. Even when trying to take off a paper thin cut the planer rollers would jam and new blades were on my planer. I finally was able to complete the planing with much frustration...that it finally was thedetermining factor in buying the big planer. The teak was a bit easier to plane but did dull the blades just as fast.
The grizzly planer has spiral carbide cutters and planes these woods like a knife going through butter.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

In my area 5/4 is usually 1-1/8", so you're going to plane away 3/8"? I'd suggest resawing 5/16 and planing the last 1/16.
Much less waste and you get a 5/16 sheet left over for other projects


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## Apex Predator (Jun 25, 2008)

Be sure to wear a good respirator! That stuff will hurt you!


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## ~WoodChuck~ (Jan 17, 2009)

get some headphones and let it fly. It will cut and it will dull your knives. Be prepared to sharpen those suckers. It wont take ling to dull those either, just a few passes, but it will plane though.


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

I'll second wearing a respirator. You do not want to breathing that stuff for any prolonged amount of time, and keep it off your skin if your pores are open from sweating. Nasty stuff.


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## WoodRic (Jun 17, 2009)

I'd second the suggestion to re-saw first, then finish plane to get the final dimension. It will save you a lot of frustration, and you'll get a sheet of veneer as a bonus.

FYI: The "sawdust" from cutting Ipe is TOXIC. It doesn't produce "sawdust" in the traditional sense, it produces a fine "powder" and the stuff is toxic. Don't just wear a particle mask, wear a respirator!


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