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IPE
Tabebuia spp.
my samples:
small plank --- color is pretty accurate, but there is some green that you just can't see in this shot so I've taken a side grain pic that shows it very nicely (directly below). The first enlargement gets rid of the interference pattern that makes the grain look different in this pic than it is in the wood
edge grain shot of the same plank, but in this view you can see the green and yellow colors
face grain closeup and the same view with the piece mositened with water
end grain closeup of the same piece
plank and end grain
end grain closeup of the piece directly above
plank and end grain
plank donated by Jim Glynn --- thanks Jim (NOTE: there is just a touch too much red in this pic)
a pair of planks and a closeup of same --- the detailed pics of the small plank at the top of this page are from a piece cut from one of these
small piece cut from the plank directly above --- I'm trying here to show the fine red, green, and yellow striations in the wood but I have over corrected the color and the yellow is too pronounced and the green isn't showing up at all. I've left the pic in because at least it does show the interlocked grain very nicely even if not the color. I've redone this page and there is now a set of pics at the very top of the page that show the colors much better (not the same plank but cut from the same larger piece)
The following three ipe sample were generously donated by Charlie Plesums, who also sent along a nice little bowl turned from that is shown at the bottom of this page. Thanks Charlie.
Charlie's pic of the planks
These samples, by the way, do not exhibit any of the red and green that you sometimes see in ipe (see my own samples above) but Charlie tells me that they DO produce a fine green dust that turns red with moisture.
fine sanded (left) and rough sanded faces of a small plank --- the color difference is correctly shown and the mottle figure that shows up clearly in the rough sanded side is also present in the fine sanded side, it just doesn't show up well in the face shot. If the piece is viewed at an angle, you can see it clearly, although not as clearly as in the rough sanded side.
end grain of both ends of the same plank
end grain closeups of the same plank --- the darker color is correct
fine sanded (left) and rough sanded faces shots of a small plank --- the color of the fine sanded side is a just a little darker than the actual wood --- the end grain shots directly below show the color better, and as you can see, there IS a difference. The fine sanding, as it so frequently does, enhances the color of the wood compared to a rough surface.
end grain of both ends of the same plank
end grain closeups of the same plank --- the darker color is correct
fine sanded (left) and rough sanded faces of a small plank. The grain on the fine sanded face in particular shows up much more clearly in the first enlargement. This piece is a marvelous example of the interlocked grain that often occurs in ipe. The color difference is correct and is because fine-sanded surfaces frequently show color much better than rough surfaces.
end grain of both ends of the same plank
end grain closeups of the plank directly above --- the darker color is correct
quartersawn plank
flooring sample that has been finished with a hard, shiny finishing agent that has slightly enriched and deepened the color. This piece has been sanded down and is shown raw directly below
flooring sample and end grain
end grain closeup of the flooring sample directly above
flooring sample and end grain
end grain closeup of the flooring sample directly above
NOT A NATURAL WOOD COLOR
flooring sample that has been finished with a hard, clear finishing agent that has darkened and enriched the color. The finish was sanded off and the results are shown directly below.
flooring sample and end grain
end grain closeup of the flooring sample directly above
flooring sample and end grain --- this is quartersawn
end grain closeup of the piece directly above
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flooring sample and end grain --- this piece was sold as lapacho (flooring trade name "Patagonian walnut") and given the botanical name Tabebuia heptaphylla which is one of the species sold as ipe. The face grain of this piece has an obviously smoother surface, that is it is less grainy, than most of the ipe I am familiar with and this is born out by the end grain closeup which shows a structure that is identical to the other end grain closeups of various ipe samples above, but with the pores closer together.
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end grain closeup of the piece directly above
veneer with very accurate color --- I have no idea why the color is so much blacker than what I have experienced in the lumber, and I have asked the vendor from whom I purchased these pieces but have gotten no reply, just a statement that he's confident that it IS ipe. I do note that one of the veneer web pics below looks just like these sheets except that it has a slight blueish cast.
veneer with accurately depicted very dark green color. Like the sheets above this, it is much darker than I am accustomed to seeing in the lumber and I don't know why.
web pics
planks
plank that has been moistened for the pic
pen blanks, mositened for the pic, which was provided by Dave Cumming, whom I thank.
veneer
much darker than normal veneer but looks pretty much like some of my veneer samples above
web pic of one of the lots that my own samples (see above) were taken from
figured veneer
ipe flooring sold under the trade name "lapacho"
one of these two vendors (possibly both) could be confused
plank from a vendor who stated that ipe is similar to ebony in dark color
turning sticks from a vendor who said these sticks were the darkest ipe he had ever seen
a burl
both sides of a 3-inch diameter bowl turned and donated by Charlie Plesums, who also donated several of the ipe samples shown at the top of the page. The small white flakes that show up particularly in the right-side-up view are dust from the styrofoam packing that Charlie used. I didn't even notice their presence until I looked at the enlargements.