IPE reliability glued using G-2 or G-5?

I have read that IPE can be glued using either G-2 or G-5 epoxies with some prep, like sanding and wiping surfaces with solvent to be glued within minutes of gluing.

Letting solvent evaporate before applying epoxy of course.

What is the reality of gluing, yes I know epoxy is an adhesive not glue, but easier to say glue. ;-)

Can IPE joints be truly trusted not to fail, or is there going to be a possible concern eventually?

Thinking about putting 3 - 1” layers on laminated keel with bronze screws and epoxy filling above screw heads and the keel & lower hull will get several layers of glass.

Wondering if it could be creating potential problem in future.

Cheers, Allen

 

Aloha. If you guys are getting the same Ipe we are getting here on Kauai, I wouldn’t trust a good bond due to the amount of oil in the wood

I have had better luck with Tiger which is a bit lighter, less expensive, better looking IMO, and holds up pretty well.

I made my motor mounts and cavitation plates for my solar electric cat out of Ipe since I had it and they are submerged below the water line, and they have held up well but are very heavy. They also require a scuffing with steel wool every few season and an application of teak oil.

When I built the slide out bed bunks for my Trimaran I used Tiger for the face board and glued it to a sheet of melamine sheeted cabinet grade ply and got a strong bond.

 

Aloha! Nice to hear from someone from the Islands!

I will check out your boats here on forum.

At moment building a Gary Dierking designed Ulua Nui, 28’ double hull sailing canoe in strip plank.

Mold is made need to check mold stations fairing and start planking her.
Have strips cut & planed to size, most are scarfed & glued full length
and ready to get planking.

This question is for what plan on building when Ulua Nui if floated.
Which should be fairly soon.

Can you tell be bit more about Tiger wood, not familiar with it?

Will look up info about it.
Edit: Is Goncalo Alves the wood you’re referring to? I see it called Tigerwood.

I didn’t realize that Goncalo Alves was available for lumber, thought it was extremely expensive and used for smallish things.
But found it online, not bad price, I mean for what it is. Very interesting wood option.




Cheers, Allen

 

I don’t know a lot about it other than it was suggested as a substitute by our local exotic hardwood distributor one time when they were out of Ipe, and ever since I have chosen it instead, although I haven’t had any projects that needed wood below the waterline, so I don’t know how it compares in that respect. It’s usually a dollar or so less a board foot.

I only know it is easier to work with and less dense with a lot less oil, and that I haven’t had any issues with glue sticking to it.

Ipe on the other hand likes to spit stain and finish out, and has to be weather stripped before it will take a finish, and the oil in it is so significant, I would be worried about getting a good glue bond. I’ve only mechanically bonded it by through bolting.

The center console of my solar electric cat is made of Ipe, and cutting the 4” or so cup holder holes with a hole saw resulted in a nasty off gas of fumes from the oil and friction of the saw. The amount of oil in it is why it is so popular for decking around here.

Anyway I’m no expert, just some of my experience with what we are getting here in Hawaii. Would assume your source is getting the same.

I would definitely talk to some local wood workers and/or canoe builders and see what they say.

Here are some photos of latest Tigerwood project. The bunk bed boards are made from it. You can get a sense of it’s look/color in contras to the other wood tones. It a very pretty wood that gets darker over time whereas Ipe gets gray and kind of ugly once the outer layer of oil strips out. I would think Tiger could be successfully sealed with a urethane although I have not tried it myself.

 

That looks sharp! The below the water line Tigerwood will have several layers of glass & epoxy laminated over it.
So won’t be problem for that.

Don’t need the hardness of IPE and that Tigerwood will be bit nicer to cut and work with than IPE.
Nice that it just darkens vs going gray is good.

It would be nice to use for hatch frames, rub rails and such.

How does Tigerwood do with regular oiling?

Your electric cat looks nice!