Turning Ipe

RPE asked: Does anyone have any experience turning ipe?

Jim King: There are at least two colors of ipe, here we call it Tahuari. There is a dark golden color and a black. Here we use the black and I am attaching a photo. It is the hardest wood we have and takes a finish like a mirror but have your grinder close.

Carole in VA: I have not finish turned any of it, but I have turned some of it for jam chucks. Wear a respirator! And as Jim say, have your grinder ready to go. I think that stuff must have a lot of silica or something in it because it eats the edge on a gouge pretty quick. Looks like it would finish up like mahogany or teak.