Just a question for those in the know,
I have a funny feeling that the bed I’m building has a flaw, I’m making the legs out of ipe (veeeerrry hard wood from southern Mexico) and I wanted to make all the rails out of spanish cedar 2X stock. The spanish cedar, while very beautiful, isn’t as rigid as I would like for a bed rails. Does anybody else think that the spanish cedar and the ipe may not mix that well for this project, I’m starting to lean toward maple rails because there’s a lot less flex in the wood.
I could still use the spanish cedar I bought for the details on the head and footboards. If your wondering what kind of wood ipe is you can see a picture of it in the last tools and shops issue FWW. Somebody asked about using it for a benchtop and it looks just like the wood I have.
By the way, the bed’s a california king.
Brian
Replies
Brian,
Obviously the rigidity of the rails depends a lot on the width. You said "2X" , so I would have to ask 2X what? But anyway, go with your instinct on this. If the cedar seems too flexible it probably is. Why not all in ipe anyway? I've seen a lot of decks from ipe, but did not come across someone making furniture from it. Very hard stuff...
DR
Ring,
You've seen decks made of this stuff?!?!?
Where and is this wood expensive in th USA??
That statement makes me wonder if this wood is usefull for outdoor furniture, or maybe the wood I'm using is different from what you're thinking of.
Brian
Brian,
Yes I've seen many decks made of it, but I'm in Israel not the USA. There are only 2 options for quality decking here - Western Red Cedar or Ipe. Both pretty expensive - the price of planed 1" ipe for decking is about $3.50 a bd.ft. It's imported from somewhere in South America, I don't know exactly.
DR
but I'm in Israel ..Pine should do it never rains there!
Will,
It would do from April till November, but in winter it rains plenty. Truth be told, the real problem for wood outdoors here is the sun...it's really something.
DR
I was there some time ago.. I forget..
Was fixin' a machine in some place.. I never knew where! LOL..I saw more oranges en' Flordia USA!Sure glad some there spoke English.. I was treated pretty nice for a Gentile AND a Yank... Ya folks were great!EDIT:: I was ther on some BIG holiday.. I coulden't eat that day! LOL.. But Wine was OK so i just had a few bottles of that... REALLY!
Edited 8/14/2005 12:45 pm ET by WillGeorge
Ring,
Wow, that's interesting, any idea how much the western red cedar is worth a board foot?? I know that back home in Canada they seperate all the grades of cedar for export to different parts of the world. The nicest grade of course being "J" grade (Japan). I have a friend that works in a mill in northern BC, she's the one in charge of grading lumber, they're so picky about the J grade stuff that often because of insignificant dimensional differences or cosmetic blemishes in this wood, it's tossed onto the scrap pile at the mill. She once got a whole pick-up load for me for free, just had to go and get it (built a lot of patio furniture that year). Of course all the people who worked at the mill and had their homes nearby also had beautiful cedar homes built with "scrap".
Is it your summer there right now?
Take Care,
Brian
brianmexico
I haven't seen a completed deck, but Ipe pretty widely available here in midwest USA. I see it cut in planks for decks, about $11/BF, sometimes less.
I know hee in the great northwest where it rains 9 months a year, Ipe is used for decking and some make outdoor furniture from it. But for furniture, western red cedar is used more often as it is more readily available and less expensive.1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
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