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Hey turners...how is purpleheart to turn? I've got a commission to turn a wand (Harry Potter style) from purpleheart for a holiday present, and I've never turned it before...any hints?
Bob-- you can turn it to the left.
You can turn it to the right.
You can even stand it on its end .
Turn it over and then back again .
Snicker- snicker and a few chuckles-
Sorry Bob but I couldn't resist.
Love ya
( and hit me softly with a feather please )
Sharon
Sharp tools, ride the bevel and you'll be fine Bob! A little harder than some woods, softer than others.
"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They're easier to ignore before you see their faces. It's easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes."
Purpleheart is nice to turn.as long as your tools are sharp, and your technique is right, it turns really nice. Once turned and sanded good, it will take a nice finish and be almost mirrorlike. If its not purple enough, put it where Mr. Sun can shine on it for a few hours. Dale
Hi Bob;
Purpleheart is one of my favorites. Only thing that stops me from turning more of it is the price of it. It turns good with sharp tools as mentioned and sands good and takes a great finish. Like Dale said, to renew the color put it in the sun if it turns brown but sometimes it requires days rather than hours to bring it back to its natural purple.
The bottom one here is purpleheart and birdseye maple. Two of my favorite woods in a great combination.
I have an expensive taste when it comes to wood.
Fortunately small turnings like pens take very little wood so many friends send me their cut offs from bigger projects because they don't like to throw nice pieces out .
W.Y.
I guess I'm too heavy handed...I snapped it today when I was nearly finished. It was a clean break, so I wood-glued it back together...I guess I'll be finishing it the rest of the way with my power carving tools...
I guess I'm too heavy handed...I snapped it today when I was nearly finished. It was a clean break, so I wood-glued it back together...I guess I'll be finishing it the rest of the way with my power carving tools...
Bob
Thin stuff is FUN, isn't it!
"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They're easier to ignore before you see their faces. It's easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes."
It was supposed to be a wand like you see in Harry Potter, and at the last minute (after thinning down the wand part) I decided to reshape the handle...my mistake!
I"m surprised to hear purpleheart is expensive...here in michigan it's the cheapest hardwood I can find...pretty comparable to poplar in price..heck i think pine is pricier.
And I'm not surprised you broke it Bob...I wouldn't know about turning it but carving it sucks, it's hard and it's brittle. I've broke many a finger off the bottom of my G4 cutting purpleheart...perhaps I should send them some for their demo team.
Bob;
Sorry to hear it snapped on you. That's a bummer.
You need a steady rest like this for skinny turnings like that. I got mine on sale last year for $29.00 Cdn funds and I see it is on sale for the same price again now.
W.Y.
Jeff.
It seems all the good harwoods are in the east. It just doesn't grow out west here except a few people have planted some hardwood trees on their property over the years which seem to survive but they get right pouty if you take a chain saw to their front lawn where they are growing
I am surrounded by evergreen forests here in the Rocky mountains and the rest is just cottonwood and some poplar and a few birch.
Anything else comes from out east and the price of shipping and several middle men on the way makes it very expensive.
W.Y.
I have both types of saw A tilting table Hawk g426 and an Older Excalibur with a tilting head. Unlike Carole for bevel cuts I prefer the tilting head I do larger projects and it is easier for me.
Regarding compound cuts they are cut at 90 degrees.
If you have a good saw, and can set the table accurately, you should be good to go. Give a holler if you need help. ðŸ˜
Randy, I swapped out the clamps on the Jet for the Pegas clamps as soon as they became available. I found the Jet clamps just too fidgety for my taste.
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