Turning Purpleheart

[BobD]

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

[SharonW0111]

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

[bearfretworks]

Sharp tools, ride the bevel and you'll be fine Bob! A little harder than some woods, softer than others.

[lucky788scroller]

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

[William Young (SE BC)]

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.

[BobD]

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

[bearfretworks]

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!

[BobD]

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!

Bob

[SharonW0111]

Don't feel bad Bob- we learn from our mistakes



some times it just takes us a little longer when we make the same mistake over and over again

Sharon

[BobD]

Another mistake was waiting until today to turn it <GRIN>

Thats a mistake I make over and over and over <GRIN>

Bob

[workin for wood]

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.

[BobD]

I've got some new power carving bits to review too...so...

and a good dust collector!

Bob

[William Young (SE BC)]

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.

[William Young (SE BC)]

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.