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Babytoolman
8th September 2004, 12:26 PM
Hi Guys,
I bought a Purple Heart blank. I was wondering if anyone has used this wood before. What does it finish like? It looks to be a very hard wood.
I was thinking of making a lidded box using the Purple Heart as the box and a huon pine blank for the lid. Do you think this would be a good combo

Roger

PAH1
8th September 2004, 12:54 PM
Purple heart can be real special, despite it's density it turns pretty well and takes a very fine finish. Contrasts are up to you really. I would not do it as purple heart is such an eye catcher all by itself, as is huon really. That old adage about sharp tools is the case for this timber.

John Saxton
8th September 2004, 05:06 PM
Made some pen sets with purple heart a few years back as gifts for special birthdays came up a treat with Neils Shellawax .
Still remarked on by those folk about the timber and the finish.

Cheers :)

Ozartisan
8th September 2004, 10:43 PM
Hi Babytoolman
This purple heart bowl is about the 4th bowl I turned, yet I was able to get a pretty good finish.
Sharp tools are a must. The finish is Shellawax. Only bought the blank because my wife LOVES purple - wanted to do something a bit different with it. Have another piece waiting to be turned into a lidded box.
Here are a couple of pics of the finished product.
Happy Turnin'
;)

Babytoolman
9th September 2004, 02:17 PM
Hi Happy,
mate that is sensational. The bowl looks great. I will take a photo of mine tonight and i will post it. I used EEE and shellawax as my finish and it looks good.

river rat
9th September 2004, 08:20 PM
Babytoolman,
I have turned several things out of purpleheart or amerant since it is fairly common hear in the us. It comes from south america, very hard , very dense ,heavy, seems to dull tools quickly, dulls sand paper even quicker, after you turn it it will be brown but will turn purple upon exsposure to sunlight, after you get it as purple as you want keep it out of sunlight to slow down it turning back brown do not use any finish that has alchol in it as the alchol will turn it brown. I turned 1 12 inch bowl for my wife who loves the color purple and over 100 pens and pencils for the aneranth socity to be sold and the profits going to carity. There are a lot better woods for turning in my opion, cocabola, eastern ceder, pudak etc.

River Rat