Turning Purple Heart

[smidsy]

I just tried to make some pens with this wood and it seemed possesed.
I had to drill it at low speed or it got way hot on a brand new drill bit.

To get one complete pen I ended up using about 6 blanks - this stuff would break from even the lightest touch on the Hamlett half in skew I was using.

Am I getting cack-handed or is this normal?

Cheers
Paul

[AJcairns]

Smidsy
I turn purple heart all the time and dont have a problem with it cracking and only use roughing gouge for most of shaping and then finish with skew!

drilling it to fast you will heat up your drill and the timber , this may be your problem with the cracks??

catch u
AJ

[rsser]

Yeah, could be heat. As you will know, withdraw the drill often to clear the shavings.

Could be blanks that have been kiln dried or otherwise dried too fast that makes them brittle.

Edit: Like AJ, I rough out with a roughing gouge, but then I scrape.

[smidsy]

Hei Guys,
These did seem very dry - for drilling I used a fresh bit and my new drill press (16 speed) cranked down way slow.
For turning I started using a gouge and then a half inch skew which is how I usually turn pens.
Cheers
Paul

[PAH1]

The other possibility is that purple heart is known for its checking. You may have checks that you can not see and it is only when you drill/turn them that they become apparent. Try the Raffan method on the end of your blanks and see what happens you may find that they are already present. The Raffanmethod is to take a thin1mm or so piece off the end and bend it slightly, if checks are present it breaks along those lines.

[bdar]

Paul,

After I drill out my pen blanks, I coat the inside of the hole with thin CA. If there are any internal checking due to drilling then the CA will go into these. You can hit the CA with a spritz of accellerator to speed the drying process. Clean the hole smooth so tube can be glued in. Rough up the tube before gluing, it give a key for the CA and a better bond to the CA in the hole. Since doing this method I have not had ablank fail on me unless I have an oops moment.

Darren :)

[Salty]

I have known turners, with a lot more experience than I, saying that they do 2 things to calm the splitting effects in PH. First is to soak in water prior to turning ( don't know for how long) and the other is to bung the blanks in the fridge or freezer prior to drilling so that you are starting with a COOL blank. Yeah man!
I havn't tried either for pens but I have carved a walking stick in PH and found it split and tore grain easily working with hand tools such as a draw knife.

Salty