Big piece of purpleheart

Re: Big piece of purpleheart *LINK*

John K Jordan

>>This is the stuff Jim King

>turns all of the time.

Is this a joke? I got the impression from elsewhere on WC that Jim King has a low opinion of purpleheart! http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=turning&file=articles_525.shtml

Now I'm confused, should I grab purpleheart when it comes along or not?

JKJ in East TN


Purpleheart�can you keep it purple?

meant to say "works with"

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Sorry, intended to say he works with it all of the time, but not as turnings. I don't know why he doesn't like it. Other than producing lots of tiny bits rather than nice shavings, it sands and finishes very well.

I've not worked with it wet, only in lumber form.

I think purpleheart might be to Jim what knotty pine is to us - pallet material.

Re: Big piece of purpleheart

Jim King

>Mike: Glad to see you are getting into exotics. I got a shipment of 17 species on its way to the States now and will send you something new that is purple and pretty in about a month when it arrives. Purple Heart is deffinitly hard when dry but people love it .

Re: Big piece of purpleheart

Jim King

>Packing crates

20 different species called Purpleheart

Craig Daymon

>There are 20 different species that go by the name Purpleheart (for the same obvious reason). I've worked some that was wonderful to work and seems to still be holding color after several years. I've worked other pieces that splinter worse than trying to turn plate glass. I wish someone with the background would try and compare the different types and give them ratings on how well the color holds up , what best to finish it with to preserve and working properties.

I've also read and seen pictures of pieces people have made (general woodworking, not necessarily turning) that are more than 30 years old and still purple and in the same thread people have posted that the stuff turns brown on them in a month.

Thoughts? Comments?

-Craig

P.S. First issue of Woodcraft magazine talks about purpleheart and says that it is bright purple when fresh cut and then darkens to a deep brown. I have yet to see a fresh cut piece be bright purple. It is usually dull brown with a hint of purple and then oxidizes (I believe that is what happens) to a bright purple by the next day.

20 species comes via "Exotic Wood Group"

Craig Daymon

>FYI: I bought some PH turning blocks from Exotic Wood Group and they responded to a question similar to what I posted here by saying that there were about 20 species and giving me the name of the one they sell.

-Craig

Re: 20 different species called Purpleheart

Jim King

>Craig: We have several species here that have purple in them but the only true purple heart I know of is "peltogyne spp.". The purple heart when fresh cut is from grey to brown and oxidizes within hours to purple. Purpleheart as I know it turns almost black with time but if you sand it the purple color will reapear. The other species from my experience hold the purple color but are mixed with cream , black and other colors, actually better looking than purple heart but not solid purple. I am attaching a photo of a wood called Queenwood that holds its color at least for 4 years as that is the time we have used it.

Exotic and Domesti Wood ID

Jim King

>Craig: These are the high Gods of tropical wood ID. This web site will keep you busy for hours. Even this group with thousands of samples in their library will tell you they have a long way to go.

http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/

Re: Big piece of purpleheart

Ron in Drums PA

>Packing creates made from purpleheart?

Is this common?

If so, I had seven skids of paper delivered to me mid last year with a dark reddish wood that I was trying to ID. I know it came from South America somewhere.

If so:

Good News is, I have allot of purpleheart

Bad New is, it's full of nail holes

Re: Big piece of purpleheart

Ron in Drums PA

>Real Nice Mike,

I agreee with you about the outter ring but I bet your buddy at the lumber yard will love it.

Re: Big piece of purpleheart

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Nice and simple Mike. Love it! I'm sure your sawyer will be thrilled!

Re: Big piece of purpleheart

Richard Allen

>Hi Mike

It's a shame that "whimpy" lathe you have wouldn't let you turn a 22" (or larger) platter(;->)

The platter looks very nice. That is a BIG canvas to work on in the rim area for the next one.

How about another picture at more of a profile.

Thanks

Richard

Profile? It is nearly a disk!

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Shoot, it was only an inch thick to start with. I was imagining it flying off the vac chuck and taking off on its own, slicing holes in the wall as it flew around the house.

Re: Exotic and Domesti Wood ID

John K Jordan

>>These are the high Gods of tropical wood ID... >http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/

Jim,

I browsed the MADw database and got no pictures on most of the queries I tried. Do you get pictures? Perhaps it is a temporary problem with the database. The SJRw collection indicated it was "under construction".

JKJ in East TN, USA

Nice work Mike

Dave Smith, Longview, WA

>Hi Mike,

I don't care to turn purple heart bowls but platers are not that bad. The spacing between the rings and their respective edge is what looks odd. If the inter ring had a narrow space to the edge like the outer ring there would not be the visual problem you mentioned in your post. Man I can talk all around an issue and not get to the point. I think it is the symmetry of the rings to the edge that causes you a problem with the outer ring.

Turning thin boards into plates is one of the few times I use a waste block. I have turned 1/2" boards into plates using waste blocks. Of course I am talking decorative saucers and plates not satellite dishes.

I do look at all your post with pictures of turnings but you get enough responses I don't feel you need more adulation from a small bowl turner. Thanks for taking the time to post pictures of your work. I find it a laborious task and I admirer those who can type a Russian novel in less than 5 minutes. It takes me that long to spell a word closes enough for the spell checker to find.

Mike you are an amazingly talented person and I hope we can meet someday. Now that would be a sober experience.

Dave Smith

Getting dizzy talking in circles in Longview, WA.

Re: Nice work Mike

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Dave, what a nice thing to say. I feel the same. We'll probably meet in KC this summer, eh?

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my photo post. I would disagree that I have talent, but rather I have an obsession and lots of time to devote to it. With those two things anyone can impersonate someone with talent.

Re: Exotic and Domesti Wood ID

Jim King

>No photos, just technical data on the the USDA site. For pictures go to www.hobbithouseinc.com

Re: Exotic and Domesti Wood ID

Ruth in So. Cal

>Jim, what were you sending in the pallets....and who were you sending it to? Could be a nice source for purple heart if it's close.

Re: Big piece of purpleheart

Tom Sweeney - Coatesville, PA

>Ron,

A friend got a hot air ballon imported from Brazil last year - it was packed in a crate made from some incredible plywood and what we are pretty sure is pernambuco. It is a deep redish orange color & very very dense. When he called them to ask if they knew what the wood is he said it's just the stuff they make stair treads & crates out of - kinda like our 2X 4's :-O

Re: Exotic and Domesti Wood ID

Jim King

>Ruth: I ship my turning blanks to the States in the crates inside a ship container and they resell the purpleheart.