Problem turning purpleheart

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DonPalese

Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2010
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78
Location
Medford, OR
Recently I purchased 12 purpleheart blanks. I've not been successful in turning any. It seem that when I get almost to a final turning size -- almost prior to sanding (sierra style pen).. the blank breaks apart .. this has happened 4 times now .. gouges are very sharp .. even move to another lathe.

Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong ??


Thanks, Don
 
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I have not had any problems with turning purpleheart with a gouge but if I was having that problem I would switch to an oval skew for the fine work. Also, your purpleheart might be too dry so try stabilizing with CA.
 
Use a wood fil. To get down to the last part then sand. Rats what I have used never failed on me. I done purple hart pen it's nice stuff. Hard to turn.
 
sharp tools light cuts

DonPalese said:
Recently I purchased 12 purpleheart blanks. I've not been successful in turning any. It seem that when I get almost to a final turning size -- almost prior to sanding (sierra style pen).. the blank breaks apart .. this has happened 4 times now .. gouges are very sharp .. even move to another lathe.

Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong ??


Thanks, Don
Click to expand...

This is another of the grainy, splintery woods that need for you to be mentally prepared (patience) and focused on what you're doing with little or no distractions. I'd be willing to bet that they blow up mostly at the ends. Rather than writing it out, there was a thread about Zebra wood and how frustrating it was to have his blanks blow up. Read my post over there and it might impart some caveats to your experience.

Light touch, cut from the outside of the blank toward the center.do this on both ends
Hope it helps
 
never had a bit of problems with purple heart. ive got a 10fit 1X6 that i cut blanks off of and ive done a bunch without a hitch.
 
Take shallow cuts. Most blanks I've blown have been because I got in a hurry and tried to take off more wood per cut - bad mistake!

Dan
 
I have had problems with purple heart splitting where other woods have not. Mostly because its a softer grain and tears more easily. When it gets thin you may have to coat it with ca to keep it together.
 
I agree with everyone about purpleheart being somewhat dry and splintery. I find that I have to make sure that it is well glued to the tube. Lost a bunch that way. Use the gouge to get close then go to a really sharp skew. Firm it up with some thin CA helps also.
 
dankc908 said:
Take shallow cuts. Most blanks I've blown have been because I got in a hurry and tried to take off more wood per cut - bad mistake!

Dan
Click to expand...

I agree with Dan. If I get in a hurry and try to take off more material, whether it be wood or acrylic, chunks will fly. Back off, slow down, sharp tools and maybe soak the ends with CA to stabilize it.
 
Don ... maybe you're doing nothing wrong here.

I have some PH that 90% is a failure. What leads to my failure is this PH is X-Cut and despite stabilizing it I still have failures ... however, when one is successful it's down right pretty ...
 
Check your tube gluing procedure, I've done a lot of purplehart and even on slim lines haven't any blow that were fully glued to the tube. same with cross cut zebra, if you don't go ballistic with a skew, gouge. or carbide tool, you should have no problems with much of any thing other than spalted punky stuff. Then just keep putting CA on them.
 
PH gave me FITS trying to turn a turkey call, have made two pot calls out of it - one with a crack that occurred as I was finishing it. Making them for a wounded warrior buddy, countersunk a band, skull's on the sound board, with a purple heart and a combat action ribbon with a polished Sergeant rank. Almost done with it, will post a pick...anyway, its pain to turn.

I have been successful in making one pen from it, and I just took really light cuts and went really slowly.
 
Like Randy mentioned, once you trim the ends, a drop of CA to seal the ends goes a long way. Having said that...PH is a long grain wood that like to splinter out when it can. On the off chance...was it cross cut?
 
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