Did "battle" with a turning blank...but I won.

[Jim Becker]

So I spy this nice purple heart turning blank in my last visit to the local woodworking establishment and bring it home. I hadn't worked with this species before and thought it would make for an interesting project. The price was right, too. Further, I figured I'd do something different and sandwich some light colored veneer into the wood in two random curves. So before traveling for the holidays I made the cuts at the band saw and glued up the thang with some epoxy I had lying around...which could have been the downfall for this project. That epoxy was too old, too flexible and just not up to the task.

After cleaning things off this afternoon and running the blank across the jointer, I marked a 6" circle and roughed it out on the bandsaw before truing it between centers. The small tenon and outside contour turned beautifully, sanded out nicely and took the shellac finish like a champ, although there was beginning to be some concern about one of the joints between the veneer and the purple heart. So I reversed the turning onto the Talon chuck and brought the tailstock up as I always do before spinning it around under power...just in case. Well, the live center ended right smack on that joint and it cracked wide open. Only the jaws of the chuck were holding it together. CA to the rescue! I flooded the crack and used three clamps cushioned with towels to hold things together properly and went on to other tasks in the shop for awhile.

Fortunately, the CA held things together and with a little application here and there as I hollowed this bowl, it managed to stay together. I will say that if I had been in a chair, I would have been "on the edge of the seat" for the whole time while nursing this thing to completion! Due to some cracking near the edge at one joint, I decided to bevel the rim outward as was shown in another post this weekend and then undercut the rim a bit. I'm pleased with the shape, but displeased with having to use a little more CA than I prefer...hopefully next time I try this technique I'll be smart enough to use the right adhesive.

I apologize for the poor pictures...the counter where I normally take them was otherwise occupied by LOML's Xmas present. The colors are off a bit this time around...

[Julie Wright]

Your bowl is Really Cool. I really like the veneer running through it. How big is you bowl? I like the shape too.
I like working with Purple Heart, there just happens to be about 6 bd ft of it in my garage, err shop waiting for something nice to happen to it.

[Chris DiCiaccio]

So I spy this nice purple heart turning blank in my last visit to the local woodworking establishment and bring it home. I hadn't worked with this species before and thought it would make for an interesting project. The price was right, too. Further, I figured I'd do something different and sandwich some light colored veneer into the wood in two random curves. So before traveling for the holidays I made the cuts at the band saw and glued up the thang with some epoxy I had lying around...which could have been the downfall for this project. That epoxy was too old, too flexible and just not up to the task.

After cleaning things off this afternoon and running the blank across the jointer, I marked a 6" circle and roughed it out on the bandsaw before truing it between centers. The small tenon and outside contour turned beautifully, sanded out nicely and took the shellac finish like a champ, although there was beginning to be some concern about one of the joints between the veneer and the purple heart. So I reversed the turning onto the Talon chuck and brought the tailstock up as I always do before spinning it around under power...just in case. Well, the live center ended right smack on that joint and it cracked wide open. Only the jaws of the chuck were holding it together. CA to the rescue! I flooded the crack and used three clamps cushioned with towels to hold things together properly and went on to other tasks in the shop for awhile.

Fortunately, the CA held things together and with a little application here and there as I hollowed this bowl, it managed to stay together. I will say that if I had been in a chair, I would have been "on the edge of the seat" for the whole time while nursing this thing to completion! Due to some cracking near the edge at one joint, I decided to bevel the rim outward as was shown in another post this weekend and then undercut the rim a bit. I'm pleased with the shape, but displeased with having to use a little more CA than I prefer...hopefully next time I try this technique I'll be smart enough to use the right adhesive.

I apologize for the poor pictures...the counter where I normally take them was otherwise occupied by LOML's Xmas present. The colors are off a bit this time around...

Man, that is beautiful! Although I don't actually see purple. That random line just makes it. Great work.

[Ace Karner]

All I can say is that it was worth the battle, beautiful bowl.

[Terry Hatfield]

See....that's why I just build furniture.

Seriously Jim, it's beautiful. The little veneer lines really make the piece.

t

[Mark Singer]

Jim,
Another beauty! I love the pattern that runs through. What is that a layer of veneer? purple heart is very hard and in sunlight turns dark brown... not my favorite wood. Really great job. Question I am looking at the Mini Jet 14" lathe .It is less than 1/2 price @ Amazon. ($175 w /coupon) Is that a good one for me ? I am a novice turner and havent done any turning in years,
Thanks Jim...Love your website!
Mark

[Jim Becker]

What is that a layer of veneer?

I think it might have been ash, but it was quite old...just something lying around for about six years.

Question I am looking at the Mini Jet 14" lathe .It is less than 1/2 price @ Amazon. ($175 w /coupon) Is that a good one for me ? I am a novice turner and haven't done any turning in years.

The "original" Jet mini is a very nice machine and definitely a good machine to use as a starter lathe, especially at $199 less coupons, etc. It makes for a great travel lathe someday when you're fully addicted and buy a much bigger machine...arh, arh, arh. The new version does have variable speed which is a really nice thing to have, but not necessary for most turning within the size boundaries of the machine.

How big is you bowl?

This bowl is just a hair under 6" in diameter and 1.75" tall. The rim is 1/2" wide. This piece is turned a little thicker than I originally intended...just due to the "pucker factor" with that seam coming open. But it will make a nice candy dish or something...

Although I don't actually see purple.

It is purplish, but the color on the pics is not good due to poor lighting and an inappropriate background. The store I bought this blank from just got in a load of red heart that is quite stunning. I may have to pick up a bit and see how that turns out [sic]...I generally don't like buying exotics for exorbitant amounts of money, but make exceptions for turning projects.

[Bob Lasley]

Jim,

Beeutiful as usual. The veneer is a nice touch for something a bit different. Me thinks you should do this some more!

Bob

[Dale Thompson]

Jim,
Great job- especially with Purpleheart!! That stuff chips and tears out without any warning at all. It's beautiful and makes great pens and stuff but it defies every law of wood. It turns like pine and yet chips like petrified coal. While my pens have turned out OK, I have made a bunch of Yo Yo's from Purpleheart. What started out as 3" toys have been reduced to 2" toys. No reason -- except my ineptness! That stuff chips for NO reason! The good part is that the 2" yo yo's really work GREAT!! Purpleheart is not NOT my favorite turning wood!!

Dale T.

[John Miliunas]

Stunning, as is your norm! Never did much in the way of Purpleheart but, I'll agree with Dale that my limited experience with it on pens, indicates that it's a touchy wood to turn. Great job on it and, better yet, great save!

[Dave Smith]

Looking good Jim. I like a man who is willing to live on the edge. I just don't want to be that person. I thought about doing the same thing but I was concerned about a ragged kerf from the band sawing messing up the glue line. I like the looks of the bowl. I'll have to give it a try.

A couple of years ago I ordered a couple of 8/4 purple heart boards from a wholesale lumber supplier. I figured I would get random width and length pieces. It was a full 2" thick, 8" wide and 12' long. I am not a power lifter so it was all I could do the get those boards moved when I got home. I bought the purple heart for outside benches which never got built. I might use what I have left for a work bench top. What surpprised me was the price of the lumber. I'll just say that an 8" x 8" turning blank cost me less than $3. It still is a PITA for turning.

Dave Smith

Watch your toes when you drop a big piece of purple heart(DAMHIKT) in Longview, WA.

[Tom Sweeney]

I really like it Jim. I generally prefer more "natural" bowls - but I think in this case the veneer really adds a nice touch. Good job with fighting a problem bowl to a great conclusion. The rim treatment is real nice too. I'd like to try some purpleheart for something for LOML (purple is her favorite color).

[Wolf Kiessling]

You fought a heroic battle, Jim, but came up a winner because the results are stunning. Interesting, the use of that veneer, I have never seen that done before. I may have to try that sometime.

I have never turned purpleheart because I just can't seem to find it in any of the firewood piles I like to go through..... Oh well....

Wolf

[Dennis Peacock]

Very, very nice Jim....!!!!! Beautiful work and a smart looking bowl. I really like the veneer running through it. Nice touch.

[Tom Hintz]

Jim, Nice looking bowl! I'm glad you saved it.
I have been playing with laminations in turnings for a few months now and had used (new) epoxy for the early ones but had several failures that I am beginning to think were due to the epoxy softening under the heat of turning and sanding. I went back to Titebond II for all my laminations and have not had a failure since.
Could be I have lousy technique with epoxy or it's just not right for the job.
Attched (hopefully) is a photo of one of the latest efforts that I buzzed up to speed on the lathe with no explosions.