An Experiment in Process

[Thomas Smith]

I wanted to try an experiment in the preparation of this blank to turn. I had a small yellowheart and small purpleheart blanks that were about 5” square. I thought the woods might look nice together in contrast, but not having a drum sander, I didn’t want to start resawing these blanks too much and end up with some iffy glue joints. I thought about it one night while laying on the couch and wondered, what if I cored the blank and laminated the layers. But not coring in the curved blade sense, but more removing a a cone from within a circle sort of thing.

To start, I chucked up the yellowheart and trued the face on the lathe, turned a tenon and trued to bottom. I’m going to need it flat. I then took a parting tool, and at about a 50 degree angle, I started into the blank from the tailstock side aiming about 1” from the rim on the headstock side. Turning very slow, and patiently, I separated an outer chamfered ring, from an inner cone.

I then took the purpleheart blank and resawed about a 8 mm thick piece. I glued the purpleheart to the cone, and when the glue was dry, I rechucked the cone and trued the face of the purpleheart. I then glued the chamfered yellowheart ring on top of the purpleheart, and then a thicker purpleheart piece on top of that. Clamped and glued, I waited until last night.

I chucked the entire piece and turned a profile on the outside, and hollowed the bowl. What you see is the finished project. This is an experiment. In my opinion, the rim is way too much purpleheart. I could have turned it down a little more, but turning dry purpleheart was straining my tenon and I lost this bowl from the chuck twice in the process. As it is an experiment in process, I am, again, unhappy with the form. However, it’s a pretty cool looking little bowl.

In keeping with my wife’s appreciation of my artistic ability, she stated, “Neat. You can plant a little flower in it,” and walked off.

This is, thus, my layered, reverse cored “pot.”

Thanks for looking and please feel free to be critical.

Tom

[Ron Mitchell]

Thomas, I really like it alot...I shy away from purpleheart because every time
I turn or sand it the purple turns brown, what did you do the help keep the purple color

[Mike A. Smith]

I'm not sure I completely understand the process you used (wish you'd taken some pictures). That being said, I think the end result is really neat. I like the form and the contrast of the wood.

[Thomas Smith]

Mike, I usually document the process of everything I do in the shop. This was just a whim and I was flying by the seat of my pants. Now that it worked, I wish I had done more to show it. I'll do another one. I liked doing it.

[Nancy Laird]

Thomas, I really like it alot...I shy away from purpleheart because every time
I turn or sand it the purple turns brown, what did you do the help keep the purple color

Ron, if you put unfinished purpleheart in the sun, it will return to the purple color. Also, if you put a good clear finish on it, such as lacquer, it will retain its color.


Tom, I really like your little bowl, and I don't agree that there's too much purpleheart at the top. I think the width of the purpleheart at the top matches the width of the yellowheart band at the bottom, giving it some symmetry. Good job.

Nancy

[Thomas Smith]

Ron, when I work with purpleheart, I immediately put lacquer on it. I've even been known to lacquer something before I was finished turning it if I didn't think I was going to be able to get back to it for awhile.

Nancy, I agree. If you look at the rim : base ratio, then it has more symmetry than I gave it credit for having. Thank you.

[Bonnie Campbell]

I really like the color combination. I'm not smart enough to really follow how you did it, but it looks great.

BTW, purpleheart will go purple in the sunlight or by heating. Some turn turkey calls and sand until the wood heats up before coating it to 'seal in' the purple color.

[TYLER WOOD]

Hit the purple heart with a torch for a second, or place in the oven. The heat from either will turn it a brilliantly dark purple. I use a torch on the lathe then quickly finish to keep the dark color. I have done a couple of pens this way and it almost looks acrylic the color is so deep and rich.