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Purpleheart wood

B&G ClingerB&G Clinger Member Posts: 1,789 ✭✭
edited January 2012 in General Discussion
I never heard of this particular kind of wood before yesterday?? Pretty cool stuff. Do any of you have any experience with it?

Just for giggles, (and because its a 1911) check out these custom grips out of purpleheart.

http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=61398&start=24
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Comments

  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you want to work some of it have a sharpener close at hand that is some real tough wood. It will dull your tools.
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  • SWAT 50SWAT 50 Member Posts: 4,074 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I used some to make pens, sorry no pics.

    They sold fast.
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  • llamallama Member Posts: 2,637 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was given about 12 linear feet of just-over-dimension 2x4 purpleheart.

    Made a bunch of wood working friends happy, have 2 feet left for myself. I'd like to make some 1911 grips (or trade all I have for 2 sets of grips if anyone here wants to make 'em - oldmagics? :) )

    Doing research, it is *very* hard, can split or crack if you don't pre-drill any nail holes, etc. If you let your tools heat up too much (they are dull or you move 'em too slow), they can smoke/burn the wood and it is near impossible to sand down to remove the marks...
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  • woodhogwoodhog Member Posts: 13,115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    has a lot of silica in it for some reason, really dulls tools quick.
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  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    that's really nice looking wood. I think i will add it to my favorite woods.

    I like Padauk ( http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?offerings_id=835 ), it's beautiful! I made a really nice cutting board in 7th grade wood shop from this and mom used that thing up til I was maybe 22-24 yrs old.

    I also like Black Walnut, American Oak, Maple.
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  • SoreShoulderSoreShoulder Member Posts: 3,148 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am told they use it for bridge pilings in Brazil i.e. everyday stuff. Besides the unusual color it doesn't strike me as that nice and the color itself isn't that bright or special.
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  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,565 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes, I make turkey calls out of purple heart and yellow heart wood. It is very expensive. I buy it on the internet from a woman in PA
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  • Horney toadHorney toad Member Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a recurve bow made from purpleheart.

    Purpleheart is straight grain without figure. Hard and stable, works good for bows.

    It is purple when fresh, but eventually fades to a dark reddish-brown.
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  • SpartacusSpartacus Member Posts: 14,415
    edited November -1
    a buddy brought some back from iraq back in 2005.
    apparently Saddam liked it and used a lot of it in the palace.
    made it into a jewelry box.
    very nice with a clear satin polyurethane finish.


    tom
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  • LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lots of great looking wood to be had.

    Just do a search for Knife Making Supplies. Then look over their wood handle selections. Most of it is sold in 3"x6" or 3"x12" blocks of varying thickness.
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  • guntech59guntech59 Member Posts: 23,188 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We used it to replank (?) the military flat-bed trailers here at Ft Drum. That stuff is wicked heavy!
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  • pwilliepwillie Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I couldn't find the Mahogany I was looking for,so I substituted Purple Heart to make a boat console(Boston Whaler 13)...and it was beautiful....lots of compliments at the dock!...Very hard wood.Toad, I bet that bow you have is nice also,shoot us a pic of your bow?[:o)]
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  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    I knew a guy that spent a fortune putting it in the floor of his stock trailer. Said it would outlast anything he could think of. http://www.trailerdecking.com/

    Wenge is some tough stuff, too and it has the prettiest end-grain I've ever seen.
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  • guntech59guntech59 Member Posts: 23,188 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
    I knew a guy that spent a fortune putting it in the floor of his stock trailer. Said it would outlast anything he could think of. http://www.trailerdecking.com/

    Wenge is some tough stuff, too and it has the prettiest end-grain I've ever seen.


    Exactly what I said.^^^^^^^
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  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by guntech59
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
    I knew a guy that spent a fortune putting it in the floor of his stock trailer. Said it would outlast anything he could think of. http://www.trailerdecking.com/

    Wenge is some tough stuff, too and it has the prettiest end-grain I've ever seen.


    Exactly what I said.^^^^^^^


    I'm not seeing it.

    shrug
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  • pickenuppickenup Member Posts: 22,844 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Used to make quite a few items out of it. As said, it darkens over time. Still have some around here someplace.
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  • arraflipperarraflipper Member Posts: 1,256 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have built a few longbows with Purpleheart. It does dull things pretty quick, most all the shaping is done on a 4" X 132" belt sander. I put 9 coats of clear coat car finish on the bows when I finish, make the color stay the same for a long time. It is not a pretty figured wood, but does look good.
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  • footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    l used it about 10 yrs ago to accent an oak floor l put in my house. The one 2x8 6ft cost near a hundred bucks. l burned a Craftsman router doing the tongues/grooves. Heavy and hard as a preachers pecker. Most beautiful. l have a bit left and was thinking about making a set of magna grips for a S&W revolver
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  • B&G ClingerB&G Clinger Member Posts: 1,789 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    As I said, I just learned of it the other day when I stopped at a "Johnsons Workbench" I immediately liked it. I didnt know about just how hard it was and treacherous on tools. So if I am understanding this correctly, it tends to turn color over time but with enough coats of sealer, it will hold its color almost indefinantely. I have to admit, the color is what is so fascinating to me.
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  • oldemagicsoldemagics Member Posts: 5,851 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    it is a real tool duller, but is different
    dont get many requests for it, but if you are serious about some barter work shoot me an e-mail
    if you try to work it yourself, they are very correct about splitting if not pre-drilled
    even drilling use a bit of caution, not just "ram-it-through"
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  • llamallama Member Posts: 2,637 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here's a couple of pix of what I have... first one is dry (but cleaned off by rubbing w/ a cloth - they were DUSTY), second one has a bit of alcohol on it to "wet" it. These were sitting in a dark storage room for 8+ years

    ph1.png

    ph2.png
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  • guntech59guntech59 Member Posts: 23,188 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
    quote:Originally posted by guntech59
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
    I knew a guy that spent a fortune putting it in the floor of his stock trailer. Said it would outlast anything he could think of. http://www.trailerdecking.com/

    Wenge is some tough stuff, too and it has the prettiest end-grain I've ever seen.


    Exactly what I said.^^^^^^^


    I'm not seeing it.

    shrug


    Not picking....agreeing. The military uses it because it is nearly indestructible.
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  • Horney toadHorney toad Member Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by pwillie
    I couldn't find the Mahogany I was looking for,so I substituted Purple Heart to make a boat console(Boston Whaler 13)...and it was beautiful....lots of compliments at the dock!...Very hard wood.Toad, I bet that bow you have is nice also,shoot us a pic of your bow?[:o)]


    Hunter-1.jpg
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
    I knew a guy that spent a fortune putting it in the floor of his stock trailer. Said it would outlast anything he could think of. http://www.trailerdecking.com/

    Wenge is some tough stuff, too and it has the prettiest end-grain I've ever seen.


    WAnna see something spectacular? Sand blast a piece of quarter sawn wenge.

    Clouder..
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  • BamavolBamavol Member Posts: 966 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I worked for Dorsey trailers for a while. They used it as a floor for trailers.
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  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The bed of a milling machine I worked on planing bamboo strips into fishing rod segments was purple heart. Tough and stable, it was the only wood that could stand up to the pounding of the cutters.

    Clouder..
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  • fishkiller41fishkiller41 Member Posts: 50,608
    edited November -1
    Grips look great, they could use some checkering though..
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  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by guntech59


    Not picking....agreeing. The military uses it because it is nearly indestructible.


    I've seen it used for flooring accents and other small stuff. So the thought of using it to catch steer manure 'bout broke my lil' pea-pickin' heart.
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  • we_dig_itwe_dig_it Member Posts: 6,614 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My favorite striker for my slate turkey call is purpleheart.
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  • Horney toadHorney toad Member Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    http://www.woodworkerssource.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/SawMill20-PURPLEHEART-LOGS.jpg
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  • Horney toadHorney toad Member Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h43/Tampa_Tom/DSCF0148.jpg

    Makes a nice cutting board.
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  • oldemagicsoldemagics Member Posts: 5,851 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Horney toad
    http://www.woodworkerssource.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/SawMill20-PURPLEHEART-LOGS.jpg



    seeing those logs makes me wish i could get some quarter sawn with as bit of the sap wood in it just for the contrast1
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  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by guntech59
    We used it to replank (?) the military flat-bed trailers here at Ft Drum. That stuff is wicked heavy!


    In the 80's here in Oregon I had a M870 lowbed trailer in my Unit. Had some of the Planks that needed replaced. Our unit could only afford to replace a few of what was needed cause it cost so much. Marine Reserve unit. That stuff is really heavy to lift when used like that. Also a bear to cut to length.


    But load a dozer up on the trailer and it does not tear up like other wood.
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