Help me not be dispurpleheartened?
April 11, 2012 1:44 PM Subscribe
Tell me how to work a chunk of purpleheart wood.
I recently bought myself a spindle sander, and excitedly, went on a small lumber spree. The place I went had purpleheart wood, and I was surprised that such a beautiful and unique-looking wood was so inexpensive. I purchased a chunk, but upon returning home found that purpleheart is both hard and poisonous, and can cause damage to tools and people's internal organs.
My wife loves purple, and I would love to make something (small) for her out of this, like jewellery, or a wand, or something like that, but I'm kind of terrified that I'll ruin my (father-in-law's) tools, and seriously hurt myself.
What can I do with purple heart wood? What precautions can I take? Typically, the way I work is to cut and shape the wood as best I can on a saw, then finish carving it using a sander. Is this possible? Is there a mask that will help protect me? Are there special blades or a special kind of sandpaper I can use?
I recently bought myself a spindle sander, and excitedly, went on a small lumber spree. The place I went had purpleheart wood, and I was surprised that such a beautiful and unique-looking wood was so inexpensive. I purchased a chunk, but upon returning home found that purpleheart is both hard and poisonous, and can cause damage to tools and people's internal organs.
My wife loves purple, and I would love to make something (small) for her out of this, like jewellery, or a wand, or something like that, but I'm kind of terrified that I'll ruin my (father-in-law's) tools, and seriously hurt myself.
What can I do with purple heart wood? What precautions can I take? Typically, the way I work is to cut and shape the wood as best I can on a saw, then finish carving it using a sander. Is this possible? Is there a mask that will help protect me? Are there special blades or a special kind of sandpaper I can use?
IANAD, but don't make too much of the toxicity. It's a common wood as exotics go, and lots of people work with it all the time. Unless you have an unusual allergy, purpleheart dust is not going to cause you major problems. Wear a good dust mask (N95 or better), try and keep it out of your eyes and you will most likely be fine.
Harder woods will dull your cutting tools faster. It just means you have to sharpen more often. Cheap, big-box store sandpaper will also fall apart sooner, but that just means you use up more of it, or buy better stuff from a professional supply.
posted by jon1270 at 2:06 PM on April 11, 2012
Harder woods will dull your cutting tools faster. It just means you have to sharpen more often. Cheap, big-box store sandpaper will also fall apart sooner, but that just means you use up more of it, or buy better stuff from a professional supply.
posted by jon1270 at 2:06 PM on April 11, 2012
Some other tips:
The grain is short and tight, so planing is not easy. A scraper works ok, though
It'll brown over time, somewhat, faster or slower depending on your finish.
One benefit of working with purpleheart is that maple seems soft by comparison, when you go back to it.
posted by notyou at 2:17 PM on April 11, 2012
The grain is short and tight, so planing is not easy. A scraper works ok, though
It'll brown over time, somewhat, faster or slower depending on your finish.
One benefit of working with purpleheart is that maple seems soft by comparison, when you go back to it.
posted by notyou at 2:17 PM on April 11, 2012
Turn a pen. I have a very nice purple heart pen that someone made for me a couple of years ago.
posted by jmd97 at 2:27 PM on April 11, 2012
posted by jmd97 at 2:27 PM on April 11, 2012
I've used it to make a bunch of random things - cutting boards, a top, a stepstool, bookmarks, a platter, and who knows what else. Like others have said, wear a dust mask. Clean up your shop when you're done so you don't have a heap of purpleheart sawdust sitting around. I haven't noticed it dulling my tools significantly faster than any other tropical hardwood. Just be sure whatever you're cutting it with is sharp and you should be fine.
posted by foodgeek at 2:50 PM on April 11, 2012
posted by foodgeek at 2:50 PM on April 11, 2012
I carve my purpleheart projects close to specs with a boxcutter to keep the dust down. You can also make a cheap and dirty dust filter by putting a standard 20 X 20 AC filter on the back of a box fan and let it blow across where you are sanding. I wear a full on resperator mask when I work in any dust, but then I work in dust most of my day....
Purpleheart is hard enough to take a good edge to make a really classy letter opener. Great fun, great gifts
posted by Redhush at 2:57 PM on April 11, 2012
Purpleheart is hard enough to take a good edge to make a really classy letter opener. Great fun, great gifts
posted by Redhush at 2:57 PM on April 11, 2012
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It's a hard wood, and goes through bits quickly. A number of exotic hardwoods have lots of silica and dull blades quickly. Just means you have to sharpen your blades more; if you're using hand tools you already know how to do this, if you're using power tools you either replace your bits more often or you pay the $15 it takes to get a blade sharpened.
Respirators with carbon filters sold for working with paints and such are cheap ($30 or less). Wear one, as well as eye protection (which you're already wearing, right?). I use dust collection on everything, but if you don't have a dedicated set-up, put a shop vac hose near your cutting areas to pick up the excess nasties.
If you were mass producing purpleheart furniture you'd maybe want to do more than this, but a jewelry box now and then? It hasn't killed me yet...
posted by straw at 2:03 PM on April 11, 2012