# A purpleheart pair



## Sylvanite (Apr 24, 2007)

Here is a purpleheart slimline set that was commissioned as a graduation gift.  The plating is chrome although it looks darker in the harsh reflections of the picture.  Finish is CA.






Here is a pic with a little more bling.


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## Scott (Apr 24, 2007)

Hi Eric!

These are sweet!  Excellent job!  It's nice to see you around.

Scott.


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## huntersilver (Apr 24, 2007)

Nice looking pens!


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## NavyDiver (Apr 24, 2007)

Nice work!  The color really stands out on that pair!


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## LEAP (Apr 24, 2007)

Very nice! I like the shape and details. Someone is going to be very happy.


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## jkirkb94 (Apr 24, 2007)

Great looking pair!  Nice beads!  Kirk[8D]


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## papaturner (Apr 24, 2007)

Nice job!!!!!   Perry


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## Stevej72 (Apr 25, 2007)

Eric, very nice job. I really like the color of the purple heart.


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## Sylvanite (Apr 25, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Stevej72_
> <br />... I really like the color of the purple heart.


The pen and pencil were considerably darker and more brown when originally assembled.  I set them in a south-facing window for a day and they purpled up nicely.


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## TAld (Apr 25, 2007)

Now that's nice looking Purpleheart.  The set looks really great together.


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## Abrock75 (Apr 25, 2007)

Nice color I just got finished a purple heart cigar looks great


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## ahoiberg (Apr 26, 2007)

how do you keep those beads when you're sanding?


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## doddman70 (Apr 26, 2007)

nice pens i love the shape great job on the beads
Shane


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## Sylvanite (Apr 26, 2007)

> _Originally posted by ahoiberg_
> <br />how do you keep those beads when you're sanding?


I sand at 500rpm (the slowest my lathe goes).  Generally, I sand both circumferentially (with the lathe turning) and longitudinally (with the lathe off) with each grit before moving on to the next.  I typically start with 180 or 220 grit, depending on how much smoothing or shaping is needed.  I think I started with 180 on this set, as the upper barrels are pretty straight.  I turned them a little proud and sanded them flat.

These pens I sanded to 600 grit.  My experience is that the grain usually jumps out at 600 so I often stop there - especially if using a CA finish.  Other times, I go all the way to 2000.  So, I sanded the barrels with 180, 220, 320, 400, and 600, but I didn't hit the beads with the first two.  I only touched them with 320 and up.

I sanded the beads circumferentially with a the sandpaper folded in two (actually in 3, but that's not really relevant).  Starting with the fold in between two beads, I roll the paper lightly each way up to the crown of the beads.  This preserves their shape.  I didn't sand longitudinally with 320 grit - just 400 and 600 and then only very lightly and briefly so as not to change the beads' profile.

Then I cleaned them with CA accelerator, gave them 2 coats of thin CA and 3 of thick CA/BLO (sanding longitudinally with 600g between coats).  A quick buff with tripoli, white diamond, and wax completed the finish.

I gave them a day in the sun for color and delivered them the next morning.


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## barrels (Apr 28, 2007)

Eric,  

Did you sand and let them in the sun or did you finish then and then put in the sun.  I have some purplehart to turn but I was told after sanding they will turn very dark if finished right after sanding and to let them sun before finishing.  I see you said that that you delivered after the sunning .... please advise.  VERY NICE PENS 

Eric S.
www.picturetrail.co/barrels


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## bob393 (Apr 28, 2007)

Now thats a nice pair.[]


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## Sylvanite (Apr 30, 2007)

> _Originally posted by bob393_
> <br />Now thats a nice pair.[]






<br />
Pink Floyd fans will have to forgive me for cropping the image, but forum rules prohibit posting the rest of the portrait 

I have an Osage Orange cigar pen that is so bright I could call it "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun".


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## Sylvanite (Apr 30, 2007)

> _Originally posted by barrels_
> <br />Did you sand and let them in the sun or did you finish then and then put in the sun.  I have some purplehart to turn but I was told after sanding they will turn very dark if finished right after sanding and to let them sun before finishing.


I turned, sanded, and finished the set in one friday evening session.  I put them in a south facing window saturday morning and photographed them that night.  I delivered them sunday.

The purpleheart blank in the second pic is unfinished, but was brown off the belt sander that same friday evening.  I put it in the window with the pen&pencil and it purpled nicely too.

Some violet woods will turn very dark with stain or oil - Katalox in particular may become nearly black.  I didn't oil these pieces.  They were sealed with 2 coats of thin CA before using thick CA/BLO.

I did tweak the colors when editing the images, but they are true to life - at least on my monitor.


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## Hiram33 (Apr 30, 2007)

super pens I love working with purple heart at time it is hard to get the same shade but you did a great job.


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