HELP!!! Wood

alscalls · August 20, 2009, 09:31:48 PM

I need a piece of wood...Dark purple...and Black.... with some figure for making a deer call to match a gun stock.....
Anyone know of where I can buy some?? I said I would ask around.
Dark purple that I could ebonize would be cool.

Her husband has this call...

And she wants one kinda like it only dark purple and Black.... Any ideas would help as I gotta try.... :stuart:

FinsnFur · August 20, 2009, 09:54:45 PM

Ah man

and I thought I was finally going to get to see a piece of Help Wood.

alscalls · August 20, 2009, 10:02:15 PM

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
Smart arse......I almost spit my pop....

alscalls · August 21, 2009, 07:08:42 AM

Any ideas at all?

HaMeR · August 21, 2009, 07:49:47 AM

Wish I could help you Al. We just don't have the Help Wood trees around here we used to & when we did they were more of a teal than purple. :roflmao: :roflmao:

Seriously,, ask Bill where he got the Purpleheart from. He should also have a pic of a set of calls on a lanyard that he gave away in a raffle a couple years ago. Seems to me somebody with a "lucky" pen won them.

alscalls · August 21, 2009, 07:53:39 AM

The purple heart I am finding is straight grained......
I am wondering about a dye or stain....I have some real nice spalted maple and some spalted hickory .....Just aint sure how to turn it dark purple.....

So it will stay that way...and I dont want to wait weeks for it to dry unless I have to.

HaMeR · August 21, 2009, 08:01:50 AM

Okee dokee. I found the thread after searching a bit.

http://finsandfur.net/forums/index.php?topic=3498.0

If you decide to use PH let me know & I'll go out & see what it looks like 2 years later.

Hawks Feather · August 21, 2009, 09:01:17 AM

Al,

All of the Purple Heart that I have seen, or actually handled, has been pretty straight grained. Getting the tones that you want may be rather difficult in an unstained wood. If you take some of your Maple Burl you can double dye it - first soak it in the dark purple stain, and then hit it for a shorter time with some black. By leaving the first one soak in it should color all of the wood and then the second color will only have time to penetrate the softer wood. I have tried some of the TransTint Dyes http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2001718/2001718.aspx and they work really well, but are also pretty pricy. The good thing about them is that it only takes a small amount of dye so you have quite a bit left for the next batches. You can also mix the colors together to get the tint that you want. While not the colors that you are looking for, this is a sample of what the dyes can do.

Now, with that being said, I have also heard of people using Rit clothes dye on wood. I have never tried it and don't know well it would work, but a package of Rit dye would be a lot cheaper.

Jerry

alscalls · August 21, 2009, 10:09:49 AM

Thanks for the tips fellas......One more trip to woodcraft......then I am gonna try something....
Thanks again. That Rit Dye may be the ticket....someone should try it may as well be me.

Hawks Feather · August 21, 2009, 10:59:27 AM

I haven't even gone to the store to check but the Rit would definitely be the least cost. I don't know if you can mix Rit with Denatured Alcohol, but the TransTint you can. It makes it a little quicker to be able to work since it evaporates quicker than the water that the wood absorbs. I think your best bet would be to rough turn your call, dye, and finish turning. That way if the dye has only penetrated say a quarter of an inch you won't turn through it.

You might also look into one of these http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96414 it is a small jar vacuum and for $6 I thought I would give it a try. I have one but have never tried it, but at least in theory it should help allow the dye to penetrate deeper into your blank. I have tried the vacuum when used with my wife's food vacuum and it makes a significant difference - both in the absorption of they dye or hardener AND how your wife views you using her kitchen appliances.

Jerry

alscalls · August 21, 2009, 11:04:54 AM

Thanks Jerry........I am on it........I will post when done.

pitw · August 21, 2009, 02:03:19 PM

Quote from: Hawks Feather on August 21, 2009, 10:59:27 AM
AND how your wife views you using her kitchen appliances.

Jerry

Throw some nice clean ingerients in her blender for making coyote lure and see how she reacts

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

alscalls · August 21, 2009, 02:11:39 PM

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Boiling skulls apparently is bad even out side the house too.........If you choose the right pot....

:roflmao: :roflmao:

Hawks Feather · August 21, 2009, 03:03:21 PM

Barry & Al,

I think I had better pass on both of your suggestions.

Jerry

alscalls · August 21, 2009, 07:02:13 PM

Test piece of spalted hickory .....alcohol and Rit dye soaked for an hour....to morrow I will cut it 2 ways and see the penetration level of the dye.

Hawks Feather · August 21, 2009, 07:08:52 PM

Looks like that worked pretty good. Tomorrow will be interesting.

Jerry

Lonehowl · August 22, 2009, 02:18:37 PM

How bout getting some stablized wood, should be able to find some purple stuff. Pricey though.

alscalls · August 22, 2009, 02:40:09 PM

I thought of that....But I am gonna try this first....I am learning a lot if nothing else....LOL

Hawks Feather · August 22, 2009, 03:50:38 PM

Quote from: alscalls on August 22, 2009, 02:40:09 PM
I am learning a lot if nothing else....LOL

Entered while looking at his purple hands. . . . ..

alscalls · August 22, 2009, 07:55:34 PM

And Glue CA everywhere...... :roflmao: :roflmao:

The penetration is not what I expected but I think pre drilling and rough turning then a soak overnight will do pretty well.
I averaged almost a 1/16" in one hour.... :shck: Only the purple is not as dark in the center as on the surface so I may just use it like stain.....