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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Mike Mecredy on May 15, 2012, 04:25:00 PM

Title: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Mike Mecredy on May 15, 2012, 04:25:00 PM
I've been rasping away on a riser made from purple heart, and I don't know what's wrong but it stinks like a rotting carp carcass.  Ever had that happen?
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: rmorris on May 15, 2012, 06:38:00 PM
Never had the smell, but it has ruined every blade it has ever touched around my shop. That is why I hate PH
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on May 15, 2012, 08:45:00 PM
I've never had purpleheart smell like that but shedua sure smells like a pig farm.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Bel007 on May 15, 2012, 09:14:00 PM
rancid (oxidized) oils?
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Troy Breeding on May 15, 2012, 09:14:00 PM
The Red Elm I've been working with also smells like a pig pen.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Mike Mecredy on May 15, 2012, 09:22:00 PM
I re sharpen all my own band saw blades and it eats up that purple heart like nobody's business.  I don't notice the stink as much once I got to sanding.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: DVSHUNTER on May 15, 2012, 09:58:00 PM
It smells like urine everytime I use it Mike. Kinda like oak can smell. I chalk it up to hazards of the hobby.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Mike Mecredy on May 16, 2012, 10:56:00 AM
This was the first stinkin' piece I've had.  In the past I didn't notice it.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: DVSHUNTER on May 16, 2012, 06:52:00 PM
Maybe you smelt so bad in the past you couldn't notice it.   :laughing:   maybe more regular showers   :dunno:  
I try to bath at least everytime it rains, sometimes more often like when swimming in local creeks and ponds. Hope that helps.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: GREG IN MALAD on May 16, 2012, 07:23:00 PM
Dave,
It doesn't rain very often here in south Idaho so we take our baths in the irrigation ditch. Unfortunately they only have water in them 3 months of the year.

Mike,
You might want to spray an extra sealer coat on that riser. If it smells like a carp carcass you could get charged with bear baiting.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: DVSHUNTER on May 16, 2012, 07:37:00 PM
:biglaugh:
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: GreenMtnBoy69 on May 23, 2012, 03:18:00 PM
PH definitely stinks more often than not-it has a natural bug repellant in the cells.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Sam Harper on May 24, 2012, 11:54:00 AM
That's weird.  I've had red oak small like an auction barn, but not purple heart.  Of course I generally avoid PH because of it's difficulty to work with.  Hopefully you'll put a good seal on it later so it doesn't attract flies.
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Sixby on May 25, 2012, 11:04:00 PM
I always  thought the purpleheart I have worked with smelled good. I kind of enjoy it. But then maybe my smeller is just different. LOL
Shedua sure stinks though. Got to agree with that one.
God bless you all,
Steve
Title: Re: WTH; stinky purple heart?
Post by: Sam Harper on May 26, 2012, 02:39:00 AM
The only wood I've worked with that stank was red oak, and it only stank some of the time.  I didn't like the smell of walnut when I first started using it, but it grew on me.  I like the smell of most woods.  Bocote smells like roses, but I'm allergic to it.  Padauk smells good, too.  And of course everybody likes cedar!  I like the smell of Osage, too.  Maple smells like syrup.  Mesquite has a smell that makes me think of water for some reason.  Zebrawood doesn't have much smell at all to me.  Hickory has a pleasant smell, but it's not very strong.  I also like the smell of ipe and cocobola.