Ace of Purplehearts Workbench

comments (10) May 21st, 2009 in Reader's Gallery

woodker woodker, member
thumbs up 78 users recommend
- CLICK TO ENLARGE Photo: Leane Mahanke
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Scandinavian style workbench.  European beech with purpleheart accents.  Hand turned brass pins support the bow saw and carpenters mallet.  Project for Red Rocks Fine Woodworking School, Lakewood, CO.

posted in: Reader's Gallery, workshop, tool, WorkBench, dovetails, tenons, turning, accessory, inlay, trestle
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Comments (10)

blueberry1 blueberry1 writes: Having seen this bench in person, it is even more impressive than the photos show. Absolutely stunning.
Posted: 11:34 am on August 3rd

Streamline Streamline writes: Woodker, this workbench belongs in the living room, not the shop. Amazing that you can take such a mundane bench and turn it into a work of art. Please clarify - when you say linseed oil and wax, did you mean apply the boiled linseed oil, then when it dries, you wax it (like Johnson paste wax)?

Posted: 11:04 pm on December 13th

kenrup kenrup writes: Wow! I would be afraid to use this bench. It looks to beautiful to scare or scratch. I think the joinery is outstanding.
Posted: 3:00 pm on November 13th

vpa vpa writes: are there plans to make the ace of purpleheart workbench?

Posted: 4:37 pm on August 4th

ahilson ahilson writes: This bench looks amazing!

I was wondering if you had plans available for it?

I'd like to replicate something similar at home.

Cheers,
Andrew
Posted: 12:00 am on August 4th

woodknots woodknots writes: Awesome job. One of the prettiest benches I've ever seen
Posted: 8:47 pm on May 25th

woodker woodker writes: Had another thought - the bow saw and turned mallet are also finished pretty finely (to 320 grit), and they have retained the most vibrant purple. Don't know if that is connected.

This bench stays at the school, and will be used by 100's of woodworkers. Has been in service for a couple months now, and it is hard to watch the scars accumulate, but they are generally treated pretty well. Thanks for your kind comments.
Posted: 11:08 am on May 22nd

TMitchell TMitchell writes: Thanks, I'll try some differnt butcher block oils to see how that does. I'm familiar with the color-changing behavior of purpleheart as I've used it many times. Most recently on an under-water spear gun with Wenge accents. It was stunning until I put the clear-coat epoxy on it... Still looks nice, but it's a shame it didn't stay as bright as it was after the oxidation set in.

In any case, it's a great bench that you should be proud of... even if you can't bring yourself to use it.

Thx.
Posted: 9:15 am on May 22nd

woodker woodker writes: For the bench, just boiled linseed oil (a lot), and wax. The turned mallet and bow saw have just a little butcher block oil (clear, to not add the usual amber tone), and wax. Some of the purpleheart boards started purple, and stayed purple. Some of them turned brown (like jatoba) as soon as they were cut (planed, machined, or sanded), but they would return to purple within a couple of weeks.
Posted: 12:43 am on May 22nd

TMitchell TMitchell writes: I've struggled to get a finish on Purpleheart that preserves the intense color it has bare. What did you use?
Posted: 4:36 pm on May 21st

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