tbphotos Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 Just wondering if anyone has any tips on cutting purpleheart. I'm cutting a fretwork with 3/4" purpleheart, and no matter which speed or which blade I use, I cannot cut it without it burning. I've been cutting the interior holes with a #3 German blade.. I have no complaints with the blades, they go forever. Now I'm cutting the outside edge of the pattern with a #7 blade. I've tried different speeds, but this very hard wood always burns and smokes when it is being cut. Any comments and suggestions appreciated. Tnx. Trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 I've had some luck putting clear packing tape over the pattern. It cuts a bit cooler. I have the same problem with bloodwood so I just take my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolbeltman Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 Hi Trevor...I was cutting Tulip wood and had the same thing happen...I put on five layers of packing tape top and bottom, try not to have any wrinkles in the tape as it makes the wood wobble... it really helped...mabe the same thing would help on purpleheart... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 I never knew wood could be so hard .I wonder what the" flying dutchman" has to say about this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy chew Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 I use pack tape both side of work plus keep blade lube in reach ( honing side of blades will help too smooth the side a little. plus cut the back corner of the blade( round it off) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two saws Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 There is something about that wood that is next to impossable to cut with out burning! The only thing I have found that helps(but not elemenate) is to use a smaller blade #5 or #3 and slow the speed down to about half of what you would nomally use. Use packing tape first than painters tape on top of the clear packing tape. Follow all of the above tips and see if this helps. Also use a skip tooth blade with out the reverse part. The thickness of the wood you are using is going to make this even harder to control the burning! Good luck! Ervin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector01 Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 Looking back on my cheat sheet. I cut 1/2" purpleheart using a FD-PSR5 blade. I gave it an 8 out of 10 for cutting that type of wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PawPawRay Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 I just bought my first piece of purpleheart last wee and was glad to see this post before I started cutting otherwise I would have got full out on the speed. Thanks for the tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD Mike Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 Most have mentioned it by using tape. I don't know if more than one layer would help or not. I would rather put one layer on the front and on the back. Many are now using the blue painters tape on the wood with the pattern on top of that. Using a skip tooth over a double tooth would also help. I have a blade that has off-set teeth. That is the Polar blade. The draw back is that you might get fuzz on the bottom. Don't turn the speed down too much, you might start pushing too hard into the blade. The blade would start cutting with a bevel. Let the blade do the cutting they say. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbphotos Posted April 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Thanks for all the tips, guys! I'll take those into consideration next time I'm cutting purpleheart. Yes, that is one very hard wood, and heavy in weight also. Trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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