A very nice find

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

I went to the Oak fair today. My first time there and it won't be my last, a thoroughly enjoyable day out. One of the stands had a box with odd and ends in it with a donation going to the air ambulance. So I had a root through and came up with 2 bowl blanks, one in Zebrano about 8" diameter and the other about 4" diameter which on first inspection I thought was Purple Heart. So the air ambulance won and so did I. There was something nagging in the back of my mind about the Purple Heart blank, a vibrant colour purple, the weight, a bit more than I thought it should be and the size, I have never seen a 4" PH blank before. So I investigated when I got home, turns out it is Ekki. The only other piece of Ekki I have worked was a 2" square piece that I eventually turned into a box, so quite chuffed with myself now.

[seventhdevil]

I've got Ekki if you are interested?
 


Ekki is not a vibrant purple colour. are you sure it's Ekki?

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Steve according to the wood data base it is Ekki. It may have been vibrant because of the sunlight, probably more of a purplish brown. I also have another piece of Ekki in the workshop and they do match. I suppose turning is is the best way to find out. Life can be so hard at times.

[seventhdevil]

it was the "vibrant" word that threw me to be fair. i've only seen it as a reddish brown but i have on occasion seen a purple tinge in it and sunlight can bring that out.

what will you make from it?


as i say, i've got ekki going spare if you are interested from an old road bridge. bits about 7" square.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Actually a "purplish tinge" would have been a better description. I'm not sure what I will make from it as yet. I have to spend a couple of days knocking out some bowls soon so it might be a bowl but I would like to use it for something different.Shame to waste a nice piece of wood like that on a 4" bowl.

[seventhdevil]

bowls are not the best thing to make from ekki in my opinion as it's such a tough timber you get too many cracks and little splits to really make it worthwhile trying to find a bit that is clean enough.

it's best used for things like hammers truncheons or generall spindle work but the occasional base could be made i suppose.

this pestle and mortar is the biggest thing i've ever made from ekki.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

That's the wood without a doubt. Thanks for posting Steve