Ash and Purpleheart Traditional Tree

Traditional-style trees made from three woods glued into one blank: ash at the top and base, with a band of purpleheart through the middle. They’re 15.5cm tall and 4.5cm across at the widest, with slight variations in shape from one tree to the next.

An ash and purpleheart traditional tree, with pale ash at the tip and base and deep purple boughs between

This was my first attempt at combining different woods in a single blank. The timber came from Dalmann UK, part of a selection of blanks I bought recently, and I glued two pieces of ash either side of a piece of purpleheart. I made these alongside my other compound pieces, the knob thorn, African rosewood and ash trees.

The glued-up blanks before turning, ash either side of purpleheart, with the knob thorn, African rosewood and ash blank beneath

Both ash and purpleheart are quite hard, so they took a while to turn. Because of the way the blank was glued up, I was turning across the grain, more like a bowl than a true spindle, and it took a lot of patience to finish.

Three blanks turned to cylinders, showing the purpleheart band and the ash grain either side

Purpleheart doesn’t start out purple. Freshly cut, it’s a dull brown, and the colour develops as the wood is exposed to air and light. Over many years in direct sunlight it slowly darkens towards brown again.

Two compound trees side by side: an ash and purpleheart tree on the right, and the knob thorn, African rosewood and ash tree on the left

Finished with chestnut friction polish, which did a great job. The ash in particular almost glows.