WTH; stinky purple heart?

[Mike Mecredy]

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?

[rmorris]

Never had the smell, but it has ruined every blade it has ever touched around my shop. That is why I hate PH

[GREG IN MALAD]

I've never had purpleheart smell like that but shedua sure smells like a pig farm.

[Bel007]

rancid (oxidized) oils?

[Troy Breeding]

The Red Elm I've been working with also smells like a pig pen.

[Mike Mecredy]

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.

[DVSHUNTER]

It smells like urine everytime I use it Mike. Kinda like oak can smell. I chalk it up to hazards of the hobby.

[Mike Mecredy]

This was the first stinkin' piece I've had.  In the past I didn't notice it.

[DVSHUNTER]

Maybe you smelt so bad in the past you couldn't notice it.     maybe more regular showers    
 I try to bath at least everytime it rains, sometimes more often like when swimming in local creeks and ponds. Hope that helps.

[GREG IN MALAD]

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.

[DVSHUNTER]

[GreenMtnBoy69]

PH definitely stinks more often than not-it has a natural bug repellant in the cells.

[Sam Harper]

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.

[Sixby]

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

[Sam Harper]

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.