I built a Wee Lassie Two canoe last year and used purpleheart for some accent strips. I used narrow strip for the keel strip on the bottom of the boat. I also used purpleheart for my outer stems and I used a narrow piece for a center strip on my fore and aft decks....so...my boat has a dark line of purpleheart along its center. It worked OK and looks very nice. BUT, this stuff does not like to bend. I had to cut very thin pieces and laminate them up for the stems. I soaked them and steamed them somewhat and eventually got it done, but Ibroke many pieces and spent some time in the ol' moaning chair. This was my first experience with steam bending of any kind, so that may have been the reason for my frustrations. Epoxy glue would probably work better than wood glue.......this wood is very hard. The epoxy and glass seems to have adhered well, though I used only narrow strips......dunno how it would do over a large area. Be careful......judicial use of wood this hard next to soft cedar is advisable, so you don't have any hearaches when trying to fair and sand things. It is very pretty wood....very dark under the epoxy. I am glad I used it........but i don't think I'll bend it again. I've read in woodenboat where they use it quite frequently for large structural parts on Big wooden boats.....I guess its tough stuff. garland

> I am just in the very beginning stages of my first strip kayak--a
> guillemot that I have been lofting from Nick's excellent book. This
> bulletin board is great--if I can just remember all the good advice when I
> need it!

> I am fortunate to live in northern BC where I can get nice clear western
> red cedar in long pieces. I can also get some yellow cedar, which I would
> also like to use (the red I found is very uniform in colour).

> I would like to do some "pinstriping" in a dark colour and the
> wood that I am considering is purpleheart. Does anyone have any experience
> with this? Will it epoxy well? (I understand it scorns regular "white
> glue" and must be expoxied to the other strips). Will it bend readily
> or require steam?

> If this is not a good choice for feature, is somethings else? (I actually
> have some old mahogany shelves that are about to be sacrificed for the
> cockpit surround).

> Thanks