# Purple Gidgee



## Damienw (Oct 27, 2014)

Having done a search on here and not found any results for it, i thought i'd share some pics of one of the less well known and rather rare Australian Acacias that comes up from time to time.

I'm not certain whether this is Acacia crombiei or Acacia carneorum, but either way, they're both rare, and are both quite special.

As far as i'm aware, regardless of which species it is, its also quite special and unusual in that its pink/purple colour isn't known for fading, and additionally isn't particularly oily (unlike rosewoods) so wiping it down with alcohol doesn't tend to wash out the colours in the darker patches or stain the lighter ones too much either.

The redder pics are it with a thin coat of alcohol spread over it, likewise, the darker ones are it raw. Colours are very accurate.

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 2


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## SENC (Oct 27, 2014)

Very cool and beautiful stuff!!


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## JR Custom Calls (Oct 27, 2014)

Kind of resembles desert ironwood. cool stuff

Reactions: Agree 1


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## barry richardson (Oct 27, 2014)

Pretty stuff!


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## Molokai (Oct 27, 2014)

In my piece the purplish left in the sun turns to brownish. I have left it in the sun for one monthish.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Oct 27, 2014)

cool wood thanks for sharing!


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## phinds (Oct 27, 2014)

The only piece I have is brown. I have no idea if it was that color when cut. Incredibly hard/dense stuff though .Takes a shine like glass.

My notes on it say "The wood is coloured green when cut and changes to brown as it dries. When the brown heartwood is exposed to the light it slowly turns purple." Is that in line with your experience, Damien? Molokai certainly experienced the reverse and the fact that my piece is now brown tends to support his experience, not my notes.


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## Damienw (Oct 27, 2014)

phinds said:


> The only piece I have is brown. I have no idea if it was that color when cut. Incredibly hard/dense stuff though .Takes a shine like glass.
> 
> My notes on it say "The wood is coloured green when cut and changes to brown as it dries. When the brown heartwood is exposed to the light it slowly turns purple." Is that in line with your experience, Damien? Molokai certainly experienced the reverse and the fact that my piece is now brown tends to support his experience, not my notes.



Mine was that it starts out green but turns purple within a week of being cut, though if you happen to overheat it by accident it takes on a permanent brownish colour.
The purple comes back (albeit more slowly), but instead of being green and purple it'll be brownish purple with splotches of green.

It seems that sunlight plays a part in turning it purple too, as well as exposure to air, and another piece i've had for quite some time has stayed purple after being left in a sunny spot for almost a year now.


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## phinds (Oct 27, 2014)

Well at least all sources seem to agree that it starts out green and doesn't stay green


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## Damienw (Oct 27, 2014)

phinds said:


> Well at least all sources seem to agree that it starts out green and doesn't stay green


For the most part it doesnt...but it doesn't turn completely purple either...its sort of a patchy greenish brown/purple mix


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## Damienw (Oct 27, 2014)

That said, i have to add that most of my personal experience with both species comes from a tiny handful of small pieces, so its by no means a hard and fast rule...just a record of what my pieces have done.


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## phinds (Oct 27, 2014)

Damienw said:


> That said, i have to add that most of my personal experience with both species comes from a tiny handful of small pieces, so its by no means a hard and fast rule...just a record of what my pieces have done.


fair enough ... I've only got the one piece that a friend brought over from Australia for me.


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## Molokai (Oct 28, 2014)

I believe @bench1holio has some experience with purple gidgee


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## bench1holio (Oct 28, 2014)

Molokai said:


> I believe @bench1holio has some experience with purple gidgee


 
Hey Tom, I've turned a fair bit of Acacia crombiei, it starts out "yellowygreenybrowny" but oxidises with air/sunlight to a deep purply red.
The small amount of Acacia carneorum I have was already a deep purple when I got it.

Reactions: Like 2


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