Purple heart wood

It is hard and tends to splinter easily. No special glue. Some folks are hyper sensitive to the dust but dust protection for any wood is always a good idea. Splinters in the fingers tend to get a reaction that can fester quickly. Very sharp tools for smooth cuts and good joinery are the order of the day. Also, don't expect it to stay purple. Exposure to sunlight will turn it brown. It is heavy which might affect your application. What did you plan to make with it?
 
As a center strip that will work well. Plan to turn the circle? That will be the easiest to get it all smooth. Purple heart is a bear with hand tools. And it will turn like concrete as well. Sharp, sharp tools. The surrounding wood will be much more easily worked, so be mindful of that to keep things flat across the surface.
 
The surrounding wood will be much more easily worked, so be mindful of that to keep things flat across the surface.

To elaborate on Carol's words; it is easy to get a rippled or irregular surface when you power-sand mixed materials that have a wide range of hardness. Just use a cork, felt or even a wood block and you'll be fine. If you have never had the experience of taking after something with a ROS only to end up with a surface that looks like wind-blown sand dunes, you haven't lived :D
 
I like purpleheart... I use it mostly in pepper mills and wine glass stems.... it does have a bit of a rough grain, so sharp tools if turning.... it will dull them quickly, so sharpen often... it sands okay, but will be rough... I've never gotten PH really really smooth in sanding.... also as said, watch the splinters. It will work up brown, but exposure to light will let it turn back purple.... I forget the word for it, but the wood is photo ---- something or other--- then over time it will brown out again, but usually takes a few years...
 
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