Help Needed with Purple Heart

[8ball]

I am currently building a coffee table from Birdseye maple and Purpleheart, can someone help me with the finish to use, I do not want the purpleheart to turn brown , but bring out the color yet have good protection from water/ wear protection.

[PAH1]

Actually the problem you will have is the reverse. Purple heart darkens with age and becomes a deep almost black colour. I advocate oil/ wax finishes simply because they do take some water dmage, if you clean them straight away they are fine and are easily repaired. Varnishes/poly etc can not claim to be easily repaired .

[AlexS]

PAH1 is correct. It starts brown and turns purple, deepening with age. I've used Kunos oil & traditional wax on it successfully.

[8ball]

I realize it starts out brown when you first sand it, but it turns purple within a few days of sunlight. Wont the browning from an oil be permanent?

[ryanarcher]

Actually to my knowledge (from "understanding wood") purpleheart starts out brown when you cut it and turns purple as it oxidises. Though as Alex says it deepens with age, it will return to brown if left in the sun. therefore, look for a finish with a UV inhibitor in it.

[Greg Q]

Gretings 8ball...

My Dad made a similar project years ago and used thinned out spar varnish (maybe Valspar brand, I can't recall). This is basically wiping varnish-since its winter time there you might want to experiment with a faster thinner than turpentine-you wouldn't want to have to put up with that smell for days while it cured.

The varnish he used had a high UV rating, and the table was still purple
20 years later.

As a matter of fact, the November issue of "Popular Woodworking" has an article on wiping varnishes.

Hope this helps...

Greg

[Phil Mailloux]

I built an electric bass with purpleheart in it and used nitro-cellulose lacquer as a finish.
The lacquer "locked in" the color of the purpleheart, even now 6 months later the color hasn't changed. Just make sure the purpleheart has oxidised to the color you really want it before you lacqer it. After that its too late as I've noticed myself

[8ball]

Well all , after not much in replies, and sending an email to General Finishes, they told me to use urethane, but they did not have a product that had UV inhibitors in it for me. I found a product called WoodTuff thats primarilly used for floors that I can put a catalyst in to harden , has uv inhibitors and they claim works like the best thing since white bread.

Anyone with experience?
If not , ill let you know how it goes when it gets here.

8

[8ball]

Well all , after not much in replies, and sending an email to General Finishes, they told me to use urethane, but they did not have a product that had UV inhibitors in it for me. I found a product called WoodTuff thats primarilly used for floors that I can put a catalyst in to harden , has uv inhibitors and they claim works like the best thing since white bread.

Anyone with experience?
If not , ill let you know how it goes when it gets here.

8[/quote]

[Shedhand]

Well all , after not much in replies, and sending an email to General Finishes, they told me to use urethane, but they did not have a product that had UV inhibitors in it for me. I found a product called WoodTuff thats primarilly used for floors that I can put a catalyst in to harden , has uv inhibitors and they claim works like the best thing since white bread.

Anyone with experience?
If not , ill let you know how it goes when it gets here.

8

I found this on a site discussing various hard timbers.

"Purpleheart wood can be made to become a darker shade of purple in two ways. One by placing it in direct sunlight, and this will only darken the color superficially. It can be sanded off very easily. Two by heating it, at say 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 - 12 minutes. This will darken the color, not only on the surface but also throughout the whole piece."

Have no idea if it works. But it sounds as though you can darken and "set" the purple.

[AlexS]

I pegged some unfinished purpleheart shavings out in the sun for several months as a test, they didn't go brown, just a darker purple. I think if your table is going to be inside and not in direct sunlight, you shouldn't have any problems with it going brown with an oil finish.

[8ball]

Well, that did nothing , jut made it open up the cracks ,


Fresh baked purple heart anyone?

[Shedhand]

Well, that did nothing , jut made it open up the cracks ,


Fresh baked purple heart anyone?

Try this site 8Ball

http://www.exotichardwoods-southamer...urpleheart.htm

Cheers

[Shedhand]

I built an electric bass with purpleheart in it and used nitro-cellulose lacquer as a finish.
The lacquer "locked in" the color of the purpleheart, even now 6 months later the color hasn't changed. Just make sure the purpleheart has oxidised to the color you really want it before you lacqer it. After that its too late as I've noticed myself

g'day Phil
Any idea where I can get some purple heart, say enough for a couple of jewellry boxes?
Cheers

[Phil Mailloux]

Depends where you are

I bought mine in Amsterdam when I lived there but I don't think that's the answer you want

I found some at "Teak and Fancy Timbers" on the Gold Coast.