Purpleheart

[Chris Lee]

i remember reading somewhere about how to make purpleheart more purple but I can't find it. I thought it was something about sitting it in the sun but not sure. I turned a bowl that was a decent color of purple and now it is more like a light grey/purple.

Any advice?

Chris

[Wolf Kiessling]

i remember reading somewhere about how to make purpleheart more purple but I can't find it. I thought it was something about sitting it in the sun but not sure. I turned a bowl that was a decent color of purple and now it is more like a light grey/purple.

Any advice?

Chris


No advice but will congratulate you on being lucky the bowl still has some purple color to it. Give it enough time and it should turn brown......

If I'm wrong, someone correct me please...

[Greg Tatum]

I don't know what will make it more purple but I do know that UV will turn it brown....keep it out of the sun. A finish with UV inhibitors will help some...might try a purple or magenta/purple dye on some scrap and set it in direct sunlight with and w/o finish. Good luck either way.

Regards,
Greg

[Kenneth Hertzog]

I read in a wood magazine that holding purpleheart over muradic ? acid (the fumes) would turn the wood a more cranberry color. I have NOT tried this nor do I intend on doing so. I do not wish to breath any fumes from acid. I believe it was in WOOD magazine that I read this in. This article was about turned pen blanks and losing the color. Please be very carful if trying this and above all adhear to ALL safety precautions. It is an acid.

[Royce Meritt]

i remember reading somewhere about how to make purpleheart more purple but I can't find it. I thought it was something about sitting it in the sun but not sure. I turned a bowl that was a decent color of purple and now it is more like a light grey/purple.

Any advice?

Chris

I've worked with a lot of purpleheart. In my experience, it does turn more of a brownish color after cutting, planing, sanding, etc. but the purple color will come back in a short time.

[Mark Kelly]

I turned a small mallet with a purpleheart head. It turned purplish-brown and then I sat it in the sun for a short time and then covered it in BLO. It is a dark, deep purple now. The end grain is actually getting close to black!

[Edward Orecchio]

There was an article, I believe, in Popular Woodworker by M Dresner the finishing expert within the last year,. about restoring the color to purpleheart. I belive he said that after cutting DON'T sand and finish the article but let it sit in the light for a few days which restores the color then sand and finish. Check the reference to be sure.
Ed