Michael Armstrong
07-30-2012, 9:24 PM
I haven't been turning much lately as I've been working on ripping out carpet and underlay in preparation for hardwood flooring going down in August. I finally did get to spend some time in the shop and these are what came of that time.
These are purple sputnik sea urchin shells and the first features bloodwood accents and rosewood finials. The second is purpleheart that I fumed with HCl and then neutralized with a baking soda solution. I finished both with a waterborne lacquer. The bottom finial on the purpleheart ornament has taken on a real blue cast. I know that that blue cast is characteristic of waterborne finishes but none of the other parts of the 2 ornaments show it. I'm not sure if the problem resulted from not neutralizing that finial enough before applying the lacquer or if it just happens to be thicker coats.
One thing I found out during this process is when a base like baking soda comes in contact with natural purpleheart (i.e. unfumed) it turns the wood green.
Thanks for looking.
Michael
These are purple sputnik sea urchin shells and the first features bloodwood accents and rosewood finials. The second is purpleheart that I fumed with HCl and then neutralized with a baking soda solution. I finished both with a waterborne lacquer. The bottom finial on the purpleheart ornament has taken on a real blue cast. I know that that blue cast is characteristic of waterborne finishes but none of the other parts of the 2 ornaments show it. I'm not sure if the problem resulted from not neutralizing that finial enough before applying the lacquer or if it just happens to be thicker coats.
One thing I found out during this process is when a base like baking soda comes in contact with natural purpleheart (i.e. unfumed) it turns the wood green.
Thanks for looking.
Michael