Purpleheart color

[Matt Murphy]

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

I have been making some ornaments with purpleheart. I have been researching all over on how to bring out the purple color. I have seen a lot of people using heat, others using UV lights, and others using the sun and acetone.

My question is: how have you gotten the color to come out and what finish did you use to keep the color?

On a side note. I use key chain kits instead of Ornament kits. I give them as gifts so this keeps the cost down. This year I also used them as little urns. Adding the ashes before pressing together.

[Randy Heinemann]

I can't directly answer your question but all the purple heart I've incorporated in projects has turned more brown over time; some more some not as much. That's just the natural change of purple heart that occurs over time. Just as cherry becomes darker and likely redder over time. Maybe it could be slowed down by using a finish with UV additives but I don't believe it can be stopped.

[Brian Tymchak]

I'm certainly no expert about purpleheart, but I thought fresh cut PH would turn purple on its own within a day or 2. Are you trying to accelerate that process?

[Matt Murphy]

I have used it several times now and It has only ever been brown for me. Might have started purple but always went brown when working it and staying that way.

[Matt Murphy]

I am not wanting to accelerate it per se. More of being able to do it at any time of the year. Right now, sunlight is not available very much. Right now I came up with a Christmas gift idea and wanted that purple color. I did this a few days ago. The flash brought out a little color but not even close enough.

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This is a handle for a wax seal. The original handle was too little and my MIL would never be able to use it.

[Peter White]

Put item outside in the daylight it changes back to purple.

[John K Jordan]

I have been making some ornaments with purpleheart. I have been researching all over on how to bring out the purple color.

Matt,

Maybe check this Wood Database article: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/

I did some long term experiments once and from that it appeared that any kind of light accelerated the initial change from brown to purple. Direct sunlight worked the quickest, perhaps because of the UV? I suspected oxygen in the air may have helped, since some samples in a dark place changed on surfaces in the air and not on the side that stayed against the shelf. There is room for more experimentation.

Note that in the long run there is not much you can do to keep the color in the long term, perhaps slow down the change some. .
Perhaps check this Wood Database article: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/
Some turners I know use dye to keep the color in various woods

As the illustration in the article shows, purple heart GENERALLY starts out brown when cut then changes to purple, then back to brown eventually.

That said, there are different types of purple heart. Years ago I got some from a gentleman that behaved differently. It was a fantastic purple inside the moment it was cut and so far it has stayed purple, just darkened a bit. I made some magic wands from it with shellac-based friction polish and after about four years I can't detect any color change. The guy told me this purple heart was from Mexico instead of South America, but I don't know how he knew.

BTW. the late Jim King, an exotic wood exporter from Peru told me that they didn't understand the attraction of purple heart. In his part of the world it is extremely plentiful. They use it for construction lumber, for floor joists and such!

JKJ

[Matt Murphy]

Matt,

Maybe check this Wood Database article: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/

I did some long term experiments once and from that it appeared that any kind of light accelerated the initial change from brown to purple. Direct sunlight worked the quickest, perhaps because of the UV? I suspected oxygen in the air may have helped, since some samples in a dark place changed on surfaces in the air and not on the side that stayed against the shelf. There is room for more experimentation.

Note that in the long run there is not much you can do to keep the color in the long term, perhaps slow down the change some. .
Perhaps check this Wood Database article: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/
Some turners I know use dye to keep the color in various woods

As the illustration in the article shows, purple heart GENERALLY starts out brown when cut then changes to purple, then back to brown eventually.

That said, there are different types of purple heart. Years ago I got some from a gentleman that behaved differently. It was a fantastic purple inside the moment it was cut and so far it has stayed purple, just darkened a bit. I made some magic wands from it with shellac-based friction polish and after about four years I can't detect any color change. The guy told me this purple heart was from Mexico instead of South America, but I don't know how he knew.

BTW. the late Jim King, an exotic wood exporter from Peru told me that they didn't understand the attraction of purple heart. In his part of the world it is extremely plentiful. They use it for construction lumber, for floor joists and such!

JKJ

Thank you for the information. I will look at this and post my progress.

[John Ziebron]

A timely question as I just had this one myself about a week ago for making some finials for ornaments out of purpleheart. Research showed several methods and the one I chose was to bake the blanks at 350 degrees for 90 minutes. The blanks I was using were a little over 3/4 square and the purple color was even all the way to the center.

Almost anything you put on for a finish will darken the shade though. But for ornaments which generally will have limited exposure I expect the color to stay for years.

[Don Orr]

I knew a turner many years ago that fumed purple heart with muriatic acid and it made it deep, dark purple that lasted for several years. Exercise extreme caution if you do this.

[Stan Calow]

Sounds like a good topic for research and a magazine article. I had always heard it would turn brown over time and there was nothing you could do about it.

[John K Jordan]

Here's an interesting pic in the Wood Database article on preventing color change in exotic wood that I posted earlier:

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https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/

JKJ