Question about purple heart

[Stephen Edwards]

I'm working with purple heart for the first time and have a question. The boards certainly are purple before I cut them. However, after sawing, planing, sanding, etc. they seem to lose a lot of the color. Then, after a few days exposed to the air, the color comes back. Is this normal with purple heart?

Also, any special tips for "bringing out" the purple color of the wood before or during the finishing process? Thanks for any info that anyone experienced with purple heart can offer.

[Travis Porter]

I have had the same experience with the color. I used purpleheart to wrap my bench and coated it with Tung oil. Nice color overall.

My only other comment about purpleheart is I get more small splinters from it than any other wood I have ever worked with.

[Stephen Edwards]

My only other comment about purpleheart is I get more small splinters from it than any other wood I have ever worked with.

Me too! My hands are full of splinters right now.

[John Michaels]

Purpleheart turns brown over time. I not sure there is a way to keep it purple. If you use a UV coating it will likely slow the process.

[Brian Kent]

Yup, splinters. If you can't find the splinter it will puff up and let you know where it is.:D

Yup, color changes from brown to purple in days, back to purple-brown in many months. Sand or steel-wool your workbench with annual maintenance and the purple pops back.

The grain changes direction a lot, so I only plane it with a high angle smoother.

And I love it.

[Jim Tobias]

This has been my experience with purpleheart. Fresh cut or sanded, it is brownish in color. Leave it in sunlight and air afterwards and it will turn bright purple. After finsihing it , keep it out of sunlight and it will keep a lot of its purple color. I have a picture frame that I made 5-6 years ago on a west wall (does not get direct sunlight) and it has remained almost totally purple in color and has not darkened very much.

Jim

[Lance Norris]

I always use a waterbased finish on Purpleheart. If you use an oilbased finish, It will turn a deep purple-red. I want the 'Cuda purple, and this helps. The waterbased I use is Minwax Polycrylic.

[Stephen Edwards]

I wonder if there is a purple wood dye that one could use that would help it maintain the purple color over time.

[Stephen Edwards]

I always use a waterbased finish on Purpleheart. If you use an oilbased finish, It will turn a deep purple-red. I want the 'Cuda purple, and this helps. The waterbased I use is Minwax Polycrylic.


Thanks Lance, I'll give that finish a try.

[Lance Norris]

I wonder if there is a purple wood dye that one could use that would help it maintain the purple color over time.

There are purple dyes. Im pretty sure the Grizzly catalog has them, and Im sure others do also. Grizzly has it for guitar bodies. I dont have an answer for you about this on purpleheart.

[Steve knight]

there is no one answer because there is no one purpleheart species. the one that turns brown when cut is the worst one about keeping it's color. it tends to turn brown again and oil can make it worse. the other main one turns a lighter shade of purple when cut and oiling it will make it turn purple right away or in a few days. it does not seem to change to brown at least from what I have seen.

[Mike Langford]

Like Jim T. said.....When you cut/machine it'll turn brown,just let it get some light and it'll turn back a vibrant purple. Once you finish it though....keep it away from light!

Here's a few pics of a purpleheart & maple chessboard I made for one of my sons....

While I was gluing it up it turned back bright purple....
86733 86734

After being run thru the drum sander it turned brown (note the purple mat under it ;))
86735 86736

Then after finishing (Formby's "tung" oil & wax) at certain angles it has a hint of red to it!
I didn't get to let the completed board "air" as long as I wanted (to bring back the bright purple) because it was a Christmas gift and I needed to get it finished and wrapped!:eek:
86737


I haven't seen it since mid January....I instructed my son to keep it away from direct exposure to sunlight....

[Stephen Edwards]

Thanks so much for the tutorial. For my application the reddish purple would be fine. The chest board looks great.

Thank you, too, Lance. I'll look into the purple dye from Grizzly.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, purpleheart is like that...quite nice in that respect.

As to the splinters, they can be nasty. But not as bad as wenge!