Purpleheart Question ?

[owen bowen]

I was given a purpleheart board and was planning on using it in a couple segmented pieces. I know when it's first machined it's a duller grey color. Is there a time frame that works best when dealing with this . Will it regain its color after finishing , or is there an amount of time required for the best color to return? It seems quite hard and brittle (like ash) how is it to work with. Any help would make things easier and save some wasted time and wood.
Thanks

[robert hainstock]

Owen, I have some 4qtr 36 in pieces that I bought many years ago. They have maintained excellant color for many years in the rack with no finish. The walking stick that I made with some of it has more of a red/brown tinge than anything else., with poly on it. There may be a finish that will alow the color to remain, but I do not know what it might be. I have expierenced no oxidation on the bare wood. You might try some sample finishes for best color. :eek::):)
Bob

[Tony Joyce]

will give you most of the bright purple color back. The more sunlight it gets the quicker it turns. I'm told over a period of time(years) it will turn brownish. I've had some that was turned a least a couple of years ago and it still has good color. It started out grayish and turned(after exposure to sunlight) to a nice purple. I have read that there are three or more types of purpleheart and it all doesn't change the same. I work part-time for a lumber dealer, sometimes what we dress has good color as soon as it is dressed, sometimes not so good. So I'm inclined to think it's not all the same.

Tony Joyce

PS: Finishing doesn't seem to have an effect on the color change.

[David Drickhamer]

I've used purple heart for pens, bowls and a few boxes and never had problems with the color coming back. It usually took about a week or so. The finishes I've used are a friction finish or CA/BLO on pens and small turnings and BLO on bowls. Some projects I've just buffed them and used paste wax.
The color changes back faster if left in the sun.
Purple heart is nice to work with and machines well.
To be on the safe side why not wait until the color comes back before putting a finish on your project.
Hope this helps.
Dave

[Larry Marley]

I agree with the previous comments.
here are two pictures, one before and one after,
I turned this purple heart bowl and left it on the lathe for a week before turning off the base, when I first finished the bowl the top had a one week head start on turning purple. The second picture is about a week later after getting some sun.

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[Jerry Rhoads]

I heard that the male tree stays purple a lot better than the female tree.
When I look for purple heart at the lumber yard and it looks brown, I don,t get it.
But if it looks purple in the semi dark lumber building, I get it, even if I still have some. Seems to stay purple.

Jerry

[Jason Hallowell]

Purpleheart is naturally brown, but turns purple with exposure to UV rays, or heat. Exposing it to heat (baking on low temp for example) is harder to control, but the color gained will last longer than with UV exposure. Over time, after many cycles of dulling, and rebrightening from UV rays, the chemicals that create the reaction will become worn out, and it will slowly turn a purplish, brownish grey.

Purpleheart is also sensitive to PH balance, and will turn a cranberry red color pemanently when fumed with strong acids. I've found wiping it down with lime juice to work fairly well also, and it's much safer than fuming using dangerous acids.