Replies

1. 
   Pondfish | Nov 30, 2004 06:29am | #1

   A varnish with a UV blocker will help slow, but not stop the color change. Color changes tend to be due to a combination of oxidation and UV damage.  It's hard to seal out both...

   I haven't worked with purpleheart, but some other colored tropical hardwoods have a nasty habit of bleeding those colors.  I tried using Paduak plugs in a maple cutting board, and got some red streaking into the maple when using an oil/varnish/ms finish. You might want to check this before going with purpleheart. 

   Anpther option that would reduce the chance of fading and bleeding would be to dye maple pegs with a fade-resistant dye.  You could have purple without the hearbreak of purpleheart....

   Paul

    

2. 
   joelc | Nov 30, 2004 07:52am | #2

   I built a small table using purple heart and maple.  The purple heart didn't bleed into the maple.  I just used a poly tung oil finish and the color is vibrant 3 years later (although I wouldn't use poly tung oil on a cutting board).

1. 
   Rich14 | Nov 30, 2004 10:44am | #3

   This kind of discussion recurs several times a year. Some people build a piece of purpleheart or padauk and happily report that the brilliant, just-finished color has survived for x number of years in their environment. They have used this finish or that, treated the wood with Armor-All or some other UV-retardant.Others report that their pretty orange or purple wood turns a uniform, dark, maroon-brown no matter what they do to try to stop the change, including the measures used by the successful few.I once bought a UV-blocking potion from The Lumber Lady when I bought a supply of padauk. "No guarantees," was the disclaimer on the phone, "but every customer I've sold this to reports success."Alas, it was useless. All my beautiful padauk turned a featureless brown, as usual, as it did for every woodworker I've ever known who's worked with it or purple heart. Yes, keeping it away from light as much as possible helps, barely.Someday, maybe someone will figure out why there are a few isolated successes. Something like the mystery in the "Andromeda Strain." What is the common thread in the cases that don't "die?"I love padauk. I think it's one of the most beautiful woods in existence. I love its grain, color, open pores, the way it works, the way it takes a polish. If someone could find a way to stabilize its color . . . ! Now purpleheart, that's a different story. No wood should be that color!Purpleheart and padauk (as do many other woods) respond to light, oxygen and other compounds in the atmosphere. Their pigments are not stable and eventually oxidize to a drab, dark color. There is no stopping it, only slowing it down. And for most people, the "grace period" is weeks, not months or years.Rich

1. 
   UncleDunc | Nov 30, 2004 09:56pm | #5

   >> Something like the mystery in the "Andromeda Strain." What is the common thread in
   >> the cases that don't "die?"That's it!! Drink Sterno or bawl like a baby 24 hours a day and your purpleheart won't turn brown.

1. 
   bobpowers | Nov 30, 2004 10:17pm | #6

   Thanks all for the advice, comments, etc. My plan is only to use about a 1/4" insert of purpleheart in the handles, so if it doesn't keep its color, the sun will still probably come up in the East. (Presuming it comes up!)

1. 
   P3Driver | Dec 01, 2004 05:09am | #7

   About 10 years ago, I finished the purpleheart top to a writing bench using a Barkley's Gel product.  I believe it was a gel polyurethane.  It has retained its deep purple color to this day.  Remember, any time you cut, plane, or sand purpleheart, it will turn brown.  Let it stand for about a week and the color will return.  I've found that the longer it stands, the darker the purple.

    

2. 
   derekb | Dec 01, 2004 05:25pm | #8

   Where do you get this "purpleheart" from?  The material I have has never turned Brown. 

    

   Derek

2. 
   bones | Dec 02, 2004 12:03am | #9

   That was a cool movie, and no real gore, either.

3. 
   derekb | Nov 30, 2004 08:03pm | #4

   I built a serving tray from purpleheart. (don't use purpleheart for such projects, it weighs more than the food on the tray) I finished it with mineral oil and then a brush on Poly.  It has a beautiful Purple glow.  Very very dark.  The lumber was a few years old when I built and I have had the tray for three years now and still no fading.  Not sure if Can atribute this to the finish or not.  Just my experience with it.

   Derek

4. 
   S2006 | Dec 02, 2004 01:52am | #10

   Bob,
   Some of purple hearts color comes from oxidation (unlike padauk where freshest looks best). Then over the years things turn to grey-brown, like the rest of the world.

   If well dusted before applying finish it should not bleed.

   When in doubt, spray a light first coat and let it set up well before continuing.

   SVENZO