Replies

1. 
   JackLindsey | Apr 09, 2003 10:38am | #1

   I raised this same question several months ago and got little response. Then talked to a friend who has been using purpleheart for many, many years. He recommended shellac. I tried it and so far it looks good. Takes quite a few coats, though. I've put on five, and plan to do another four or five as soon as the current project is completed. On the bright side it dries rapidly so you can apply several coats the same day.

1. 
   WorkshopJon | Apr 09, 2003 02:18pm | #2

   "I raised this same question several months ago and got little response."

   I guess that means nobody the answer to that one. My advice is to do some experimentation on your own with a variety of finishes, which you seem to have started doing. Then after a while, post your findings here.

   Jon

2. 
   jonweis59923 | Apr 09, 2003 06:38pm | #3

   R13...

   I've had great success using Watco Natural on Purpleheart.  I have used this wood for several fences and other items in my shop as well as several furniture projects.  The shop items have only got the watco while the furniture received watco and both poly and or lacquer finishes and all continue to have the deep rich purple color after almost 4 years.  I do understand that keeping pieces out of direct exposure to sunlight also serves to preserve the color.

   Hope this helps,

   Jon

   "Knot's to you"

   http://www.wood-workers.com/~jonweis

1. 
   rickles13 | Apr 09, 2003 07:42pm | #4

   Thanks for that info Jon, do you mean put poly (water-based?) or lacquer over the watco.

   I love using watco because its so foolproof.

   Thanks again, I will try the watco

   R13

1. 
   jonweis59923 | Apr 09, 2003 11:45pm | #7

   R13...

   I much prefer lacquer but I have in fact used poly too.  As long as you give sufficient time for the watco to dry (i.e. no sign of smell or odor of the watco) even water based poly should be ok.

   Jon

   "Knot's to you"

   http://www.wood-workers.com/~jonweis

3. 
   BobHubbard | Apr 09, 2003 08:21pm | #5

   I have heard that "Amour-all" will hold the color.  I haven't tried it, but I am working on a project with Purple Heart and thinking about trying this because the project will be subject to sun light.

1. 
   rickles13 | Apr 10, 2003 01:15am | #8

   I want to thank everyone for the input, I've also have heard about using armorall as a base coat and wondered if that meant the same stuff you use to make you tires and dash shine?

   does that stuff ever dry?

   anyway... thanks again for all the help.

   R13

4. 
   Jimma | Apr 09, 2003 09:45pm | #6

   You can just use an aerosol can of lacquer such as Deft or other brands without a spray booth (assuming a smallish work piece). I use a fair amount of purpleheart (Splintie on this website uses a lot) and have been able to keep the color for a year or more with a variety of finishes, including plain ol' wax.

5. 
   Kunzwerks | Apr 10, 2003 04:19am | #9

   I must be missing something on this discussion. This has not been my experience in working with purpleheart wood.

   The purple color is a result of a chemical reaction with constituents in the wood to oxygen. When several boards have been stacked together the surfaces in the middle boards are brownish in color, whereas the top and sides of the stack show a nice purple color. This is because the freshly milled wood is naturally brownish in color and turns purple when exposed to air. The store that you purchase purpleheart from may only have a few boards in stock and of course they're all nice and purple in color from being exposed to air.

   There is no need to provide an impenetrable finish to "protect" from fading. The color doesn't fade as in some other types of wood, such as, juniper. Leaving your finished project/piece exposed to air for a couple of weeks prior to any surface finish will ensure the most color change to purple. Then choose the finish you wish, it doesn't matter as far as color change is concerned. Some of the previous posts bear this out. Finishes range from wax to oil to lacquer, all with nice purple color retention. Hope this helps.

   Edited 4/9/2003 9:24:21 PM ET by Kunzwerks

   
   

   ---

   Edited 4/9/2003 9:26:46 PM ET by Kunzwerks

1. 
   FordPrefect | Apr 11, 2003 04:19pm | #12

   A gentle hand with a propane torch will also change the colour to purple.

   Peter

6. 
   Wateren | Apr 10, 2003 04:56am | #10

   R13:

   Purpleheart: Brown when fresh-cut, develops nice purple colour, fades to brown later.

   Earlier this year this came up at least twice in other threads. In one of those discussions I suggested lacquer would keep the purple, but was corrected by a much more experienced poster, and this has since been confirmed by the knowledgeable folks at my local lumberyard. I have never kept it around long enough to confirm or deny, have I had the focus needed to test finishes.

   Summary: there's no way to keep it from going brown again.

   Look here for one of the earlier threads:

   http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-knots&msg=9961.1

   Cheers,

   Chris

7. 
   CJohn | Apr 10, 2003 05:30am | #11

   Made a project out of purple heart over a year ago and I used MinWax Antique Oil. It has had partial sunlight and after a year it lost some of it's color. A light recoating has restored it's full color.

8. 
   Clay | Apr 12, 2003 11:03pm | #13

   Gee guys I gotta say that I have a nice piece of 8/4 purpleheart that is at least ten years old (unfinished) still purple and purple all the way through.  I've made a few small items from it and finished them thinly with polyurethane and they are still purple too.  I have found redheart to have a fugitive color though.

1. 
   GrouchieGrum | Apr 14, 2003 07:54pm | #14

   I have been doing a lot of research lately, and thought I might add in a couple of points from said research. Note:Most research comes from the book Understanding Wood Finishes by Bob Flexner... Anyways...

   Shellac is a good water vapor inhibitor(e.g.- helps reduce expansion and contraction), and has lasting affects. Shellac is also a good barrier coat and sealer coat, and if you get a non wax'd version of shellac, it also has excellent adhering abilities for other finish products such as lacquer, varnishes, etc... Shellac does have a short shelf life though, so be wary of that....

   Lacquer, if you have the ability to apply it, is very easy to apply(fast drying), and has high clarity and depth. Lacquer also has excellent rubbing capabilities. Some of my reading has listed Lacquer finishes as being damageable from extended contact with plastic materials.

   Varnishes(including polyurethane) have excellent heat, water, solvent, and chemical resistance, but are slow curing, and some have a tendency to yellow over time...

   I believe, the arm-R-all product might be something different than the leather/vinyl protector we all know... here is a link to a product called Arm-R Seal, maybe it is a similar product? http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/showdetl.cfm?offerings_id=5339&objectgroup_id=315&catid=53&DID=6

   I think in the end, you might consider a combination of 1-2 of the different finish products out there to maximize your results.... Everything I have read has led me to believe that you can combine finishes for maximum gain... seems like a win-win situation.

   End Note: I dont know everything about finishes, in fact the opposite is true.. The above findings are from my research... I hope some people find them informative, and PLEASE, if anything I have stated above is untrue, please let me know...