What finish would you pro’s recommend for a small Purpleheart box? I would prefer the color not change – – we will keep it away from direct sunlight.
Discussion Forum
Get It All!
UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month.
Start Your Free TrialCategories
Discussion Forum
Digital Plans Library
Member exclusive! – Plans for everyone – from beginners to experts – right at your fingertips.
Highlights
-
Shape Your Skills
when you sign up for our emails
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. -
Shop Talk Live Podcast -
Our favorite articles and videos -
E-Learning Courses from Fine Woodworking
-
-
Replies
Hi Ray,
That's a rather open-ended question. And while it's important to consider the species when selecting a finishing, it's not the only thing to be considered:
What kind of appearance is important to you?
What kind of finishing experience and equipment do you have?
How much effort are you willing to expend?
Any concerns about durability, or are aesthetic considerations more important to you?
Are you concerned about VOCs, sensitive to the fragrances emitted by solvent-based finishes?
Sawdust in your shoes,
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I'm just looking for a finish that will give some protection to the color, don't care what it is (small quantities). My wife picked out the wood & I have to live with the choice. The box will be a dovetailed "pencil box" type container to hold her knitting needles.
Most of my projects have been finished with Danish oil or stain & poly, but I'll tackle anything :-)
Edited 8/21/2005 9:38 pm ET by Ray
Ray,
I'll be curious to see if anybody has found anything that preserves the purple color. I've used this wood in many projects over the years and have finished it with oils, polyurethane, shellac and wax. Nothing that I have found has preserved the color over time. All look good for awhile, even a few years but then it mellows to almost a brown color. There will be a hint of purple in the color but eventually it turns predominantly brown.
When you cut the wood put it out in direct sunlight for a few hours and you'll be surprised how much it brings out the color. Keeping that color is another problem.
Thanks, I was afraid of that.
Hi Ray,
Twenty-five years ago I made a purpleheart jewelry box for my (now ex) wife. I finished it in hand-rubbed tung oil. Back then you actually poured the oil into the palm of your bare hand and rubbed it into the wood generating heat from friction, helping to polymerize the finish. Now, of course, rideing bareback is frowned upon (in so many things...). But I digress.
Within five years the wood had lost its plum color and looked like kinda grey-brown so-so mahogany. I thought about stripping it and refinishing. For our tenth aniversary I took the finish off, sanded it and some of the purple color was refreshed, but unbeknownst to anybody but you and me and now everybody else on the forum I dyed the wood with wood dye (aniline or metal acid, I can't remember which). Then refinished.
Reports are that it is still purple. Cheating I know, dishonerable maybe...
I have heard that marine varnishes with UV inhibiters will prolong the inevitable.
But you might consider just not worrying about it. As the years go by, the fresh blush of youth fades and the inner beauty is revealed. In life, in people and in woodworking.
Side note: If you make your wife a jewelry box, it is probably wise to put something in it from time to time...sigh.
Best Regards,
David C
David,
Thanks for that advice, I've finished several pieces in the same manner. Think I'll just do it that way and let it age naturally.........
Ray
Ray, I don't think bloodwood fades like purpleheart. If want a vibrant color, and a little redder is OK, might check it out. I've tried tung oil, linseed oil, poly, wax, etc. and they all eventually turned a brownish. It still looks good, but it's not purple. I do however have a board in my stack that is just as purple as the day I got it. Don't know why, maybe its from a different tree, as one of the other posters mentioned.
Steve
Don't know why, maybe its from a different tree, as one of the other posters mentioned.purpleheart being an english name for a botanical product that appears a certain way, you may be correct. I believe there are four different ones that we call by this name and one of them does remain purple. aloha, mikeps, I love purple furniture........
ps, I love purple furniture........
Mike, you may need professional help :)
Have a good evening,
Steve
<ps, I love purple furniture........Mike, you may need professional help :)>I have gotten the help. Thats why it is possible for me to say "I love purpleheart". I use to only be able to say "its um, okay"..... ;-)
Sweet. What's the dark stuff? Milo?
Sorry, I posted the picks without a description. Its a 6 sided breakaway cabinet around a pole. The frames are Hawaiian kamani (Callophyllum Inophyllum),purpleheart (obviously), the black bamboo is fashioned from wenge, the top is kamani all of which comes from one slab. The piece splits in half and has purple heart splines on the edges to lock the top in place. I love purpleheart which was the point of my posting. aloha, mike
Edited 9/5/2005 8:38 pm ET by mikegagne
Excellent work Mike! I like the choice of woods to mix with the purpleheart. It all works well together. Nice design too. Not the same old same old. I guess I umm, well purpleheart is Ok. Counseling ya think?
Steve
<Counseling ya think?>Yeah, spend a couple sessions on the couch talking to the purpleheart. It'll straighten ya right out. Thanks for the compliment Its a style I call Pacific Oriental-a little Chinese, Japanese, and Hawaii (where the East meets the West).
ps, I love purple furniture........geeeeee My old 350 pickup had a Purpleheart bedNA! I just wish I could affords it!
Morning Will,
Anybody else remember that sweet X base twin screw purpleheart bench in FWW several years ago?
Wish you could afford it, I hear you there. Can you imagine the price tag on one of those purpleheart yacht decks?
Steve
Can you imagine the price tag on one of those purpleheart yacht decks?Geeee I couldents' afford the Slip to park it!
Morning Will, lively group this morning! Na I haven't been by the old place yet. I got a new variety of coffee beans the other day, and haven't really had much of an excuse to go try somebody else's coffee. I'm about out of beans though, so probably this week.
Shockingly enough, I was digging through a box looking for something, and I came across some of the purpleheart spline stock I used for those frames. It looks great still. I also dug up some spline stock I made of maple and purpleheart, 1/16" sheets laminated maple, purpleheart, maple, and it looks good too. Its been about 3 years since either was cut. BTW those maple and purpleheart splines look really good in walnut picture frames.
It would be nice to have the means to build a purpleheart deck for your yacht wouldn't it? Someday....
Steve
Yep.. Purpleheart is like a Woman.. Ya never know how she will turn out in a few years!
I have made several items using purpleheart... Over several years.. All still purple??? I just used a wiping varnish.. I got the wood from the same place for each project... Maybe all from the same tree??I don't know.. Every time I go there most of it is still there except for the stuff I get..Some really nice WIDE/THICK/LONG stuff ...but alas... I cant's affords them!
Sounds like you've got your own private lumber yard!
You know, I got to wondering about some picture frames I made about a year and half ago. They are maple with purpleheart splines. I sold them with one of the restaurants, I'll have to swing by to taste the coffee and check the color. Tried some Formbeys on them, followed by wax.
You said wiping varnish, homebrew or otherwise?
Steve
I usually just use Olympic Antique Danish Oil (oil based) interior on the purple heart...I tell the receiver... Call me if the color changes.. Mineral spirits will remove the old finish. A light sanding... Se tout in the SUN awhile and all purple again!I have only had one person call back and it was still purple but a bit darker.. Dang fussy woman!EDIT:: Se tout as in Set Out!
Edited 9/4/2005 12:51 pm ET by WillGeorge
Thought you'd resorted to French there for a second. You must use purpleheart quite a bit then? Worst thing about it, I think, is the blasted splinters. Those suckers lie in ambush until they can get a good shot at the underside of a fingernail.
Steve
have to swing by to taste the coffee and check the color...Did you? I'd like to know!
Now, of course, rideing bareback is frowned upon (in so many things...)NOT by me!
I think he meant something entirely different by his 'riding bareback' reference.
hmthomas
It was several years back, but I believe I used a transtint dye colored purple on a purpleheart cross I made when my wife's father died. It is hung on her mom's wall next to his service flag, (glass doored triangle box also in purpleheart) and is in full sunlight half the day. It is still "purple".
I took the hint from an article I read a few years earlier, and it worked great. His favorite color was purple.
Jeff
and is in full sunlight half the day. It is still "purple".I find that Purpleheart loves THE sun! I could be wrong..
Purpleheart is well known for turning brown to red from UV.
Jeff
Hi!
I have worked several projects with purpleheart and it looks great if you can deal with some of the difficulties.
As for a finish I first sand up to a 220 grit sandpaper making sure to vacumn up dust in between sheets. Then I like to handle the wood for a couple of days. What I mean by that is first I apply Minwax preÐstain conditioner wiping of excess and allow to dry. I let a week go by and then sand with orbital with just 220 grit then recover all dust. Then re-apply the prestainconditioner(lightly). Over the next few days I will pick the projectup and rub it with different fabrics like flannel and a new pair of suede gloves. Then 2 light coats of Tung Oil followed by a very light third coat applied with a synthetic steel wool pad. Always moving the direction of the grain.
The color on my projects has changed very little but they are 3-6 years old. They are quite cherry colored. Be happy to send you pictures if you like.
By the way the only finishing product I have ever used that did not alter color at all is sanding sealer followed by lacquer. That won't amber(poly), darken(danish,teak oil) or yellow(lemon oil, wax)
Good luck.
Send pictures..Please post.. I for one would like to see..
For no color change try purple paint-oil based-otherwise use a lacquer or conversion varnish with UV inhibitors. There are varieties of purpleheart that change only a little. Most turn either brown or a carmine red. Amaranth is the botanical name and its a very large family which includes some of the pesty weeds common to gardens everywhere. That is a different forum however. Have fun with it..while you can as the wood is becoming increasingly rare. aloha, mike
Purpleheart becoming increasingly rare?Other than tree huggers spreading that rumor...It's one of the most common trees in the tropics, grows fast, has a great distance to branches (70 feet not uncommon), and has limited commercial appeal. How many people want purple furniture?Alan
after working for years, and I mean years on exotics, the easiest and quickest way to preserve the color of purpleheart is to mix a ratio of 1 part yellow (not white) carpenter's glue with 3 parts warm water. Stir the mix, brush it on, let dry 15 minutes, sand with 300 or finer grit, and re-apply. Spray or brush, (foam brush is the best), with semi-gloss polyurethane thinned at 2:1 with mineral spirits, (do NOT use water based poly), and not only will the color remain a beautiful hue, but the finish will remain like glass. This method allows the poly to dry in 4-5 hours, and will completely become dry in 24 hours with no bleed through of the oils found in these woods.
I am attempting to make a round table out of some purole heart given to me . When I made the top and ran it through the sander using 80 grit paper on my 18/36 sander to get a flat finish the wood turned brown on me with a little of the purple showing. How do I get the purple color back so that I can finish the project? Leave it out in the sunlight for a day or two ? Need suggestions.
Not much you can do now my friend. The 80 grit paper was much too abrasive, thus removing the outside veins of the grain. Through the years, the wood itself "bleached" itself to the natural color of aging, which in your case is a dark brown. This could be the top layer that is showing. It's just nature. If you went down far enough, you might get some hint of purple, but if the wood was not protected over the years, it becomes another tradegy.
Need suggestions.It should turm Purple again in a day or two... Mine did?
Overnight it turns purple again.....you must know that by now. Lacquer will really purple it up. I use to love walking into my shop the day after purpleheart milling or sanding happened as the whole place would be magically purple where ever the dust landed. aloha, mike
Ray...
I built an occasional table that is built with all purpleheart, I had the same questions for finishing.
What I was told was that lacquer was the best to use on purpleheart, I don't have the space or place to spray lacquer. What I found works well to retain the purple color is natural watco danish oil. after at least 2 yrs the table is a deep purple.
Hope this works for you...
R13
I have a pool cue that has a purple heart body. The color has remained beautifully purple over time. I believe it is finished with a high gloss automotive product that has UV inhibitors. The maker, Dale Perry, has a web site that may explain if you google on his name. He's based out of Jacksonville FL.
Good luck,
Kell
Lacquer is reputed to maintain the color the longest, but it will fade in time without a doubt.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled