Working with Purple Heart

[gad5264]

I bought my first piece of purple heart today to use for a lid insert and mitered or dovetail splines on two keepsake boxes I am going to make for my daughters. The reason I chose purple heart is because their school colors are purple.

So my questions are about the characteristics of the purple heart as I have never worked with it. How does it cut, sand and finish?

[Tom Miller]

How does it cut, sand and finish?

Fine, fine, and fine. The only thing to remember is that when you cut into it, it may not look purple, but rather brownish. But, do not fear -- the purple will return. You can hasten the process by putting it in sunlight.

[edit: Yikes, after reading other posts below, I'm wondering if my memory might be arse-backwards on the coloration....]

Regards,
Tom

[onedash]

at what point does purple heart stop turning purple and began to degrade into a grey or whatever other weathered color it must turn???I can't imagine a deck made with it that just gets darker and darker.
Is it a few minutes/hours to get it back to its darkest color?

I bought one board to make pens with and its just as purple when I finish as when I start.

[softop41]

gad....,
I worked wiht purpleheart a year or so ago. It worked nicely in all aspects. I don't remember which way it went but if you want to maintain the purple you have to finish it a certain way. I was doing a small desk clock for my daughter, whose favorite color is purple, and experimented with finishes to see what I liked and I think lacquer is what makes it stay purple and poly makes it brownish. I may have it reversed but I found the info on the 'net so hopefully you can too.
HTH,
Jerry

[Pappy]

Purpleheart reacts to UV rays. If left exposed to direct sunlight, it will eventually turn almost black. I have finished with laquer and with wipe-on poly and both seem to be holding up well and maintaining the color.

It only takes a few minutes for the color to come back after sanding or machining. This isn't to say you have to sit and watch it for fear of it getting too dark.

The only thing I don't llike about it is that it burns easily and the burn marks are hard to get out. A scraper will leave a fine finished surface, but pay attention to grain direction. Scrapping and planing, the wood will tear easily if you go against the grain.

[BrazosJake]

Ditto pappys observation of the burning. It's a tropical, and hard, you need sharp sharp tools to work it. I'm not sure if it contains silica or not, seems like I read PH is comprised of about 60 different tree species.

Do use DC and maybe a mask as the dust is known to cause bronchitis (so I suspect silica). It may have been coincidence, but after my first project with PH a couple years ago, I came down with a nasty case of bronchitis. I had enough trouble breathing one night I nearly asked LOML to take me to the hospital, thought I had pnemonia. Now I make sure the DC is connected and wear a cartridge respirator.

[bmyers]

Purple heart splinters are murder! Don't get one caught under your skin.

If this piece will sit in sunlight, maybe in front of a window or something you can use a poly that has UV protection to stablize the color.

Glue doesn't exactly seep into the end grain of PH very well so be sure you do use splines or some other mechanical fastening of a miter.

Yellow heart is a good compliment to purple heart.

If you're going to run it through a planer, take VERY small bites and many passes. Your planer will thank you...


Bill

[ExYankee]

I made a mallet for general purpose mashing and bumping things in my shop out of purpleheart, my recollection was it was real colorful when I turned it. It’s mostly been in a drawer for the last two years but now it’s a dark mahogany color. I think the only finish I used was paraffin wax.

[Ken Massingale]

Dash pointed out something I hadn't thought about.
I've sawn pen blanks from 5/4 boards and from 2 by 2 sticks. I didn't pay attention to the brown interior at the time, I expected it to be there.

But, at no time during turning did the Purpleheart color vary from the purple on the outside. So why does it stay purple when turning, at least it did for me?

Oh, I tried the 'heat Purpleheart in the oven to hasten the return to purple' trick. I don't think I will do it again, the color was uneven and stayed uneven after many hours in the Sun. It was not uneven before I tried to Betty Crocker it.