Hi all:

I took your advice and purchased Mike Darlow's book on Turning Chessmen.
I am trying to turn the firs set in Purpleheart. I am now trying to
figure out the best way to put a finish on them. What is the best way? I
have Tung Oil and Paste wax. I have Shellway Cream which I would love to
try but it warns that if the wood has too much oil it can dullen the
finish. One web site seems to suggest using Armorall under Lacquer. Any
suggestions from this august group.

Thanks in advance.

Richard

The problem with purpleheart is that, over time and with exposure to UV
light, it will go from purple to a dark, not-very-attractive brown.
Every now and then I've heard reports of purpleheart which kept its
color but I've never seen an example.

Any oil, even Tung oil is going to darken it even more and I'd suggest
against it.

The idea of using Armorall is precipitated by the fact that it contains
a UV inhibitor. I've tried it but really can't say if it works or not.

I'd use a surface finish -- spray deft comes to mind. And, I think I'd
try the Armorall under it. Since it is water based, though, it may
raise the grain.

Between purpleheart's brittleness and failure to hold color, it is my
last choice of woods for just about anything except tool handles -- it
makes dandy tool handles because of its density.

Bill

Dorothy and Richard Shelson wrote:
Hi all:

I took your advice and purchased Mike Darlow's book on Turning Chessmen.
I am trying to turn the firs set in Purpleheart. I am now trying to
figure out the best way to put a finish on them. What is the best way? I
have Tung Oil and Paste wax. I have Shellway Cream which I would love to
try but it warns that if the wood has too much oil it can dullen the
finish. One web site seems to suggest using Armorall under Lacquer. Any
suggestions from this august group.

Thanks in advance.

Richard

In article ,
Bill Rubenstein wrote:

The problem with purpleheart is that, over time and with exposure to UV
light, it will go from purple to a dark, not-very-attractive brown.

I guess that's in the eye of the beholder - The brown purpleheart I have
got is a perfectly attractive brown, not unlike black walnut (though a
lot harder to work with). The only thing "wrong" with it is that if one
was really set on it being purple, well, it's not, anymore. But it's not
ugly, in my opinion.

It's not a particularly oily wood (hard, abrasive, brittle, but not
oily), any usual finish should work.

If you keep the chess set out of the sun, the purple should last longer.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

In article 7z2wf.40996$tl.34819@pd7tw3no,
Dorothy and Richard Shelson wrote:

Hi all:

I took your advice and purchased Mike Darlow's book on Turning Chessmen.
I am trying to turn the firs set in Purpleheart. I am now trying to
figure out the best way to put a finish on them. What is the best way? I
have Tung Oil and Paste wax. I have Shellway Cream which I would love to
try but it warns that if the wood has too much oil it can dullen the
finish. One web site seems to suggest using Armorall under Lacquer. Any
suggestions from this august group.

I don't use anything on Purple heart, except wax. Kept away for
sunlight helps it retain it's color

--
--------------------------------------------------------
Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org
This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found at
http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv

In article ,
Ecnerwal wrote:

I guess that's in the eye of the beholder - The brown purpleheart I have
got is a perfectly attractive brown, not unlike black walnut (though a
lot harder to work with). The only thing "wrong" with it is that if one
was really set on it being purple, well, it's not, anymore. But it's not
ugly, in my opinion.

It's not a particularly oily wood (hard, abrasive, brittle, but not
oily), any usual finish should work.

If you keep the chess set out of the sun, the purple should last longer.

My wife has a heart shaped box made from purpleheart - has had it for
more than 15 years - I have some inkling some unlucky suitor may have
given it to her. Anyway, it's not a Crayola purple (if it ever was) but
does have a distinct purple tone to the brown. Not unattractive at all.

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Tips fer Turnin': Place a sign, easily seen as you switch on your lathe, warning you to remove any and all rings from your fingers. Called degloving, extended hardware can grab your ring and rip it off your finger. A pic for the strong of stomach: www.itim.nsw.gov.au/go/objectid/2A3AC703-1321-1C29-70B067DC88E16BFC/index.cfm

Besides, rings can easily mar the surface of a turning as you check for finished smoothness.

Dorothy and Richard Shelson wrote:
Hi all:

I took your advice and purchased Mike Darlow's book on Turning Chessmen.
I am trying to turn the firs set in Purpleheart. I am now trying to
figure out the best way to put a finish on them. What is the best way? I
have Tung Oil and Paste wax. I have Shellway Cream which I would love to
try but it warns that if the wood has too much oil it can dullen the
finish. One web site seems to suggest using Armorall under Lacquer. Any
suggestions from this august group.

Thanks in advance.

Richard

I made a pen from purpleheart for my sister in law. Before turning, the
blank was a nice shade of purple. After finishing with a couple coats of
Tung Oil, then friction polish and carnauba wax, the pen turned a shade
of brown. After a couple of weeks, the pen turned back to a nice shade
of purple. She's been using it for a couple months now and it still is
purple.

Like others have said, it will turn to brown after UV exposure, so using
a UV inhibitor will help delay that process. Since your chessmen
probably won't be in direct sunlight much, this process will be slow,
and any UV protection you apply might just prevent it.


Read these for some info on purpleheart:
http://www.wflooring.com/Technical_I...urpleheart.htm
http://www.woodzone.com/woods/purplehe.htm



--
Brad Curfman
http://www.curfman.net

"Brad Curfman" wrote in message
.. .
Like others have said, it will turn to brown after UV exposure, so using
a UV inhibitor will help delay that process. Since your chessmen
probably won't be in direct sunlight much, this process will be slow,
and any UV protection you apply might just prevent it.



I think it's time to talk to Norm about a nice purpleheart stain....

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 06:46:27 GMT, Dorothy and Richard Shelson
wrote:


I took your advice and purchased Mike Darlow's book on Turning Chessmen.
I am trying to turn the firs set in Purpleheart. I am now trying to
figure out the best way to put a finish on them. What is the best way? I
have Tung Oil and Paste wax. I have Shellway Cream which I would love to
try but it warns that if the wood has too much oil it can dullen the
finish. One web site seems to suggest using Armorall under Lacquer. Any
suggestions from this august group.

Don't fear purpleheart. I have turned piles of it into pens, bowls,
goblets, boxes and so on and if it is kept out of the sun and
fluorescent lightit will maintain its purple color for years and
years. I have a purpleheart bowl that I turned 5 years ago that I eat
my cereal out of every day that is as purple as Welch's grape juice.
My wife has a purpleheart pen that is one of the first things I ever
turned that is still a beautiful shade of purple. It's a very dense
wood, and pretty much any finish is suitable for it. I am currently
fond of carnauba wax over sanding sealer cut with turpentine. I've
used poly, danish oil, and even spar varnish.


--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

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Hello again:

Thanks for all your help. I finally decided to sand it down and use EEE
polishing cream, then wipe on Armorall and finish with a Shellawax Cream
Wax. Right now the only one I have done looks beautiful. Only 15 more to
go in Purpleheart and then on to Maple for the rest!

Richard

D&R:

I too have heard the stories of purpleheart staying purple. I think
every wood from South America has several different types of the
species, and this probably is no exception. I have actually seen
purpleheart go to a dark, brownish purple over a period of years when
left outside (small piece on the burn pile). It was beautiful.

OTOH, I have friends that have used it, kept it out of direct light,
don't have the work directly under a lamp, and used UV resistant
exterior urethane on their interior piece. It turned a beautiful dark
brown, but with no character at all since the wood was without defects.
So it was stunning in purple, and just pretty in brown.

I think "you pays your money and takes your chances" with this wood. I
know from our local exotic lumber supplier that half the time he is
selling something that comes from South America he doesn't know exactly
where it came from, if the wood came from the same stand, forest, or
country. It is the same with all exotics, since down there these are
also know as firewood to many of the indigenous people.

That being said, I used laquer thinned by 1/3 and a spot of BLO in it
to finish all the purpleheart beads and pendants for my niece's
Christmas presents. Turned out great and finished easily.

Good luck!

Robert

I've measured the density of several pieces of purpleheart from a single
shipment and, although I don't remember the actual numbers, I found
major differences from one piece to another. I also suspect that the
boards came from different species of trees but differing growing
conditions could also account for the differences in density.

One of the major uses of purpleheart in South America -- truck beds. It
is dirt cheap and almost indestructible. It is sometimes used for that
purpose in this country also.

There is no question in my mind that at the logger and saw mill level,
if it looks like 'x' we'll sell it as 'x' and don't sweat the details.
Even if the mill wants to do better, there are no leaves when they see
the log so one of the major methods of distinguishing species is no
longer available.

Bill

wrote:
D&R:

I too have heard the stories of purpleheart staying purple. I think
every wood from South America has several different types of the
species, and this probably is no exception. I have actually seen
purpleheart go to a dark, brownish purple over a period of years when
left outside (small piece on the burn pile). It was beautiful.

OTOH, I have friends that have used it, kept it out of direct light,
don't have the work directly under a lamp, and used UV resistant
exterior urethane on their interior piece. It turned a beautiful dark
brown, but with no character at all since the wood was without defects.
So it was stunning in purple, and just pretty in brown.

I think "you pays your money and takes your chances" with this wood. I
know from our local exotic lumber supplier that half the time he is
selling something that comes from South America he doesn't know exactly
where it came from, if the wood came from the same stand, forest, or
country. It is the same with all exotics, since down there these are
also know as firewood to many of the indigenous people.

That being said, I used laquer thinned by 1/3 and a spot of BLO in it
to finish all the purpleheart beads and pendants for my niece's
Christmas presents. Turned out great and finished easily.

Good luck!

Robert