Wood ID - Need Help Identifying Some Exotics

And anyone have any tips for working with Purpleheart and Padauk? Maybe on how to keep their colors bright.

-- Matt - http://breakingboardom.wordpress.com/

Purpleheart can be a jerk sometimes. When you plane it, it turns light. When you sand it, it turns brown. If you start to burn it while cutting/routing it, the resins burn and get very dark and are hard to get rid of. Its prone to tear out, is very brittle.. If you want to brighten it up, throw it in some direct sunlight. Even an hour or two brightens it up significantly. A UV inhibitive finish seals in that color as best it can. I read an article a while back about putting PH in the oven for a while with a catch pan under it (the resin leaks out). It smells awful, but really brings out the color and perhaps makes it a little more colorfast. I’ve never tried it and can’t find the link. Good luck!

-- Dan, Rochester, NY

Dan, thanks for the info. I’ll do a search and see if I can find the article you mentioned.

-- Matt - http://breakingboardom.wordpress.com/

Both purpleheart and padauk will fade to a dull brown over time. You can slow it down, but you cannot stop it.

If you want an interesting color and you want the color to last, IMO, the best option is bloodwood.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.