Purpleheart oxidation question

[DaveO]

I am ready to finish a box made out of Purpleheart. I plan to use shellac and lacquer. Does anyone know if shellac will block the oxidation that turns PH from brown after machining to the purple color it is known for. I know that Danish Oil doesn't because I applied it right after turning my chisel mallet and a few days later it was a beautiful purple. I would really like to start my finishing on this box vs. waiting a few days for the change, because it needs to be shipped out to it's recipient by Monday at the latest.
Any experience along this line??????

Thanks, Dave

 

[jeff...]

I know next to nothing about shellac, other than I tried it a few times and don't like it. Don't think clear gloss lacquer would change the color of any wood, but can't say for sure. I never worked with purple heart lumber before, let alone finished a piece made of it.

Thanks

 

[chris99z71]

Dave, I found this discussion. About 3/4 of the way down someone claims to have found literature that the purple compound is [SIZE=-1]peltogynol.
One of the folks on that board (obviously another brilliant chemist) actually did some somewhat controlled experiments and made this page.
Here's the skinny:

I believe that page to be VERY helpful. I'd still try it on some scrap first.
Cool stuff. Let us know how it turns out (before and after pictures would be awesome!)
[/SIZE]

 

[DaveO]

Very interesting, thanks for the info. :icon_thum

Dave

 

[jeff...]

From the 2nd link Chris provided looks like you need to put that bad boy in the oven 8-O wild...

 

[D L Ames]

Thanks Chris, that second page has some interesting information in it.

D L

 

[Ken Weaver]

Don't know about the shellac, but Ken Massingale had a similar situation and used the heat thing to good result. You might email him about the procedure he used.

 

[DaveO]

I've never had any problem with PH turning it's color. I have had a piece with another piece laying partially on it turn color only where exposed. The heat information is very interesting to me. I took the mallet I turned with me to work, the day after I turned it, and it sat in my truck, in the sun, for most of the day. I wonder it those conditions were hot enough for produce some color changing effects. I don't know if I (and the LOML) are that hip about about me baking my boxes, but if I can slow cook it in the truck, that would be an easy way to enhance the color change.

Dave

 

[jeff...]

Heck man as hot as it is around here, you could just sit the boxes outside in the sun for a while. :lol:

 

[D L Ames]

I don't know if I (and the LOML) are that hip about about me baking my boxes, but if I can slow cook it in the truck, that would be an easy way to enhance the color change.

Dave

Dave, just ask Santa for an Easy Bake Oven this Christmas.:lol:

D L

 

[chris99z71]

I wonder if the drying technique used on a particular piece of PH is to blame. The guy on the page I posted did an experiment where he heated a brown piece of PH and then cut it in half. It was purple throughout. I'd be willing to bet that a brown piece of PH would inidicate that the drying process was not at elevated temperatures.