Deoxidizing/de-browning Purpleheart?

[sargebaker]

Hey guys,

A coworker picked up a plank of Purpleheart to use as a fretboard on an instrument we are building for the incredible Scott Urban (www.urbanspectacles.com - all four eyes, you NEED check him out!) The piece had some brown spotting on it, and when we sent it through the planer, The top and bottom browned completely...(a pretty ugly brown no less...) I knew Purpleheart browns as it ages but I didn't know this issue occured in planing... The sides are still a pretty nice purple. Is there a way to deoxidize the wood and get back its nice purple? Someone had mentioned a silicone product?

[pilotjones]

I think I read that purple heart is brown when first cut, quickly (hours? days?) turns purple, then gradually either oxidizes or photodegrades to brown over months or years. Does that sound right, luthiers, or am I thinking of another wood that does something similar?

[ehque]

It its purple, which then photodegrades to brown, if i am not wrong. The heat of the planer could have catalysed oxidation.

If you've got any wood left, i'd say a quick sanding would work fine.

[Nidan]

I concur , having made a purpleheart guitar , when I was grinding ( RTX for shaping) I noticed the friction would turn it brown. Light sanding returned it. I've had a nitor finish on it for 10 years now and it's still purple.

[Nelson Guitars]

The brown goes away very quickly with sunlight or other ultraviolet light. Don't worry about it until just prior to finishing then make sure to give it enough time in the sunlight or under florescent lighting to purple up. It's all good.

Greg N

[sargebaker]

Originally Posted by Nelson Guitars

The brown goes away very quickly with sunlight or other ultraviolet light. Don't worry about it until just prior to finishing then make sure to give it enough time in the sunlight or under florescent lighting to purple up. It's all good.

Greg N

What's "very quickly"? It has been 24 hours under fluos and windowlight with no nitcable change... I didn't sand yet though.

[jordan_frerichs]

no problems with your wood. it takes time for newly exposed sections of the wood to get a rich purple. i can't remember wich is the one. but if you either keep it in the dark, or intense light, it will bring the color out. try each on small scrap.

[Son of Magni]

I tried a little experiment once. I cut a piece of purpleheart while being careful to not heat it with the blade. The inside is brownish gray. Then I placed it in a room with regular florescent lights with one half exposed and the other half covered with a piece of cardboard. There was a noticeable difference within 24 hours but not significant. But within about 3 days the exposed side was decidedly more purple. After 5 or 6 days the change was about complete with the covered side still brownish gray and the exposed side nice dark purple.