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04-10-2023, 09:25 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-10-2023, 09:28 AM by BrentDH.)
I tried mail ordering wood for the first time. I had my reservations because I wondered if some guy in the warehouse could really be as picky as I would, but I convinced myself that this place is in the business of doing exactly that, and they couldn't stay in business if they shipped out junk. So here is what I got for my 8 bd ft order of purpleheart. How would you feel?
I will not name the company yet as I have not given them a chance to respond. I am just wondering if I am too picky, or if this is what one would expect to receive.
It looks like I got three boards cut in 3' lengths to make the shipping easier.
Side 1
Side 2
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Fresh cut purpleheart can be an ugly gray/brown when fresh cut. If they cut (resawed) these just before shipping, or cut them a while ago and put them in a stack with little light exposure, they may not have had time to turn purple again.
Try putting them in the sun for the day and see if they get better first. I believe sun (and the oxidation that it encourages) helps create the color you're looking for and expecting.
That being said, I have seen purpleheart boards with a more or less vibrant purple color.
Tyler
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In the second picture, four of those boards look exactly like I would expect purpleheart to look. I was not sure with the first, but in the second the other two boards look like freshly cut or surfaced purpleheart. They will darken with time (oxidation) first. Air is sufficient, but light is supposed to accelerate it even more.
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04-10-2023, 01:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-10-2023, 01:39 PM by OneStaple.)
Agree with FS7.
I'll just add that the dark spots on the two left boards look like burning to me (probably fairly surface level). Purpleheart burns fairly easily, such as with a table saw blade that isn't totally sharp or doesn't move quickly enough. If those were resawed with a table saw or radial arm saw (I can't tell the width to know if that's reasonable), that could be what happened. I'd be a little more surprised if it was a bandsaw, but it's possible.
Although the burn areas don't have obvious shapes that would suggest a blade cut.
Tyler
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Yes, the black marks on the second one from the left are just from a saw cut. I am not worried about that as I expect it to clean up with normal surfacing. I am well pleased with the narrower four boards on the left and they are exactly what I was expecting. My real hang up is the two boards on the right. Those 2 wider boards amount to half of my order. I would be surprised if there was any difference in time since machining or amount of uv exposure between any of their stock as I think they purchase it already milled and just resell it. I am really afraid those two boards might be as good as they are going to get. Let's just say if I had been there to pick my own stock there is no chance those two wide ones would have come home with me. But it is interesting/encouraging to hear that people think they will improve with age because right now the 5th one over is firewood and *maybe* I can get something out of 1/3 - 1/2 of the one on the far right.
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04-10-2023, 05:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-15-2023, 01:15 PM by Cabinet Monkey.)
I would not choose / accept those two wide boards on the right side of the pics.
No way, no how.
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(04-10-2023, 05:14 PM)Cabinet Monkey Wrote: I would not c\choose / accept those two wide boards on the right side of the pics.
No way, no how.
I think the two wider pieces would be fantastic for a box of some sort. OP, shoot me a PM with what you need for them if you can't work with them.
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I have seen purple heart regularly in my lumber yard that is not bright purple. The move a lot of it so it makes sense for them to not be bright purple. Leave it in the sun light or under shop lights with a fan blowing and it will turn purple. If you mill it up it will be a brownish color that will turn purple.
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I haven’t used too much PH but I thought the purple became much more vivid after planing it. Kind of a brown back to bright purple.
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04-17-2023, 10:14 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-17-2023, 10:16 AM by BrentDH.)
I did contact the supplier with the same two pictures included here. They made the statement like most of you here that said sunlight exposure will return the purple color. But they were not happy with the black splotching. They are sending new boards to replace the two on the right. I have not received the replacements yet.
Here is their exact response. "So the browning of purple heart is normal, to get rid of this you actually put it in the sun for a little bit and it will brighten back up. The black splotching is not however. I will be happy to get you a couple new boards sent out ASAP."
