Getting good use from a single model

[Samson]

I purchased the Beagle model for personal use, but my wife belongs to several Beagle groups, and she likes to show what I make for her.

Doing this, has created a few jobs for myself. I love to gift items that have meaning and will be cherished.
So after a lovely lady from one of the Beagle groups seen some items I've made, she asked for this.

It's cut from beautiful Purpleheart, and this was my first try using it for carving material. It cut very nice and clean.
I'm awaiting the oxidation to return the purple color, and should only take a few days. Before cutting it, it was a very bright, vibrant purple, and I'm hoping it will return to that color before adding a topcoat. Then it will get a color-fill.


Here it is after sitting overnight...





Feel free to comment... good or bad.

[Bob Reda]

Very nice. the color should make it look amazing!

Bob

[WNC_Ed]

Looks great.
Snoopy would approve
Congrats

[mtylerfl]

Nice carve, Samson!

[tvannaman2000]

Get a good UV filtering finish on it.. all the purpleheart I ever had faded to dark brown after awhile. My research shows it's mainly due to UV light. If my memory is correct, you can slow the process but it will happen eventually unless it sits in a dark closet somewhere. That is the main reason I don't use purpleheart and other exotic woods anymore.

https://www.woodcraft.com/blog_entries/ ... urpleheart

Extraction from above article:

Purpleheart responds to exposure to air and UV (ultraviolet) light that produce the unavoidable color shift. Employ one or more of these strategies to slow the process:

Use only film-building finishes, and apply several coats to minimize oxidation.
Apply waterborne finishes to darken the wood less than oil-based finishes; they won’t yellow with age.
If you prefer oil-based, consider one with a UV inhibitor.
Keep your project out of bright light, especially sunlight.

[Samson]

After cutting Purpleheart, the wood underneath is a brown color. It requires exposure to air, heat, or UV light to create the oxidation that causes the purple color to return.
Once the purple returns, a UV inhibitor, such as spar varnish, should be applied to inhibit the color from further oxidation, which causes it to turn back to a brown shade.
It will, eventually, turn brown, but according to some guys with a lot of experience using Purpleheart, say the purple can be brought back.

This is my first experience using such a large piece, and carving it. The purple is slowly returning to the plaque, but the original board that I planed before carving, is back to a very vibrant purple already. It too was brown after planing it. Irregardless, it turned out nice, and I'm hopeful it will be received well when it's finished. Whether purple or brown.

[Xxray]

Odd, I have cut dozens and dozens of models out of purpleheart, not once did I lose the color, and none of them have faded to "brown" after years of sitting in my garage, I'll post a few examples later.

[Samson]

Here is the board that was used, with the plaque on top. The board was much more purple when I bought it, and it was brown after I planed it in preparation for carving it.
The board was planed a couple of days before the carve was done, so it's been exposed longer. The color difference can be seen, although the board isn't quite as purple as it is in person.
The purple is returning, but it's mostly on the parts that weren't carved as deep.
Comparing this to the first pic posted, the first pic is a light brown shade. Almost a Mahogany color.

[Xxray]

As per my last, here are a few examples out of many that I have had sitting around for years with no loss of color at any time, before, during or after creation. The JC model in particular is over 5 years old. Only finish I use is a matte clear coat. Can't help but think we have a variance of sub species here or something.

[Samson]

The dragon is pretty close to what I had before planing. Mine was a little brighter, maybe more of a violet. Could be like you say, subspecies, or maybe region.
I placed it near the furnace register, and it has a little more purple today, but still not what I'm hoping for. We haven't seen any sun in over a week, so if it ever appears, I will place it in the sun for a day to see what happens.
As it is, I like it, but my wife said that was a waste of money if it doesn't turn back to the original color.