Purpleheart
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- Deck Grunge Scrubber
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:03 am
- Boat Name: Jenny Marie, #308
- Boat Type: 1963 Pearson Triton
- Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Purpleheart
I need to make some cockpit coamings for my Triton - my local fancy wood supplier wants
7.00 per board foot for purpleheart, 14.00 for mahogany and 33.00 for teak.
I really like the look of purpleheart. I was planning on laminating together two 1 x 8's to get the 15 odd inches needed.
and then epoxy and varnish.
any feedback would be much appreciated !
7.00 per board foot for purpleheart, 14.00 for mahogany and 33.00 for teak.
I really like the look of purpleheart. I was planning on laminating together two 1 x 8's to get the 15 odd inches needed.
and then epoxy and varnish.
any feedback would be much appreciated !
- preserved_killick
- Skilled Systems Installer
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:01 am
- Boat Name: Seagrass
- Boat Type: Alberg 30
- Location: NH
- Contact:
Re: Purpleheart
I think the wood used is personal preference. I'm too cheap to buy Teak, I've been happy with the mahogany I've used.
Epoxy then varnish: I initially did that with a number of projects thinking it made great sense at the time. For most of what I did, I regret the epoxy as a complete coating. I've found that unless the piece is completely and unquestionably sealed from moisture, the epoxy will fail. For me that meant that much of my wood looked great all season, in the fall I noticed a few darkish areas. As soon as we the cold weather came the moisture that got inside froze and lifted the epoxy in places. Big mess to fix. Also, the epoxy changes the color of the wood a bit, then the varnish adds a different color. If you ever need to fix or touch up a little spot by sanding it out and revarnishing, you end up with a spotty color when you sand through the varnish.
A couple of winters ago, I ended up stripping back to bare wood an many items, and just went with straight varnish. I don't notice any less durability and maintenance is much easier, which is saying alot since it's varnish.
https://picasaweb.google.com/fongemie/P ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/L ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/fongemie/R ... directlink
-Jeff
Epoxy then varnish: I initially did that with a number of projects thinking it made great sense at the time. For most of what I did, I regret the epoxy as a complete coating. I've found that unless the piece is completely and unquestionably sealed from moisture, the epoxy will fail. For me that meant that much of my wood looked great all season, in the fall I noticed a few darkish areas. As soon as we the cold weather came the moisture that got inside froze and lifted the epoxy in places. Big mess to fix. Also, the epoxy changes the color of the wood a bit, then the varnish adds a different color. If you ever need to fix or touch up a little spot by sanding it out and revarnishing, you end up with a spotty color when you sand through the varnish.
A couple of winters ago, I ended up stripping back to bare wood an many items, and just went with straight varnish. I don't notice any less durability and maintenance is much easier, which is saying alot since it's varnish.
https://picasaweb.google.com/fongemie/P ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/L ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/fongemie/R ... directlink
-Jeff
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- Almost a Finish Carpenter
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:45 am
- Boat Name: Thursdays' Child
- Boat Type: Privateer 26 Schooner
- Location: Southern Illinois
- Contact:
Re: Purpleheart
I also prefer varnish on bare wood. I thin the first coat almost 50%, and the second coat a little less, and so on, until the 6th coat is only thinned enough to make it easy to brush. I also think the best prep for the wood is to sand smooth with coarser paper and then stop at 100 grit. that leaves the wood more receptive of the varnish.
I've used african mahogany from a big lumber store like Menards, and was pleased with the looks and durability. much cheaper than the exotic wood store price.
I've used african mahogany from a big lumber store like Menards, and was pleased with the looks and durability. much cheaper than the exotic wood store price.
Chuck
1976 Bristol 24
"Harmony"
1976 Bristol 24
"Harmony"
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- Damned Because It's All Connected
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Re: Purpleheart
You're in a tough spot, anyone who has had to replace coamings can sympathize.
I understand what you're trying to do and why, but don't do it.
1x stock is too thin for coamings, particularly at the high end, the proportion will look odd. You need 4/4 at least, 5/4 will be better.
These coamings have significant bend and twist. It's difficult enough with solid stock, any butt-joint is doomed.
Likewise, that bend and twist makes purpleheart a poor choice.
That big piece of mahogany is a big bullet to bite, but it's the right thing to do.
I understand what you're trying to do and why, but don't do it.
1x stock is too thin for coamings, particularly at the high end, the proportion will look odd. You need 4/4 at least, 5/4 will be better.
These coamings have significant bend and twist. It's difficult enough with solid stock, any butt-joint is doomed.
Likewise, that bend and twist makes purpleheart a poor choice.
That big piece of mahogany is a big bullet to bite, but it's the right thing to do.
- preserved_killick
- Skilled Systems Installer
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Re: Purpleheart
I had some Mangaris (red balau?) left over from a deck project I did. I ran it through the planer and it's a close match to the African $$ mahogany I bought from the exotic wood yard. If anything the color is more consistent than mahogany, a touch darker. Mangaris feels denser, tougher than African mahogany too. Glues up nice and looks great with varnish. Trouble is it comes in 1x6 only I think.
jeff
jeff
Re: Purpleheart
I'll chime in as another who prefers not to routinely epoxy under varnish. My reasons are the same as Preserved_K's. (Not saying I never would, but just not as my standard procedure.)
I think that if it were me, I would either buy the "right" high-quality wood (I realize you are trying to determine what right options there are), in a generous thickness, OR, I would consider just making the coamings out of laminated plywood and glass them*, and then paint and attach to the boat. Then eventually buy the good stuff. This is an extension of Figment's "do it right or don't go at all" approach. I would have to do some figuring on costs and time before doing that though.
*I got this idea from the coamings on CharlieJ's Meridian.
I think that if it were me, I would either buy the "right" high-quality wood (I realize you are trying to determine what right options there are), in a generous thickness, OR, I would consider just making the coamings out of laminated plywood and glass them*, and then paint and attach to the boat. Then eventually buy the good stuff. This is an extension of Figment's "do it right or don't go at all" approach. I would have to do some figuring on costs and time before doing that though.
*I got this idea from the coamings on CharlieJ's Meridian.
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- Deck Grunge Scrubber
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:03 am
- Boat Name: Jenny Marie, #308
- Boat Type: 1963 Pearson Triton
- Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Re: Purpleheart
thanks guys
much appreciated..... as everyone here knows, it is a constant balancing act between what I can afford
and what needs to be done... got some big expenditures coming up; alternator, mainsail... Just want to get back on the water
in as good a shape as possible next Spring.
much appreciated..... as everyone here knows, it is a constant balancing act between what I can afford
and what needs to be done... got some big expenditures coming up; alternator, mainsail... Just want to get back on the water
in as good a shape as possible next Spring.
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- Almost a Finish Carpenter
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Re: Purpleheart
I am working with purpleheart on my restoration (backing plates, outboard motor mount / pad)...this species is pretty dense, so not sure it would be the easiest material to work with. Then again, teak is fairly hardy. It's hard to go wrong with the beauty of Mahogany.
Brian
Brian
"My best days are ahead of me..."
http://www.seasprite217.blogspot.com
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- Skilled Systems Installer
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- Boat Type: Pearson Ensign
- Location: Kansas
Re: Purpleheart
I have made a few plane bodies with purpleheart but thats all. Not sure of it's weatherability. Just because it is dense doesn't mean it will withstand the weather.
It is high in tannin and will turn your hands black, though.
Dave.
It is high in tannin and will turn your hands black, though.
Dave.
Never finish all your projects or you'll be bored.
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- Skilled Systems Installer
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- Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Re: Purpleheart
I've no experience with Purpleheart but if you want a reasonable replacement for teak, you could try Iroko. It's a pretty common replacement and was considerable cheaper when I bought some last winter.
7 1/2' Nutshell Pram
Spindrift 11N
Perry designed CheoyLee35
Spindrift 11N
Perry designed CheoyLee35
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- Master of the Arcane
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- Boat Name: Hirilondë
- Boat Type: 1967 Pearson Renegade
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Re: Purpleheart
There is nothing significantly wrong with using Purpleheart. It may be a little hard to bend if there is much curve without using steam. I love the color for decorative stuff like picture frames. But when exposed to ultraviolet it turns a deep brown that I don't particularly like. Is African Mahogany really up to $14/bd. ft.?
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
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Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.