SOUTH AMERICAN PURPLEHEART: H
When first worked it is yellow, but overnight changes to an attractive purple, which darkens with age. It is a very attractive defect free timber available in good length and width specification.

Production: S/E, DIM.

Peltogyne pubescens
Family: Leguminosae

Other names: Amaranth, Violetwood.

Distribution: Central America and tropical South America.

General Description: The heartwood is yellow when freshly cut, maturing to a deep purple/violet; the original colour is restored when re-cut. Straight grained, but often irregular, wavy and sometimes interlocked, producing a pleasing striped figure on quartered surfaces. Texture moderate to fine. Weight varies from 800-1,000kg/m3 (50-63lb/ft3) averageing 860kg/m3 (54lb/ft3); specific gravity .86.

Mechanical Properties: High strength in bending, stiffness and crushing catergories and medium resistance to shock loads, with moderate steam bending classification.

Distribution: Dries fairly rapidly with little de-grade but care is needed to dry out the centre of thick pieces. Air drying is slow with some end and surface checking or case hardening. There is small movement in service.

Working Properties: It is rather difficult to work with moderate to severe blunting effect on tools. It exudes gummy resin when heated by dull cutters and the material is best run slowly through machines equipped with high speed steel knives. The wood turns well and smoothly. Pre-bore for nailing, glues without difficulty and stains and wax polishes easily. Spirit finishes remove the purple colour; lacquer finishes preserve the colour.

Durability: very durable. Sapwood liable to attack from powder post beetle. Extremely resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable.

Suitable Uses: It is used for heavy outdoor constructional work, bridge building, fresh water piling, dock work, cladding, house construction and vats. Excellent for flooring and suitable for gymnasium equipment, shafts, tool handles, boat building, turnery, furniture and billiard tables. Also as decorative veneers for inlaying and marquetry work etc.

JBT Comments: This is ideal if you require something unusual which is purple darkening to dark purple/brown.

Grade: FAS

Specification: Square edge: 8ft and longer, 5ins and wider.

Stockholding: Limited kiln dried stocks available with larger quantities to order 3-4 weeks in 1ins, 11/2ins, 2ins, 21/2ins, 3ins and 4ins thickness.