The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed Purpleheart wood

Anybody ever use any purpleheart wood for their bed boards. Thinking of trying a purpleheart bed to go with our gray bedliner.

coach,

i use purple heart in many of my woodworking projects. really nice to work with and finishes beautifuly with any type of clear coat (poly, lacquer, etc.).

can be pricey but if you are looking for that unique touch it might be just the ticket.

would this be for show or is this a working truck? it's certainly a hard enough wood to withstand the punishment, but seems a shame to abuse it in that way.

Thanks pj. No this is not a working truck. We have 2 other trucks for that purpose. I have built most of the furniture in our home, but I have never used purpleheart. I have alsways been fascinated with it though. Found some purpleheart for $4.49 a board foot. My son and I have tossed around the idea of using it and maple on the bed. I have used cherry a bunch. I built our kitchen cabinets and family room furniture out of cherry, so I know of cherrys' sensitivity to uv rays. I have some cherry already in our cab. So we may just stay with all cherry.

I would be careful to keep that out of the sun. It tends to turn blotchy.

Not to sure about that 4 on the Floor. It is used alot in ship-building and other outdoor projects. But not to take chances, we used 2 coats of Watco Danish oil and 7 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane on the boards. Hope that is enough UV protection. I guess time will tell. We are using 4 boards of purpleheart and 5 boards of Cherry, somewhat like a butcher board effect.

http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t160/sworden73/

I have a cherry floor in my 55,it is finished with about 5 coats of spar urethane.A really nice lookig floor,with a mirror finish.My 72 has an oak floor with a much duller finish,it was done when I bought the truck.Neither truck is a working truck and they spend most of their life in my shop,out of the weather.They both get a lot of oohs and aahs at the cruisins and shows.

Nice looking Cherry bed , Dale. Nice trucks you have there. I am not to concerned with the wood being effected with UV Rays. I have used Cherry Wood for 25 years to build furniture and know what UV rays do to it. The patina of aged Cherry is beautiful. Your Cherry bed looks great. Frank

ASSUMING, you are talking show trucks, Don't you store them inside? unique woods beds are getting very popular so any hardwood could be used and stained for your purpose.

You hit it on the nose Gazim. I suspect it will never see any work use again. We have 2 other trucks for that purpose.

Coach I have been told that the sanding dust and saw dust from purple hart is Toxic/ Poison.
one should wear a good mask and not a paper one.

Thanks T-ruck for the heads up. I get a reaction to walnut sanding dust. I wear a mask for any type of sanding I do. Boards are sanded and finished at this point. Waiting for my nephew to spray the bed with Vortex bed liner.