Finishing Exotic Woods

depends on what you are trying to cover up? any cover up where you can use wood is bar none the greatest. i haven’t used mush wood filler though so i don’t know much about that.

I’ve used sawdust/glue and sawdust/epoxy mixes to fill some woods like walnut and cherry, and it would probably work as well on purpleheart. Sawdust/epoxy would be better because the epoxy dry clear. Sawdust/glue works on woods that have a color similar to dried glue.

I takes a bit of experimenting to get the mix right, and the best sawdust comes from a sander rather than a tablesaw because it’s finer. Try it with slower setting epoxy on a sample piece.

A lot of Grain fillers are just coloured talcum powder (whoops did I just let out a manufactures secret). If it is grain you want to fill I don’t know if I would risk it on purple heart.
If you are filling a defect I would agree with Boardman.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

If your objective is to stop the wood from changing colors as it ages there is literally nothing you can do about it. Using fillers on wood accomplishes two things (1) it can be used to highlight the open pores and make them stand out and/or (2) fills the open pores so that you can achieve a glass smooth finish. But stopping the color change in wood as it ages just can’t be done. This patina that it develops is the inherent beauty of wood in itself.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Purpleheart is a tough one as you are aware by your comments. It can be crayon purple and turn to dull gray very quickly after it’s worked on based on many variables. Can’t help here as far as filling and having the filling blend with the changes. Best guess would be to let it run it’s course then fill. Might not be feasible though.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

If it’s the finish you are looking to get glassy smooth- 4lb shellac & sand, shellac & sand. Use a leather based block so that it stays flat.

If you are trying to high light the pores I mix urethane or lacquer with sanding dust, apply with a putty knife, then sand- a lot. If you are going to stain the piece, mix some stain with the concoction. Make sure you use the same finish for your mix as the top coat so that they are seamless.

-- The only easy wood project is a fire