: I need to figure out some of the wood colors I will need for my patterns down
: the road and I need to know how they will wet out and hold their colors.
: For a dark wood, I believe I can get WENGE and all of the woods mentioned
: here. Is WENGE is usually darker then heart walnut? I can also get PADUK
: (RED), and does it hold it’s color after a wet out. I can also get the
: PURPLE wood, I don’t remember its name, but I think I remember someone
: saying it changes color after time when its fiberglassed. I’m also
: considering CHERRY and MAPLE. Any thoughts might save me some problems
: later on.

I have used all the woods you have mentioned in your posting on decks or used them for outside stems. Wenge is very hard and has a very nice flat grain if you choose the right board. Somewhat like a small grained zebra wood. On edge grain, it will come out black as night with resin. For red, I suggest a Bloodwood, which has a finer grain and remains more to red when wetted. Purple Heart is extremely hard to cut and sand and likely to tear out if you try to plane it. Ends up very dark when wetted loosing most of its beautiful purple colour. Very poisonous also should you get a sliver. I speak from experience after requiring day surgery to remove a chunk from my hand that had quickly infected. Sorry no pictures of that.

: Thanks a lot,
: John