distressed cherry wood

[Randy Tullis]

A friend of mine has asked me to make him a cabinet from distressed cherry wood. Is their a wood of this name or is it cherry wood with a certain kind of finish? If there is wood of this kind what does it machine like?

Thanks for your help.
Randy

[Joe Chritz]

Distressed wood is generally either beat up reclaimed lumber or regular lumber that has been "distressed".

The steps are:

1: Build thing
2: Beat with chain, pliers and a sack of doorknobs
3: Finish

ETA: Doing a good distressed finish isn't as easy as it sounds.

Joe

[Chip Lindley]

I find enough *distress* in trying to keep a piece pristine withOUT dings and glitches. I could not bear to beat up a brand new piece made of cherry under any circumstances, and fortunately, I am in a position where I don't have to take *S&M* commissions!

[Lee Schierer]

Years ago I visited an Ethan Allen Factory and watched them distress a perfectly good table. It was an interesting process. I'm more inclined to let actual use build the character of pieces I make. I'm not sure I would take a paying job where I had to distress a new piece of furniture.

[Dave Verstraete]

Randy
I have a hard enough time finding good, clear cherry and then flattening and straightening it. I think I would go ballistic if someone was beating it up.

Each to their own, I guess??