show your before and after pictures of cherry

[Jeff Cremers]

Does anyone have any pictures of cherry when they finished it and how much darker it has gotten over time?

Pleas note if the color in the picture is a true representation of the actual color. I know some are darker or lighter in person then they look like they are in pictures.
Thanks
Jeff

[Frederick Rowe]

Jeff - I work with a lot of cherry and there is such a variation of color that I'm not sure how much good it will do you. Add to that the lighting difference in photos, it might give you some incorrect direction. My advise is to take a modest sized piece of cherry, cover half up, and let it sit in the sunlight. You'll see how that particular batch of cherry is most likely to respond to sunlight. Other than than, here's a link with some tips on finishing cherry and a photo of sunlight darkened.

http://www.finishwiz.com/cherry01.htm

[Lee Schierer]

Here are two photos of the same piece of cherry picture frame from a project I did about 6-8 years ago and a piece of 60+ year old unfinished cherry. the darker wood in each photo is the old unfinished wood. The lighter color is freshly sanded tonight. The back side with the rabbet on the edge has a lacquer finish that is at least 6 years old. Both photos were taken seconds apart with the lighting the same.(Note, this piece has been kicking around my shop so there are dings and scratches in the finish)

With regard to the old cherry. I can saw cut or plane it and it is the same color all the way through. The growth rings on this wood are less than 1/32 apart. It also get a bit darker with finish, but does not get darker with age.

[Jeff Cremers]

Thanks guys

[Keith Christopher]

I think it's amazing what just a couple of hours in direct sunlight will do for cherry. If you want little oxidation when your project is finished put it in the sun for a couple of hours.

[Craig D Peltier]

Before:
108476

After:

108477

[Keith Christopher]

Now that's funny.

[Chris Padilla]

Now that's funny.

Before...Middle...After....

:D

[Chris Mann]

The color of cherry is all over the map. Some is a pale pink, some tan, some a dark pink. Some darkens considerably with both finish and age, others...not at all.

This cutting board is nothing but cherry scraps
108484