Cherry drawer fronts

[Jim Dunn]

Is this just about the prettiest wood you've ever seen? Never had any experience with cherry before and picked up a "short" at the local hardwood store for $3.00. Just enough to make drawer fronts for 4 drawers.

Will this cherry darken by itself? It is going to be in my shop and out of direct sunlight but will be exposed to flouresent lights.

Jim

[Jack Hogoboom]

Jim,

Very pretty wood.

It should darken over time, but if they're in the basement, it'll take a lot longer. If you want them darker, take them out and lay them on a table in the sun for a few hours.

Jack

[Jim Becker]

Set them outside in the sun for a few days before you install them to hasten the darkening. They will still change over time inside, however...oxidation and UV exposure will do that. Very nice figured wood, too!

[Jim Dunn]

Jack

Actually hoping they don't darken any or much more than they already have. Used Watco natural finish to seal them but don't think that will protect them from going darker. If they do, well they just do, nothing I can do about it but some of the grain is already dark and may loose some of the contrasting grain pattern if it goes darker.

Also it's the first time I used the table saw to raise the panels. Used a 24 tooth blade and I think I needed to use a blade with more teeth to help eliminate all the sanding. Is this right?
Jim

[Mark Singer]

Jim,

Nice!!! they will darken with time and light

[Roger Myers]

Jim,
Even out of direct sunlight, cherry will darken, and it will be noticable fairly quickly....days and weeks, not months and years. The darkening will continue and the cherry will develop a beautiful color, and the grain and contrast will still be there...just different (and I think better over time). Given that they are drawer fronts, not too much of an issue, but with any surface that may be obscured (shelves, table tops, etc.) I find it best to do what Jim B. said and force the aging some with some exposure to sunlight. Otherwise, items placed on the surface will leave shadows, since they mask the light... eventually it will all even out, but in the short term can be an issue. The french cleats which run all around the perimeter of my shop are all cherry and I had to move the tool racks that hang from the cleats from time to time as they would otherwise leave the covered areas much lighter.
That is some real pretty cherry and I think in time it will be even nicer!
Roger

[Charlie Plesums]

Nice work.

...Also it's the first time I used the table saw to raise the panels. Used a 24 tooth blade and I think I needed to use a blade with more teeth to help eliminate all the sanding. Is this right?
Jim

It looks like you used the primary saw blade to cut the coves by passing the panels diagonally over the saw blade. If that is the case, and you go to more teeth, it will probably be a plywood or finish blade with ATB grind, which cuts little lines at the edge of the kerf, to minimize rip out. But in this use, you don't have a kerf, and have to sand out all those lines. Consider using a rip blade...

[Jim Dunn]

Thanks all