tanning cherry... inside?

[andrew whicker]

Anyone use grow lights to suntan their cherry?

How did it turn out?

[Bill Jobe]

No, but sit it in a sunny spot in the house and it will tan.

[Lee Schierer]

I have some cherry items I made that are in rooms with curtains over the windows that have darkened in just a year. I typically use a lacquer based finish, but have also used Waterlox Antique Oil finish. The oil finish seems to darken more rapidly. When I used to start my own seedlings using grow lights, the lights had to be kept just inches above the plants for them to be effective. I don't think that would be practical to darken your cherry. Even pieces I have placed out in bright summer sunlight did not appreciably darken any faster than pieces that did not see sunlight. Apply your finish and apply a few months of patience and you will be surprised how much your cherry will darken in that time.