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Thread: Color of cherry

  1. #1

    Color of cherry

    I have finished sanding a project that is made from cherry a couple weeks ago. Now the wood that was exposed to light is darker, and the wood that wasn't is lighter. Will this even out eventually and if so when?
    Do I need to resand to even out the color?
    I plan on using Arm-R-seal on it.

  2. #2
    You can roll the piece around in the sun a bit to balance out the color. It will likely all catch up a bit but there is no guarantee of when, how long, or how close the match will be. If you take the piece out in some indirect sunlight (dont let it cook in direct sun) and roll it around to expose critical faces it can help.

  3. #3
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    ^^^^^^^^

    What he said.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  4. #4
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    That's the devil and delight of cherry. That's why it is one of my favorite woods to work with. Hey, 80-100 years from now it will almost be black.

  5. #5
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    Yep, I actually like the fact that every piece is a bit mottled. This is why I don't dye or stain it, and just let it age naturally. The same is also sort of true with walnut, although it does sort of end up looking like butternut if left in sunlight.
    ~mike

    happy in my mud hut

  6. #6
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    I had the same problem a couple of month ago. Left the cauls clamped to the top and it developed stripes. I sanded the top which helped a lot, and then left it in the shop - diffused sunlight all day - for a couple of 3 weeks and it wasn't noticeable. But the stripes were pretty faint to begin with, so YMMV.
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

  7. #7
    My bedroom furniture is cherry. I made the bed a few months before the night stands. The bed is darker but the difference is decreasing, I think. I haven't made the chest of drawers yet so it will be the lightest. But they will gradually get more similar. I think the darkening is one of the many things which is not linear. The initial darkening occurs quickly but the rate decreases with time. At least that is what I think I see.

    I have some in a case for my reloading equipment which is really dark. But it is more than 10 years old.

  8. #8
    I worked with a guy whose shop spot was right under a sky light. More than once he left Coke cans ,pencils, etc. on
    cabinets all week end. Unlike Martha Stuart , he never got a TV show.

  9. #9
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    Agree that things even out in general with no guarantee. When I work with cherry I like to go with larger stock and re-saw most of the show pieces from those. The cherry with more figure can have some impressive chatoyance that can have you working a bit to get a good "viewing" of the piece as people move about the room. A little time spent with material orientation helps with other things too; everything from planing-during to photography-after construction.

    I have a stereo cabinet that I have never gotten a decent picture of. Thank goodness its mine and not for sale. Speaking of which it stood near a window for several years. It had some decorative items on top of it. Me or the wife would just move these to slightly new positions when dusting. No phantoms left behind that way.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  10. #10
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    Yes, the color will eventually equalize as best as it can. But keep in mind that different boards may have come from different trees, so it may not be "exact". That's the nature of a natural product like wood.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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