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I use Bartley's Penn Cherry gel and Bartley's gel varnish. It's easy, doesn 't require sandin g between coats and gives just a touch of color to the wood. The cherry darkens over time and becomes quite beautiful. Here a pic of my granddaughter's cradle just after using the gel stain and another one taken 3 1/2 yrs later when her little brother was born.
Waterlox, but I like the natural variations in Cherry. Of course if you get lucky and are able to use boards all from the same tree there is little color variation.
If I was going to even to color out, or try to hide some sapwood that snuck in I would try a NGR dye on the areas that needed toning. Start with a light shade, and add more to get the color where you want it to be.
Dave
If I was going to even to color out, or try to hide some sapwood that snuck in I would try a NGR dye on the areas that needed toning. Start with a light shade, and add more to get the color where you want it to be.
Dave
Paint would even it out.:rotflm: But I am more into the natural look.
I prefer a good clear coat and let sunlight and and nature take it's course.
Beautiful rocker.
Toner then Dye is what I woud use if it had to be enhanced, but I would practice on some different pieces of sanded scrap from the chair, for effect.
Regards,
Robert
I prefer a good clear coat and let sunlight and and nature take it's course.
Beautiful rocker.
Toner then Dye is what I woud use if it had to be enhanced, but I would practice on some different pieces of sanded scrap from the chair, for effect.
Regards,
Robert
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What I'm concerned about is the difference between the arm and the back leg and to a lesser degree the seat and the back. I'd like to get them a little closer sooner rather than later. The boards did look fairly close in color before they were cut. Even the two arms that came out of the same board are a little different. It's not sap wood just different tones of cherry.
I guess I'll get some gel stain, some dye and a spray can of toner and do some experimenting.
I guess I'll get some gel stain, some dye and a spray can of toner and do some experimenting.
What you need is some of FredP's magic blue tape
Maybe a diluted wash coat of Zinsser SealCoat (100% dewaxed) shellac. It helps tone out splotchiness in cherry and pine before finishing; easy to just wipe on with a rag and dries in minutes. You can be fairly sloppy with it and just clean up with household ammonia which is cheaper than alcohol.
Dave O suggested Waterlox. It's great stuff and can also be easily wiped on with a rag. No need to wipe it off either just let it air dry for about 24 h. Don't slop this on and take your time 'cause you have a lot of little nooks and crannys. Their "Original" has about a 50% gloss and the "Satin" is toned down a bit, but I haven't tried it yet.
http://www.waterlox.com/
Just recently experimented with a gel stain and it was really nice and easy to work with; about the consistency of pudding. You'll just have to be careful rubbing out the nooks and crannys to avoid smudges.
That is a very nice looking chair and a very nice job. Kudos! :icon_cheers
Dave O suggested Waterlox. It's great stuff and can also be easily wiped on with a rag. No need to wipe it off either just let it air dry for about 24 h. Don't slop this on and take your time 'cause you have a lot of little nooks and crannys. Their "Original" has about a 50% gloss and the "Satin" is toned down a bit, but I haven't tried it yet.
http://www.waterlox.com/
Just recently experimented with a gel stain and it was really nice and easy to work with; about the consistency of pudding. You'll just have to be careful rubbing out the nooks and crannys to avoid smudges.
That is a very nice looking chair and a very nice job. Kudos! :icon_cheers
Pete,
I did a Chippendale cradle last year in cherry and used the following formula;
1. Sand to 220 and then do a wash coat (50% reduced Seal Coat dewaxed shellac).
2. Lightly sand the dried wash coat w/320 grit.
3. General Finishes or Bartley wiping gel stain (your choice of color), apply liberally and wipe off...can even out the color during the wiping stage.
4. Let dry at least 24 hours (48-72 preferable) and coat with two to three coats of Minwax Wipe-on Poly (I used satin).
The overall color was very even (including the few areas w/sapwood).
Hope this helps.
Dan C.
I did a Chippendale cradle last year in cherry and used the following formula;
1. Sand to 220 and then do a wash coat (50% reduced Seal Coat dewaxed shellac).
2. Lightly sand the dried wash coat w/320 grit.
3. General Finishes or Bartley wiping gel stain (your choice of color), apply liberally and wipe off...can even out the color during the wiping stage.
4. Let dry at least 24 hours (48-72 preferable) and coat with two to three coats of Minwax Wipe-on Poly (I used satin).
The overall color was very even (including the few areas w/sapwood).
Hope this helps.
Dan C.
A chemist's advice that I forgot to mention.
Many of the finish materials that we work with contain metal catalysts that help them "cure". The finish material in the can reacts with oxygen and eventually will gel if not protected. I've had this happen with "Waterlox".
Simple solution. Take a straw and push it down into the can and exhale vigorously several times and then even more. The carbon dioxide which you exhale will displace the air containing oxygen and push it upward and outside of the container. Carbon dioxide is heavier than breathing air.
A lot cheaper than the spray cans containing argon gas and a lot less hassle than using glass marbles to displace the liquid and air upward and out of the container. Well, carbon dioxide is slightly heavier than argon and it's free as long as you're living and breathing! :icon_cheers
Many of the finish materials that we work with contain metal catalysts that help them "cure". The finish material in the can reacts with oxygen and eventually will gel if not protected. I've had this happen with "Waterlox".
Simple solution. Take a straw and push it down into the can and exhale vigorously several times and then even more. The carbon dioxide which you exhale will displace the air containing oxygen and push it upward and outside of the container. Carbon dioxide is heavier than breathing air.
A lot cheaper than the spray cans containing argon gas and a lot less hassle than using glass marbles to displace the liquid and air upward and out of the container. Well, carbon dioxide is slightly heavier than argon and it's free as long as you're living and breathing! :icon_cheers
Let me say that no stain will even out the color differences in the wood. It looks like one piece is lighter than the others and came from a different tree. Cherry is very variable in color dependent on where it was grown and how much sun it gets.
That said, don't worry about it. It's the variability that makes cherry such an attractive wood. Most will argue that leaving it natural and letting in gradually age is the best way to celebrate cherry. Whether you stain it or not, it will darken with time.
Nice looking chair. Good job.........
That said, don't worry about it. It's the variability that makes cherry such an attractive wood. Most will argue that leaving it natural and letting in gradually age is the best way to celebrate cherry. Whether you stain it or not, it will darken with time.
Nice looking chair. Good job.........
I'm in the "let it be what it is" camp. :icon_thum
Yes it is a common practice to give your Cherry a "sun-tan", and it will darken it. But Cherry will darken quite well on it's own over time and even without direct UV exposure. The only problem with an artificial "sun-tan" is the problem with any artificial sun-tans....uneven exposure.
I prefer to finish it with a natural colored oil finish and let it do it's thing. Before you know it, it will look very different.
Dave
Thanks for the heads up. Last fall I built two frame & panel blanket chests for my son and daughter using cherry/maple. At that time I gave the cherry a dilute wash-coat of Zinsser dewaxed shellac to prevent splotching and then finished with 3 wipe on coats of Waterlox "Original".
The jury is still out on the anticipated color change or chatoyance. I'll be curious to observe them over the next couple of years. :icon_cheers
The jury is still out on the anticipated color change or chatoyance. I'll be curious to observe them over the next couple of years. :icon_cheers
Ten years ago I was totally committed to letting cherry age naturally. This stance has changed and the reason why is because of the poor quality of the cherry available today. Unless you are willing to find a supplier who will make sure all of you cherry comes from the same tree and even then hand selects each board you will have a problem with matching color. I also believe the cherry tree must be from much further north than we all live.
You do not even want to know how much this kind of cherry is going to cost you per bf.
With that said I think the beautiful chair you have made is worth the cost of this quality level of cherry.
With the normal quality cherry I find these days I have had better luck with General Finishes gel stain than anything else. I also like the General Finishes gel finish. I believe the finish you use should be determined by the way the piece will be used. Another way of saying this is to ask how much abuse will it receive. You should try several methods before deciding what you want to do. I have absolutely no success with dye. DaveO thinks highly of it. Just goes to show it depends on what works for you.
You do not even want to know how much this kind of cherry is going to cost you per bf.
With that said I think the beautiful chair you have made is worth the cost of this quality level of cherry.
With the normal quality cherry I find these days I have had better luck with General Finishes gel stain than anything else. I also like the General Finishes gel finish. I believe the finish you use should be determined by the way the piece will be used. Another way of saying this is to ask how much abuse will it receive. You should try several methods before deciding what you want to do. I have absolutely no success with dye. DaveO thinks highly of it. Just goes to show it depends on what works for you.
really nice work on the rocker. My cherry bath cabinets darkened up after I put the sliding glass door in the bedroom and flooded the front of the cabinets with afternoon sunlight.
I turn some cherry ornaments and doo-dads, and if my wife thinks they are too light, she hangs them in the window a day or two. You might try the same trick with the rocker. About an hour or two at the time to see what the effect will be.
I turn some cherry ornaments and doo-dads, and if my wife thinks they are too light, she hangs them in the window a day or two. You might try the same trick with the rocker. About an hour or two at the time to see what the effect will be.
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