Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 11, 2006 08:39am | #1

   You might be able to slow it a bit with numerous coats of marine finishes with UV inhibiters, but they breakdown fairly quickly (a year--maybe two.)  More significantly, I sure wouldn't want to do it.  In my opinion, cherry looks better the longer it has aged and become darker and more interesting.  The color will change even in a dark room.  

   If you want the light cherry color to be more more permanent dye or stain maple, or use red birch, which has almost the same color as young cherry, rather than tilting at the windmill of keeping cherry light. 

1. 
   GotAll10 | Feb 11, 2006 08:12pm | #2

   Thanks.  I don't want to keep it from darkening, I want to make sure I don't use something that will. 

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 11, 2006 09:44pm | #3

   Great.  For maximum darkening start with a coat of BLO, applied liberally and then wiped off throughly after a half hour.  Time spent in the sun before the rest of the finish can accelerate the process--just be sure to turn it regularly.  Let cure for several days, more if your shop is chilly or damp, or if you are going to use a polyurethane finish.  Traditional resin varnishes, or an oil/varnish mix work well on cherry, though cherry's nascent figure can show up with any oil based finish.  (Some people call this figure "blotching" but for an antedote look at Thos. Moser's cherry furniture, and then look at the prices it sells for.) 

2. 
   bushman1000 | Feb 15, 2006 09:29am | #4

   Cherry is my wood of choice for my own furniture.  I enjoy watching the cherry age naturally.  My preferred  finish is after sanding to the desired grit, use one or two coats of danish oil, and after this has dried apply a clear gloss ureathane.  The danish oil soaks into the wood and seems to actually speed up the aging process more than a finish of just ureathane.

1. 
   Mikesp | Feb 16, 2006 04:45am | #5

   Waterlox tung oil actually has a smaller molecular size than danish oil so it will penetrate better. Another advantage to Waterlox is that is also the finish coat. I personally don't like urethanes or other modern plastic finishes as they look fake. Walk through any antique store and you will quickly see how warm the old finishes look. Tung oil varnishes have been around for 100 + years. The finish will not prevent the cherry from oxidizing over time into the warm aged cherry color that you evidently are looking for. I have a 20 yr old curly cherry fireplace that I built and finished initially with tung oil - it looks like an antique finish at present with a beautiful warm aged cheery glow.

1. 
   Crocusboy | Feb 24, 2006 07:58am | #9

   As I understand it from what I've read, the tung oils available today are not at all like what was available even 15 years ago.  They supposedly contain polyurethane or varathane, which is more or less the "plastic" finishes mentioned with such disdain in this thread...

   I'd be interested in hearing what others have to say about this...

   Marty

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 24, 2006 05:14pm | #10

   The confusion comes between actual tung oil--which will say 100% tung oil or pure tung oil--and Tung Oil Finish.  The actual tung oil is just that and hasn't changed.  But Tung Oil Finish is anything the manufacturer puts in the container.  Some, like Formby's are not oil at all, but a varnish which may have been manufactured with at list some tung oil.  Minwax's Tung Oil Finish is an oil/varnish mix (like Watco).  The tung oil finishes are likely to have changed over time as VOC regulations and marketing gimmicks change.  Polyurethane is largely a marketing gimmick in my opinion. Varathane is just a brand name with no actual meaning. 

   Edited 2/24/2006 9:14 am ET by SteveSchoene

2. 
   doodabug | Feb 19, 2006 08:02pm | #6

   Woodworking Magazine Issue Spring 2006 chose boiled linseed oil as there favorite choice.

3. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Feb 20, 2006 06:47am | #7

   GotAll10,

   I simply applied 5 coats of tung oil on this one.

   Regards,

    

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!

   
1. 
   John_D | Feb 21, 2006 02:04am | #8

   Looks like you carved and ebonized the ropes in place, right?  If you applied it you did a helluva job.

   Nice work.My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.