Good morning,
I was given some very old cherry by a friend in Kentucky. The wood came from a tree in his father’s back yard and was harvested in the mid 1950’s. Yesterday, I surface planed one plank and discovered a treasure. The color of the freshly machined wood is a deep rusty red and the grain is well figured.
My question is this: Do any of you have knowledge about very old cherry. (In this case, about 65 years old.) I always thought the internal wood not exposed would remain a lighter color, but that is not the case with this wood. It is deep rusty red all the way through. In the photo, the lighter wood is typical of the cherry that I find in Colorado. It probably comes from the mid west.
Thanks for any knowledge you can impart.
Tom.
Replies
It's hard to tell from your picture, but some cherry is just that dark to begin with. It can vary from region to region or even tree to tree. I have also had cherry that didn't look that dark, but after an application of oil, seemed to really jack the color. As for old cherry, I've not had any that was 65, but some that was over a decade. The wood seems to darken to some bit of depth such that the layer only a few smooth plane shavings down from the surface may still be deeper red. I always attributed to oxidation, as opposed to merely UV that causes the faster change.
That's a good observation. If oxidation causes darkening, then 65 years of aging could easily allow oxidation through and through.
tom,
is this not a case where we are looking at old growth heartwood? the sapwood will never get that dark. you've got some high grade stuff there. enjoy.
eef
A trite point, but don't you mean 55 years?
Yes. Thanks. Another senior moment.
Tom, I had a similar discovery on some 30-year old air-dried cherry planks that had been kept in barn. After planing the boards they retained a deep patina and tiny little insect holes.
Those boards will make some beautiful furniture or cabinets.
Doug
I disagree with all of the others.
That wood you got there is just horrible -- truly disgusting stuff. Probably gonna hurt you when you try to mill it up.
Tell ya what -- just ship it over to me. I'll find some way of disposing of the stuff.
<grinning here!>
Seriously -- you have a treasure there. Now make it into something, and post some more pics!
I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)
Yeah, right.I hate to tell you but there is more of it in a garage somewhere in the midwest. I am plotting to get the rest. I haven't figured out as yet which project to do. One idea is a simple tray that I have built in the past. This wood would be the decoration.
It really is beautiful stuff.If dong a tray sounds good, then maybe you could do a second one that is the top of a butler's table!
I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)
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