Greetings
I’m in a ball of confusion over finishing, and don’t want to make things worse by continuing to surf online.
I’m making a couple of small letter boxes as gifts, made out of cherry. They’ll probably end up on desks, surrounded by clutter and this and that.
My usual finishing regimen is 4-5 thin coats of dewaxed shellac (1.5 lb cut) followed by a small amount of paste wax gently wiped on with x0000 steel wool (I got this from “the Why and How of Woodworking”).
Would that work here, or should something like this get some type of varnish over the shellac, and if so what type of varnish? If I am applying varnish, should I reduce the amount of shellac and just do 1-2 coats?
I’m thinking of varnish as protection, but I’ve also heard that cherry darkens over time, and given that these might end up on desks, partially covered with papers, in direct sun, I’m wondering whether varnish helps (or hurts I guess) this process. I’m also wondering whether I’m making too much of the darkening thing (not really worried about darkening, it’s the uneven darkening that might look weird).
thanks!
Neal
Replies
Nice job on the letter box, looks great. Cherry will darken over time to a rich reddish brown. It contains elements that are sensitive to UV light. I use a similar finish on Cherry except it is Shellac base and then Waterlox top coat with a light sanding of the shellac. The Waterlox has a nice amber tint to it. You can wipe on several coats to get the finish you want. Very easy to use and a good product and durable.
For something like this, shellac and wax is a great finish. Cherry will continue to darken, but on small items, it doesn't end up being an issue. Where it comes into play is on something like a table top. If you leave something on the top and don't move it for a long time, it will stay lighter underneath. All you can do is move items every week or so to avoid a single spot.
A finish with really great UV inhibitors, like a marine varnish, can slow down cherry darkening, but won't stop it. The vast majority of finishes won't do anything.
I use 2 coats of dewaxed shellac on cherry as a base. If it is a tabletop or something that sees everyday use, I add two coats of water based poly. If it's a sitting around and looking pretty and not useful item, I add more shellac and wax instead.
Just wax it. It's an object mostly of utility, as you describe, not a decorative showpiece. It's a very nicely made and proportioned thing, mind.
And anyway, a coat of wax, from time to time, will (with the UV darkening) produce a nice patina. Personally I much prefer this to that shiny factory-plastic look of "perfection" that seems so popular around here.
But there's a cultural fault-line between British tastes and tradition in finishing with those of the USA. So you shouldn't take any notice of me. :-)
Lataxe
I would consider the end user, how will they use it. Woodworkers like a simple finish but will the end user rewax it again when it needs a touch up? I tend to go with a tough urethane for anything that will get handled. I have kitchen stools that are about five years old with BLO and urethane. Looks fine. And I second the comment on your fine work!!
I like garnet shellac on cherry. I’ve experimented with boiled linseed oil applied prior to the garnet but really see no difference.
That may be enough protection. If you want more protection two coats from an aerosol can of satin spray lacquer might be useful.
Ona cherry buffet made years ago it was the garnet with water base poly and it looks great. The fumes from Lacquer and oil based products don’t mix well on projects that large and my basement shop.
Mike
Thanks for the feedback and kind words. This is my first real project with cherry. When I started getting serious about woodworking, I read some advice that you should learn on hardwood (i.e. don't be tempted to "practice" on cheaper softwoods), and I thought that was decent advice. I didn't have a thickness planer or tools and experience to deal with rough lumber, so I was stuck with Lowes/Home Depot S4S and lots of red oak. Cherry is such a pleasure compared to red oak! (cleanliness of saw cuts, chiseling). I really love working with it.
Thanks again!
Neal
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