Cherry aging question

[Mike Konobeck]

Lye is difficult to dispose of in concentrations and if used/stored wrong can be rather dangerous. It will eat through glass if that tells you something. We as woodworkers are harder on the environment then we realize. The use of chemicals may speed up natural processes but we can avoid it in most cases with patience. The sun will get you most of the way there and there is no harm in trying it. People have to just appreciate the characteristics of the wood for what it is. Explain to your customer the natural properties of the wood species they like and if they expect the color changing properties of cherry then it will likely not be a big deal. It pains me when people stain or alter fine grade woods like cherry. Just my opinion.

(Yes, I use finishes that are hard on the environment and struggle with this every time I pull the trigger on the sprayer, dip the brush or rag, etc. so I am not trying to throw stones in a glass house.)

[Jim Summers]

I don't know how you finished your built-ins so won't dispute your experience. All I can say is that I've used the BLO/sunlight routine on cherry for decades and that I get most of the color change in a week. Certainly not all but most of it.
To check this I just now moved a TV that has been stationary on a cherry cabinet I built around 3 years ago. The wood under the TV that sees no light is virtually identical to that of the rest of the cabinet that has been exposed to room daylight. That cabinet is unstained, oiled, suntanned and varnished cherry.

Same result here. BLO and then suntanning for a week. Then finish. When I am doing the suntanning I put the pieces out in the direct sunlight and rotate/flip.

The color change is amazing. Compare it to a piece that is freshly planed and wow.

HTH

[Paul Girouard]

Oven cleaner will darken Cherry , more than likely the lye in the oven cleaner . I have also used the sun trick , just be careful you don't have a rain shower , or a wire birds can perch on right over the piece, you'd get $hitty results with that effect, blue berry bushes and a wire over the work !!!!

Good luck.

And yes the book would cause a lighter spot where the book is placed.

[bill tindall]

Potassium dichromate is one of the few PROVEN carcinogens. The word carcinogen gets overused, especially in The State of California, but in the case of this chemical the warnings are to be heeded. The next step after applying it to wood will be to sand the wood to smooth the raised grain. The risk of carrying dust with this material into you lungs is too great to risk using it. Using it, storing it or disposing of it exposes one to personal and liability risk no prudent person should be willing to take.

I did some fading studies using potassium dichromate as well as lye and premetallized water soluble dyes (Mosher dyes). By far the most stable color was with the premetallized wood dyes.

[Ken Masco]

I have had great success ageing cherry on several projects by using Potasium Dichromate. Covered with the finish of your choice. Yes it will darken with time on it's own but the Potasium Dichromate treatment makes it happen in one afternoon and looks great.

[Brian D Anderson]

Just saw this thread . . . don't have much to add other than this picture of my router table taken two years after I made it.

IMG_1006.jpg

This is in my basement, which is a walkout with a few windows, but this side doesn't face any windows. I'm sure it gets some light reflection though.

-Brian

[Bobby O'Neal]

No disrespect meant to anybody else here but I'd look at pictures of Prashun's work and then consider your options. He has a killer eye for finishing. Could be valuable advice coming from him. I agree, natural process is best. Especially If the customer understands.

[Alex Peel]

For a natural alternative I have seen someone age cherry online by putting it in a suntan bed. Only a few minutes and it was very dark. I think its a reaction with the UV rays same as sunlight. If you had a UV lamp you could probably age it quickly.