Finishing

[Dale in Anaheim]

Not sure where to post this so here goes...

I recently used a clear satin polyurethane on a jewelry box I made from Cherry and it changed the color of the wood in a way I was not expecting. Instead of a slightly darker, rich color like I was expecting, the cherry became muddy, for lack of a better description. The final color has an almost antique look to it. I would like to know if this is normal? I wanted to use poly to protect the box. I am about to make another project from the same cherry and I would like to finish it with a clear coat. Is there something I can do to bring out the woods natural color without changing it the way the poly did?

Dale

[DocWheeler]

Dale,

I've been completing some jewlery boxes since June (old and slow I guess).
Anyway, my "test" box had eight coats of tung oil/ploy/thinner mix that started with a lot more thinner than the final coat. It darkened quite a bit from the oil and then exposure to UV rays. I liked the color and sheen but did not really like the durability or odor after it was closed for awhile.

The next box was sealed with an alcohol thinned water-base sealer before applying a wipe-on ploy. The light has not darkened it much yet and I liked the sheen of the first box a little better, but this seems a little more durable.

As your project ages, it will darken and hopefully the "muddiness" will disappear. I think the sanding-sealer would have helped avoid the penetration of the poly that possibly caused the muddiness.

I learned more on the walnut boxes than I did on the cherry ones - use amber (orange) shellac (de-waxed) with satin lacquer over it.

HTH

[Dale in Anaheim]

Thanks,

Been thinking about the sanding sealer thing and I am going to see if I can pick some up...

Never used amber shellac before. Going to have to look into that too...


DL

[jonweis]

It's a pre-mixed basically clear dewaxed shellac with little or no yellowing and is pretty bullet-proof and very fast drying. Ace and most hardware storrs carry it now.

[oldjoe]

I have used Mine Wax prestain conditioner on cherry helped I think quite a bit
Here is a picture of the finished product done in cherry

[Lin]

Just to toss out something I have been using for several years on all my hardwoods for scrolling and the hardwoods I have carved so far with the CW. The product that I found that brings out the natural beauty of the grain and color of the wood is Natural Watco Dannish oil. It really makes the grain pop and deepens the colors and shows them off. Does a gorgeous job with cherry and every other hardwood I've tried it on so far to include most of the exotics I have cut.
Just another way to go...as a final finish on my indoor projects I've been using deft spray lacquer...sanding after the first coat and using three to four coats on the piece. I like the semi gloss the best. The gloss sometimes is just a bit too shiny.
Lin

[rjp736]

I have to agree with Lin, Danish oil works VERY well and application is super easy.

[Kenm810]

Watco Natural Danish Oil Finish is a Rust-Oleum product brand
and has a whole line of wood working Oils, Lacquer, and Poly, wipe or spray on Products
I get mine at the local Rockler wood working store, but it also can be ordered on line.

[castingman]

Dale Most people think cherry is red, I bought a truck load of rough cut cherry for $70.00 and the color is all over the chart. I stain mine with cherry stain to get people to believe its cherry! I had an order for a cherry cirgar pen and when the guy picked it up he took a bloodwood pen and said that was cherry. Michael