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Hope Chest Finish - Printable Version

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RE: Hope Chest Finish - lincmercguy - 11-21-2021

"The curly maple was first stained with dye and then sanded off"

Now I'm curious. What dye/concentration? When you say sanded off, do you just mean knocking the grain back down?

I've used dyes with oak before stain for a while, and I like the results, but I think oak is a different (and easier) animal than cherry.


RE: Hope Chest Finish - Mike 55 - 11-22-2021

(11-21-2021, 07:34 PM)lincmercguy Wrote: "The curly maple was first stained with dye and then sanded off"

Now I'm curious. What dye/concentration? When you say sanded off, do you just mean knocking the grain back down?

I've used dyes with oak before stain for a while, and I like the results, but I think oak is a different (and easier) animal than cherry.

I used Trans Tint dye with distilled water. For this application per 1 oz water I used 4 drops Dark Vintage, 1 drop Honey Amber and 2 drops Medium brown. Once applied let it dry. The curly soaks up the dye and the whiter parts darken too. I start sanding at 220 grit and it lightens the white part of the maple while leaving the curly darker. Sand to the color you want. You can apply a 2nd coat if you want the curly darker. Just make sure the wood is dried first. Play with the colors on scraps. 

I must have made 10 different mixes before I found the color I was looking for. Search on the web and you will find dozens of You Tube video's on how to do this and some wild colors. Just applying a finish does not allow the curly to pop. Good luck with your project. I never stain cherry. The oil finish is always dark enough for me. Every year it looks richer and richer.


RE: Hope Chest Finish - John Mihich - 11-24-2021

No finish inside. I try do try to apply at least one coat of finish on the panels before assembly. I use two types of finish for stuff like this. I either apply spray lacquer or wipe on poly. Poly does take abuse better but you can easily repair lacquer. I have used shellac if I want to add the yellowish color. With maple I like lacquer to keep the maple color. It really is a personal choice. Test finish boards are your friend.


RE: Hope Chest Finish - Gary G™ - 11-24-2021

Linc,
I don’t know about CO, but here in FL cherry darkens naturally and beautifully without stain.
If anything, use a dye rather than a stain.
Stain will probably just muddy the grain.


RE: Hope Chest Finish - lincmercguy - 11-24-2021

If anything, time in the sun would darken it faster since we have half the atmosphere above us. My test pieces didn't darken as much as I'd like over a year or so, but that was just with polyurethane or waterloo.

I do agree that a dye would likely be better than a stain. I just haven't really dove into the extensive world of cherry finishing yet. The price of plywood tells me I still have plenty of time to figure it out.


RE: Hope Chest Finish - AHill - 11-25-2021

Don't put a finish on the inside. You want the cedar to be able ward off insects. If you finish the cedar, you'll lose that benefit.

Another vote for Arm-R-Seal. I'd personally finish the outside with poly to add some protection against dings and scratches. You may also consider a pore filler for the walnut to get a smooth finish. Either that, or apply the first few coats of finish and wet sand it to fill the pores. Don't wipe off the excess after wet sanding, or you'll be wiping out all the walnut dust that's filling the pores. Let each coat dry before applying the next coat. When the pores are filled, sand smooth and have at it with the poly. No need to wet sand at that point. If the poly is water-based, allow the Arm-R-Seal to fully cure before applying the poly. Otherwise, you'll get some wrinkling, blistering, or cracking as the Arm-R-Seal outgasses and cures.


RE: Hope Chest Finish - lincmercguy - 11-25-2021

"Don't put a finish on the inside. You want the cedar to be able ward off insects. If you finish the cedar, you'll lose that benefit."

It is maple and walnut. I plan on adding some unfinished aeromatic cedar panels on the inside for that.