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01-02-2021, 06:03 AM
I’ve got some nice curly but rather light colored cherry I want to darken.
I have dyed cherry but I’m concerned about how curly will react to that. I’ve also used tinted shellac and various oils, but I recently heard about potassium dichromate.
Anyone ever use it or what’s your preference when you don’t want to wait?
I know about the sunlight trick but don’t want curly literally just the figure :-D
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My experience is very limited with potassium dichromate, but the one time I've seen it used it rendered a very dark change to the wood. It may be more than you want. It is hazardous, so plan accordingly.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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(01-02-2021, 06:32 AM)fredhargis Wrote: My experience is very limited with potassium dichromate, but the one time I've seen it used it rendered a very dark change to the wood. It may be more than you want. It is hazardous, so plan accordingly.
Didn’t know it was hazardous Thx.
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(01-02-2021, 07:57 AM)rwe2156 Wrote: Didn’t know it was hazardous Thx.
Very. Do your research. And don’t think you'll get the color out of anything you spill it on.
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Some folks like using PDC but I never thought the risk was worth the reward. Dye is safe, controllable, and repeatable. Whether or not it gives you the result you want can only be found by testing on samples. I've found that with blotch prone woods like cherry spraying is the only way to prevent that from happening.
John
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I use the TransTint dyes. I mix it with the clear coat, lightly.
Each coat gives you a gradual darkening.
As usual, use a test piece (scrap) before the real thing.
Steve
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(01-02-2021, 06:03 AM)rwe2156 Wrote: I’ve got some nice curly but rather light colored cherry I want to darken.
I have dyed cherry but I’m concerned about how curly will react to that. I’ve also used tinted shellac and various oils, but I recently heard about potassium dichromate.
Anyone ever use it or what’s your preference when you don’t want to wait?
I know about the sunlight trick but don’t want curly literally just the figure :-D
The "sunlight trick" works even after the wood is finished. But fuming (ammonia) and lye wipes are often used before.
That said, what you're interested in is not general darkening, but differential uptake by different grain orientations in the wood. Warm up some 75/25 BLO and treat to refusal, remembering to wipe off remaining after 20 minutes. One more 50/50 wipe should be all you need prior to solvent-based final finish.
You want a bit of a preview, wipe with water or alcohol. Won't last, nor be quite as deep, but if it's what you're after, do as above.
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I have used Arm & Hammer Washing Soda to darken cherry in the past. It works but can bring out more browns than reds. It works beautiful with mahogany.
I have also used water based dyes, kind of following the finishes that Glen Huey used. The waterbased dyes did a good job aging the cherry the way I wanted it.
