Aniline dye for cherry

[rbdoby]

I'm building some cherry boxes for a friend for some christmas gifts. She wants a dark cherry finish and I don't have enough time to let them darken naturally in the sun.

I don't like the oil based stains I've tried in the past, they look blotchy.

I thought I would try a water soluble aniline die. Any suggestions?

 

[DaveO]

Rick, I know that this isn't along the lines of what you asked about, but I recently read a thread on WN about using Watco Walnut Danish oil on Cherry. The results are impressive, and the tendency to blotch goes away after the second application. You can read a bit more about it in this blog - http://woodworkersblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/cherry-pencil-post-king-bed.html
Here's the thread that it came out of -
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbth...=&Number=3377549&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=

HTH,
Dave

 

[4yanks]

I work with water based aniline dyes frequently. Unfortunately for this post, not with cherry. I have read often that cherry needs to be sealed prior to using the dye because it will also blotch badly. I know this is the case with maple when it has any figure to it as well. I would recommend a light sealer coat of dewaxed shellac prior to dying.

 

[Joe Scharle]

I'm no finishing expert, so take my experience with that in mind.
My best results with cherry have been with gel stain. And I use wiping varnish on everything. I'd rather wipe on 3 times than sand out brush strokes once!

 

[Travis Porter]

I have been planning to do some dyes myself. I already have them, just haven't had the opportunity. As for staining cherry, I too have found it will get blotchy on you, but I have had good results with Minwax wood conditioner up front and then staining.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Hopefully you will see this pic, if not or to see more pics, follow this link. A friend in Richmond, VA who is a lifelong and very accomplished woodworker built this secretary out of Cherry. He has a finishing schedule, where he first spray stains the Cherry with a thinned stain to reduce blotching, then seals, uses glaze to even it out, then adds the top coats (I'll paste his schedule below). I have seen this piece in person and it is museum quality. I'm not sure it is as dark as you want but would think the right stain could achieve the results.

Here is the finish schedule used by the builder, Rich Riddle from Richmond, VA:

• Sanded to 180 grit; the last sanding by hand.
• Sprayed on a wet coat of "Mohawk ultra penetrating stain" reduced 3:1. The color was "cherry"
• Washcoat of M L Campbell vinyl sealer, reduced 4:1
• Scuff sanded with 240 grit when dry
• Spray on and wipe off M L Campbell glaze; the color was "Burnt Umber". It is a dark glazing stain with a slight reddish tint. Really evens out the color and "pops" the grain.
• Next Campbell vinyl sealer, straight up,
• Then scuff sand again with 320
• 2 coats 40 sheen lacquer

No "rubbing out" was necessary.

The pics taken in sunlight look redder than the ones under the blue flourescents. The color is really "in between" and I am very pleased with it.

If you are curious, I stain with a Devilbiss JGA-502
for the clearcoats I use a Devilbiss Gti HVLP

 

[mtrager]

FWIW...

I've had great success with General Finishes Gel Stains on Cherry. I sand to 220 grit then stain and topcoat.

 

[Keye]

Just saw an article in one of the mags where they were using a premixed concentrate rather than a powder. Having used powder in the past I think I will try the concentrate in the future.

I also saw the info about using the walnut stain on cherry. I think this is worth pursuing.

I built a small chest with one drawer and a raised panel door. I followed the staining directions in Woodsmith. The top and base were stained much darked then the body of the chest. I did not seal the wood before staining. The problem I have with the piece is the exteme difference in shades between horizontal and vertical surfaces when viewed from different angles. The same is true for edge vs. face grain.

As someone else has already mentioned, I also have had the best luck with using a gel stain on cherry.

Used to belong to the cherry snob club when it comes to staining cherry. I am building a tripple dresser out of cherry. The next project will be a piece for a flat screen TV made out of cherry. Both will be stained because the quality of cherry is just not what it used to be, at least cherry that I can afford to buy.

This time I am going to seal both pieces with shelac and then apply a gel stain. I am also going to do what all the experts say. I am going to practice a bunch on scrap.

 

[rbdoby]

Thanks guys,

I've got several pieces of scrap to do some tests. I really want to try a NGR dye and gel stain sound good too. I'll post which method I use.

Rick Doby

 

[thrytis]

Another option for the dark cherry finish quickly is using potassium dichromate. Apparently it chemically speeds up the process of the natural darkening rather than applying another color over the wood like stain or dye. I have no experience with it and never heard of it before Sediener suggested it a few weeks back, but you can find some information about it here and here.

 

[rbdoby]

After a few tests I settled on using General Finishes Gel Stain like Mitch suggested. Dye was too hard to control the color. I need to practice more with it.

I stained the wood with General Finishes Gel Stain. Took a lot of rubbing but the color comes out even. Followed the stain with a coat of General Finishes Seal-A-Cell to pop the grain. Top coat is 3 coats of General Finishes Polyacrylic sprayed on.

Thanks for all the suggestions. They really helped a lot. Forgive the photography, it really doesn't show the finish that well but I had to give you guys something to look at.

 

[DIYGUY]

Your pix may disappoint you in showing the color, but they say a lot about your ability as a ww'er. You are a fine craftsman! I bet anybody on this forum would be happy to say they could do as well as you have. That goes double for me. Congrats on a great looking bit of work :eusa_clap

 

[sapwood]

Your pix may disappoint you in showing the color, but they say a lot about your ability as a ww'er. You are a fine craftsman! I bet anybody on this forum would be happy to say they could do as well as you have. That goes double for me. Congrats on a great looking bit of work :eusa_clap

Yeah, what he said :mrgreen:

Roger