Finishing...what would you do?

[Leo G]

This is related to the pc with the monster drawer slides.

The Entertainment center that I made a few years ago. It was made from Cherry and the finish consisted of a conditioner a stain and a few light coats of toner.

I gave them the sample board to keep. They put it in a drawer. We took it out and it matched the entertainment center almost perfectly even though it hadn't been exposed to light.

I did the original formula and I put on a lot more toner coats, a lot. And I got it to look extremely similar. Not perfect, but really close, close enough for me and I am anal (nooo, who me? :rolleyes: ).

So, here is the question.

I can do the same thing I did before and it will be a lighter version of the color and in a year to 1 1/2 years it will catch up and look the same.

OR

I can match the color almost exactly, just a bit lighter and use a UV inhibiting coating and deliver it with the same color. Instant gratification if you will.

But, and here's the question. I really don't know what will happen in the long term. The UV coating works and works very well. I did an experiment with a pc and left it out in the sun for 1 hour. It did get a bit darker, but a pc of raw cherry would have that color change in 5 minutes or less.

So, what would you do. Deliver a light pc and wait for the change or deliver a color matched pc and take the chance that it may get darker than the original. Even if it takes years for that to show.

[Bender]

I would do it light and wait for the match.
It might be light for a while but what about in 5 years or 20 years?
It would always be darker.

[Tommy]

most of what you build looks like it will be around a long time. A year and a half of being a different color is probably a small percentage of it's lifetime. If you did it the other way around, how many years would it spend being darker?

Does the HO understand enough to be able to give a valid opinion? They might want it to match by Christmas, or they might care more about the long term.

[Splinter]

Im assuming the existing piece hasnt been in bright sunlight all day since you built it, so why not finish this piece as you did the first, and set it outside each day for the next week or so to give it a hefty dose of natural UV?

[Leo G]

I did think of that, it would help but I'm not sure how a direct vs indirect sun would affect it. Pretty sure it wouldn't make a difference other than time. But most of the patina was developed by oxidation rather than by sunlight exposure as proved by the sample in the drawer matching almost perfectly.

[Bender]

You could finish it with a waterborne.

[Leo G]

Why the f would I do that?

[Bender]

For your kids kids kids...

[Splinter]

But most of the patina was developed by oxidation

Rent an ozone generator and let it sit in your drying room?

Would it work? who the F knows...

[neolitic]

Let time do it.

[J F]

Just do both the old and new in white lacquer...problem solved. :idea:



Next!

[Leo G]

Not helping JF


I think I will go with the original formulation and let time take care of it. The original pc is over 2 years old so it is pretty much done getting darker. I think I will help it along by giving it a suntan so when I bring it there the difference won't be so dramatic.

[J F]

Have you explained the situation to the clients? Then let them make the choice after you've filled them in.

[Leo G]

Yes, they trust me and want me to do what is best.

Why do they trust me? I don't trust me. :laugh3:

[Bodger]

I'm with Neo on this one. And I have been down this same road, albeit without Leo's expertise on how to best deal with it.

I did some kitchen cabinets, overheads to match the lowers and came as close as possible to the stain colors of old lowers. The new uppers oxidized after six months and didn't match lowers as well anymore.
So the HO had me do the lowers to match the uppers, and six months later.....

I'm assuming at this point, eight years later, nothing matches.:grin:

[Leo G]

Cherry catches up with itself. It will only get so dark and pretty much stop. Otherwise the old cherry stuff would be black.

[neolitic]

Cherry catches up with itself. It will only get so dark and pretty much stop. Otherwise the old cherry stuff would be black.

Unless it's in a stable.
Fuming works on cherry too.

[Leo G]

Even if it is in a stable, it will catch up to itself. It will only get so dark. As soon as it turns black, where else can it go? Blackhole? :laugh3:

[neolitic]

Even if it is in a stable, it will catch up to itself. It will only get so dark. As soon as it turns black, where else can it go? Blackhole? :laugh3:

That's what I meant,
with ammonia, it will go black.
Likely to stop long before that
in your house......
unless you have a really odd house. :grin:

[Leo G]

Stain is going on now.....to late.

[Bender]

Cherry catches up with itself. It will only get so dark and pretty much stop. Otherwise the old cherry stuff would be black.

Thank you, Mr. Obvious:rolleyes3:

[naptownCr]

ahh just pee on it
the amonia will darken it
I did not know this worked on cherry as well as white oak
thank you Neo

[Leo G]

You gonna go piss on your furniture now Nap?? :laugh3:

[naptownCr]

only the cherry and white oak

[Leo G]

You gonna explain it to the wife or just let her find out on her own?

[naptownCr]

Nah
blame it on her dog.
Just got to remember to do small spots