The comment about metal in oven cleaner is a good one. Drano has
aluminum chips in it. The lye attacks the aluminum and produces heat
and agitation. Good in a clogged drain but probably not much help in
your project. (Not aware of what the downside might be.) Your
daughter's black light is almost undoubtedly long wave UV. This is the
kind best suited for making things "fluoresce". Short wave length UV is
the kind that gives you a sun tan (burn). I think it's more effective
in producing color changes, bleaching, expediting chemical reactions in
general.

bob g.

Doug Goulden wrote:
Thanks for the help everybody, I'll look into the oven cleaner option close
to home here.... I was also wondering about swiping my step daughter's black
light..... its UV, wonder if that would hurry the process naturally. We
haven't been seeing much sun here in the UP lately.


"Doug Goulden" wrote in message
...

Just a beginner here and I'm trying to use some of my new (limited)

skills

to make some Christmas presents. I have been reading about using lye to
darken cherry similar to what it would look like if it had aged naturally
and I had a question.
I have made a couple of boxes with hard curly maple tops trimmed with
cherry. If I am careful and try minimize the amount of solution I applied

on

the maple will the solution affect the maple? The town I live in hasn't

got

anywhere I can find lye, but I'm hoping to make it to civilization Friday
(Green Bay, WI). I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile even trying it or
if someone might know what would happen to the curly maple. Some of the
cherry I have is darker than the rest and I want to try to make it all

match

and be darker. Any help would be greatly appreciated.