I know that it's heresy, but I would like to make some cherry a more of a
medium chocolate brown.

I have put my banister back together with new fumed white oak spindles. I
saved the newels because, although painted, they were in interesting and in
relatively good shape.

I stripped them and I'm fairly sure that they are cherry.

Unfortunately, there are already too many different colors of wood going on
so I just want it to blend. ( know it's never going to look like oak, but if
I could just get close with color I would be happy).

Do you think that I will have any luck toning with a tinted wipe-on poly? If
so should I go this a brown, or should I go "past" the intended color to
color to counter the reddish tone of the cherry?

My gut says toning is a better option than stain because there is no scrap
to experiment on and it will let me sneak up on a color.

I do not have spray equipment, so that's not an option.

Thoughts?

pic posted to abpw

On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 19:22:53 -0400, "C & S"
wrote:


Do you think that I will have any luck toning with a tinted wipe-on poly? If
so should I go this a brown, or should I go "past" the intended color to
color to counter the reddish tone of the cherry?

My gut says toning is a better option than stain because there is no scrap
to experiment on and it will let me sneak up on a color.

I'd go the toning route, but not with poly. I'd use shellac, as it's
easy to undo mistakes. Poly's a lot harder to undo. If you want
poly, apply it after the color coats are complete.

Even easier would be tinted spray lacquer (from cans), with barrier
coats of shellac between each toning. The barrier coats would allow
you to back up one step, without going all the way back to the start.

Tinted shellac would be much harder to back up, but all of it could be
easily removed without harm to the surface.

Plain old Seal Coat can be tinted or used as a barrier. Zinnser Clear
spray shellac also makes a great barrier, as it's dewaxed.

Barry

Thanks Barry,

That's a good point. I hadn't really considered driving in reverse. Shellac
should work nicely in that regard.

-Steve
"Ba r r y" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 19:22:53 -0400, "C & S"
wrote:


Do you think that I will have any luck toning with a tinted wipe-on poly?
If
so should I go this a brown, or should I go "past" the intended color to
color to counter the reddish tone of the cherry?

My gut says toning is a better option than stain because there is no
scrap
to experiment on and it will let me sneak up on a color.

I'd go the toning route, but not with poly. I'd use shellac, as it's
easy to undo mistakes. Poly's a lot harder to undo. If you want
poly, apply it after the color coats are complete.

Even easier would be tinted spray lacquer (from cans), with barrier
coats of shellac between each toning. The barrier coats would allow
you to back up one step, without going all the way back to the start.

Tinted shellac would be much harder to back up, but all of it could be
easily removed without harm to the surface.

Plain old Seal Coat can be tinted or used as a barrier. Zinnser Clear
spray shellac also makes a great barrier, as it's dewaxed.

Barry

"C & S" wrote:
Thoughts?


Substitute alder for cherry.

UA100

C & S wrote:

snip

Do you think that I will have any luck toning with a tinted wipe-on poly? If
so should I go this a brown, or should I go "past" the intended color to
color to counter the reddish tone of the cherry?

My gut says toning is a better option than stain because there is no scrap
to experiment on and it will let me sneak up on a color.

I do not have spray equipment, so that's not an option.

Thoughts?

Behlen make an aerosol toner which comes in various colors. See:

www.woodfinishsupply.com/Behlen2002.pdf

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
(Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 19:22:53 -0400, "C & S"
calmly ranted:

I know that it's heresy, but I would like to make some cherry a more of a
medium chocolate brown.

Stand your wife in the area with sunglasses and a UV lamp.
She can tell when she gets the color she wants and stop
right there. How's that?

Cherry in some Mission pieces was processed like QS white
oak: fumed with ammonia.


--
Strong like ox, smart like tractor.
----------------------------------
www.diversify.com Oxen-free Website Design

On Sat, 02 Oct 2004 19:38:24 -0500, Unisaw A100
wrote:

"C & S" wrote:
Thoughts?


Substitute alder for cherry.


I think what he is trying to do is avoid having to reconstruct existing
stair components. They are already cherry, he's trying to get the finish
to match the rest of the staircase.

UA100

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
news:1096771615.omo5ceWvNl7VOBnevkF45g@teranews...
On Sat, 02 Oct 2004 19:38:24 -0500, Unisaw A100
wrote:

"C & S" wrote:
Thoughts?


Substitute alder for cherry.


I think what he is trying to do is avoid having to reconstruct existing
stair components. They are already cherry, he's trying to get the finish
to match the rest of the staircase.

Yes. It's 150 year old house. The stair trads were shot and some spindles
were damaged. I salvaged the banister and newels because they were cool,
old, unique, *really* hard to reproduce.

I was not aware of those. Thanks for the link.

-Steve
"Nova" wrote in message
...
C & S wrote:

snip

Do you think that I will have any luck toning with a tinted wipe-on
poly? If
so should I go this a brown, or should I go "past" the intended color to
color to counter the reddish tone of the cherry?

My gut says toning is a better option than stain because there is no
scrap
to experiment on and it will let me sneak up on a color.

I do not have spray equipment, so that's not an option.

Thoughts?

Behlen make an aerosol toner which comes in various colors. See:

www.woodfinishsupply.com/Behlen2002.pdf

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
(Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

Mark & Juanita wrote:
I think what he is trying to do is avoid having to reconstruct existing
stair components. They are already cherry, he's trying to get the finish
to match the rest of the staircase.


Ahhhh yes I see it now after swinging back up and re-reading
the text. But, having spent a couple/few years in the stair
bidness and a couple/few decades in the architectural
woodwork bidness I'm going to hazard a guess that there
weren't/aren't no cherry there to 'gin with (1).

Just a guess based on historical this and thats.

Anyway, if anyone ever wants the look of cherry but wants a
different outcome, alder is the choice material. It's
really quite pretty with a light stain.

(1) But everything is contingent upon the back story/the
rest of the story, like the history of the house and all.

UA100

Toner can be purchased in spray cans... I can't remember
the issue but Wood Magazine has an article on using toners
and what have you... They listed several companies that will
supply spray can versions of their products...


C & S wrote:

I know that it's heresy, but I would like to make some cherry a more of a
medium chocolate brown.

My gut says toning is a better option than stain because there is no scrap
to experiment on and it will let me sneak up on a color.

I do not have spray equipment, so that's not an option.