Another opinion
David Barnett - SW Florida
>Tony, I understand your dilemma and why you'd turn to dyes to even the colors. Hear me out, though. Trying to match boards with aniline dyes, and this is especially so for cherry, can lead to disappointment. There are several problems involved. Firstly, the boards may have been stored so that those now appearing lighter would actually darken more akin to those starting out darker. It can be hard to believe that but it's often so. Worse, though, is that over time the actual color will likely change. I've built cherry pieces where an almost pinkish blonde becomes a deeper salmon, then to rose with slightly bluish secondaries, finally settling into a complex but darker rose-russet with shimmers of silver and pale purples. This is what I absolutely love about cherry.
While anilines may fade somewhat they do not really change color and are apt to filter those natural changes too monochromatically for my taste. And if gradual color evolvement in the soul of cherry, its figure and so-called 'blotchiness' is its personality. When cherry's first finished, especially with oil, the differences in the wood can really leap out at you. No, this isn't the cherry furniture you see in Ethan Allen showrooms (thankfully, IMO), but real cherry. Thing is, though, it'll change, too. What seems to some a harlequin uncontrollability will surely mellow with time and any amelioration through dyes and pigments can sabotage its final lustre and chatoyance, which is far more subtle and graceful in middle age.
So I guess I'm saying roundabout that I'd encourage accepting the cherry you have on its own terms, and if this project can't be redesigned for more amiable wood contrasts I'd say just go ahead with it. If you have more flexibility I'd further encourage a more balanced use of it in a different project altogether.
One thing, though, while you may want a durable more alcohol-resistant topcoat, cherry becomes its best (again, IMO) with oil, and I second a sanded-in application. I'm no fan of urethane films, wiping or otherwise, so I'd avoid them if at all possible. One other thought; perhaps if you're concerned this piece will be subject to so much wear and tear, again, you might rather reserve this lumber for something else. Such use can become parts of its charm, however, and I like to refurbish my finishes from time to time, right over the dings and scuffs, but that's just me. Your mileage may vary considerably.
