Color Change On Some Wood Regrdless Of Finish

[William Young (SE BC)]

As discussed earlier in a thread, regardless of an oil or any other finish used on some woods , the color will still change over time and Cherry is one that gradually keeps getting darker until it finally settles out after about five years. I just sold this chip and dip platter to a customer at a craft sale on Saturday and I asked my customer If they would mind if I took a picture of it before they left because I wanted to to compare it with a picture of a year ago when I first made it.
Here is the difference on this piece with one year of aging as a before and after shot.
In a few more years it will continue to darken to a beautifull naturally aged cherry wood shade that will match their cherry furniture.
W.Y.

[Minnesota scroller]

That's very interesting W.Y. I never realized that wood could change in color that much. I assume you are going to contact this buyer every year for the next four and take a photo each time so we can see the yearly changes.

Thanks for sharing.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Mike ;
The customer didn't say where she was from so no way of following up on it but as soon as she saw that piece she just had to have it and immediately I knew I was under priced at $69.95. Too late to go up.
Some woods like oak (as an example) change very little over the years . Cherry is the fastest and most dramatic changing one I know of and if anyone has suggestions of what other woods change by their natural nature like this I would like to hear about it. Cherry is one of my favorite woods to work with because it machines and sands and finishes beautifully.
Purpleheart is another one with color changing characteristics. I make pens and ring holders and ring boxes with it sometimes. It can turn more of a brown color if left in the shade for a long time so to renew it back to deep purple I tell my customers to just sit it in the sun for a few days and it will come right back to its original dark purple.
W.Y.

[PeteB]

That's a beautiful tray, Bill, real heirloom material.

I didn't know about wood darkeining with age, and always thought that old wood furniture darkened because of something like oxidation of the finish. This was instructional.

Pete

[will8989]

Box Edler changes and not for the better!! The brown tends to deepen and the red tends to get a brownish tint to it. I made the castle for my daughter out of a piece of it, I placed a scrap in the sun to see what it would do and that was the results. Where she has it hanging it doesn't get any direct sun light and so far it hasn't changed. I would recommend finishing this with the finish that has a UV sunblock in it if it is going to be placed in bright or direct sunlight.

Betty

[William Young (SE BC)]

Hi Betty.
That's interesting
I was not aware of that with box elder . I just sold this hollow form at the same sale on Saturday that I turned from a chunk of box elder burl which I found in my firewood pile. I don't know where this customer is now either so I will have no way of finding out if it will change much over the years. She fell in love with that piece and I also gave her a business card because she said she will be wanting more of my turnings as time goes on and when her budget allows it. So hopefully I will hear from her again and ask her if it is changing color.
I sure hope it doesn't change color too much because it is so pretty in its present state. I just turned that one a few months ago and so far it hasn't changed color one way or another.
W.Y.

[workin for wood]

I don't know it to be a fact, but I think Padouk is the fastest changing wood. It is a nice orange when you cut it and sand it, but begins to change color by the next day and I haven't found anything to stop it. After a few months it is a very deep redish brown. I know that UV is the cause for most woods to change color, and have found Tung oil to be the best defender combined with keeping items out of direct sunlight. Of course light bounces off walls and the UV will get to your wood, but it is less intense. Normally wood becomes darker in color, such as cherry, but Walnut actually goes lighter and after many many years will turn white if not protected of course. It's cool you brought this up, as this is something I incorporate into the intarsia projects that I do. Sometimes my wife will say "well, that color just isn't quite right", but in a year it's perfect.
I'm spraying my intarsia's with 3 to 5 coats of polyurethane...not too glossy though, but I always begin with 2 coats of tung oil and wait a week before I begin spraying the poly. I know it's working because I have purpleheart that is still purple after 4 years, and otherwise it would be a brown color by now.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Hi Jeff;
Here are some ring holders that sell like candy at craft sales. Notice that the one at the front is purpleheart but it isn't real purple. I told the lady that bought it on Saturday to sit it in front of a window in the sun and it will turn dark purple . She was delighted to hear that and I know that the color will change dramatically for her.



You are so right about this

It's cool you brought this up, as this is something I incorporate into the intarsia projects that I do.

because so many can learn about the color characteristics of different woods no matter what form of woodworking they are doing.
W.Y.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Just in case anyone is curious about the craft sale I did last saturday that I have mentioned in a few previous posts in this thread, I will paste a message that was posted in both the scrollsawing/ intarsia/segmentation board and the turning board in my own site to show a sampling of some of my scrollings and turnings and you will notice some of the items which were there at the start of the sale but are now sold. .

W.Y.

This was my first Pre Christmas sale from 9.00AM Saturday until 3.00 PM. It was in a little community hall in Wynndel which is a one horse village with a general store and post office and some houses. It is ten miles from the nearest town of Creston BC and it poured rain all day in heavy fog. We really didn't expect many to turn out and the walk in traffic was way down from last year.
I had rented a double table and was hoping I would meet expeneses.
Much to my surprise I came home with a clear $425.00. after the price of the tables and lunch for my wife and I.
About 85% of my sales were from wood turnings and the other 15% was from scrollsawing and fretwork.
Sometimes it's scrolling that sells and sometimes it turning. I just take it as it comes.
I couldn't get the whole table length in one picture so I am posting a left and right shots of it.
Every time I do a craft sale I find that it is lots of smaller inexpenesive items that sell the best at the sales in my area than just a few big ones to make up the end total.
I only had 12 spurtles and wished that I had made more. I took some back orders for them and I will make at least 20 more to take to the next sale in two weeks from now.
W.Y.

[workin for wood]

Congrats on the sales. I recognize those lamps in the background...Jaffrey lamps I think their called. I have two of those I built when I first started scrolling, and they are still working good in my bedroom.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Hi Jeff.
Those two are Warwick lamps. Can't remember where I ordered the pattens from but they came in a full color glossy folder that cost plenty and I figured they would be a real winner for sales .
They have been back and forth from a dozen craft sales and I keep lowering the price. I tried to sell them for $19.95 each at that last sale but fretwork is just not selling well around here anymore since the price of gas is so high and border security is so tight and we don't have the tourists coming through like they used to.
Those clocks have $10.00 worth of brass hardware kits in each of them to say nothing of the wood and my time.
I am going to give them to one of my kids or grandkids next time they are in town.
Here they are partly finished while I was waiting for the hardware to arrive.


W.Y.

[Bill Wilson]

It's no wonder you did well, Bill. That's a very nice selection of items you have pictured there! Something for every taste. Nice work!