Replies

1. 
   BioHaz1906 | Aug 24, 2008 03:07pm | #1

   Shalom,

   I'm by far no "finishing expert" but what I normally do is sand the end grain to a higher grit which will control some of the absorption of the Waterlox.  If you sand the top to 220, sand the end grain to 320 or even 400 (maybe).  If you do go up to 400 make sure you don't skip from 220 straight to it.  As always, try it out on a scrap piece to see how it behaves and see if you like it first.  Good luck!

   Bio

2. 
   Bonka | Aug 24, 2008 04:15pm | #2

   I have used thinned hide glue and the end grain comes out looking like the rest. I should add that I have never tried this on cherry.

3. 
   kreuzie | Aug 25, 2008 01:09am | #3

   Try (on scrap, first) brushing the end grain with boiled linseed oil before finishing

   kreuzie

4. 
   hdgis1 | Aug 25, 2008 06:25am | #4

   Can I ask just a simple question - What makes you feel like you need to hide the end grain? Especially if your leaving the wood natural?

   Chris

1. 
   Shalom | Aug 25, 2008 06:44am | #5

   Good question. I don't have an answer. I think I just don't want the very tips of the chairs to get too dark and stand out. Perhaps for the same reason that I don't want the cherry to get blotchy. FW tells me repeatedly how to prevent blotches, so blotches must be, by their very nature,evil. Maybe if I decided to use cherry wood I should just let it do what it wants to do. Malouf writes that he pays no attention to sap wood in his furniture design. Thank you for making me think about it. Shalom

1. 
   rwdare | Aug 25, 2008 03:43pm | #6

   I built a set of side chairs from cherry and finished with waterlox with no blotching or appreciable color difference on end grain. I did sand the end grain up to 400. Most of the color difference you see on end grain comes from staining. If you want to go that route, use a gel stain after sealing the end grain with shellac and cutting back with 400.

   Dick

1. 
   Shalom | Aug 25, 2008 04:14pm | #7

   Thank you Dick. Since I don't plan to stain the wood I will just go down to 400 grit on the endgrain, as you suggest and expect the best. Shalom

1. 
   schmitz | Aug 26, 2008 05:31am | #8

   Shalom, I have had good results with using lb coat of dewaxed shellac and coating all surfaces before my finish of choice. I would take the end grain up to 320 beforehand to burnish the grain a little. This also helps with the blotching on all the flat sawn portions as pointed out in the FW article. 

   No matter what I have done, or used,  the end grain will always be darker, its just the nature of wood, but is less startling if given the spit coat first. I usually apply (carefully to end grain only) the end grain over and over until I think its had enough, let dry and scuff sand the mating surfaces that the shellac has spilled over on. This is an important step inso all the other surfaces have a consistent level before applying your fav oil .

   I am from the school of thought that one should never,never stain cherry. I would prefer the blotchiest oil finish any day to one stained/dyed an even color. Once your finish is on, enjoy it each day and more, as time and light work their magic. In a short time you wont even remember what the fuss was about. Good luck    steve

2. 
   BioHaz1906 | Aug 27, 2008 07:41am | #12

   Man, didn't I say sand the end grain to a higher grit :) 

2. 
   hdgis1 | Aug 26, 2008 02:20pm | #10

   I guarantee you that in 2 years, the rest of the chair will be so dark that you wont even notice the end grain!Chris

5. 
   soak | Aug 26, 2008 11:37am | #9

   I did a cherry throne/kitchen barstool with endgrain exposed. I did nothing different to it just a clear finish. It has been really cool watching it age. It was a little darker when I first finished it but a year or so later it was the same color as the back of the chair which is exposed to a window. Another year or two and it was a smooth transition from back to front. I tend to do cherry natural and watch it age. Did a large wall in cherry panels and have been watching that age for 4 years now. Get a new room every year or so based on the pictures. Then again I may be the wrong one to comment as most of the stuff I do in cherry doesn't seem to get oohs and awes from people until it has aged for several years but I like watching it change. 1lb cut of amber shellac seems to even out the transitions, prevent most blotching and pop the curl a bit. Makes endgrain look more like faces as well. Another thing I found is that gloss finishes age much slower than flat finishes so endgrain looks darker 5 years down the road (in my not so extensive experience)

6. 
   WillGeorge | Aug 27, 2008 04:46am | #11

   Shellac! and a gel stain I would think.. But if It were me.. I'd cap them with 'special' decorative top.. Wood or metal! In fact I would not even worry about it! Wood is wood! If you are happy with the chairs and if you rub your hands over the tops and like silk.. Who would notice or even care about it!

   Except you of course!

   
   

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   Edited 8/26/2008 9:48 pm by WillGeorge