I completed the body of a cherry jewelry box a couple of years ago, and am now making the lid. Is there some way to correct the dramatic color difference between the aged and fresh cherry?
—Jim Ditzler, Wooster, OH
Senior editor Paul Anthony replies:
You could play around with dyes or toners on the fresh cherry to try to make it match its tanned partner, but waiting out the wood’s natural change is a better option if you can afford the time. Depending on the color difference, it may take anywhere from a couple of months to a year or so for the color to even out, but it will. Cherry’s coloring has a definite “end point” that both pieces will eventually reach. If you like, you can hasten the process by placing the finished box in a sunlit area, rotating it as necessary to best effect.
