Light-Colored Cherry Wood

[redsquid2]

So I got myself a block of cherry. I got it off of ebay, but it hasn't arrived yet. Part of the block is gold-brown color, but the other part is a very light color, almost cream-colored.

Seems like the cherry scales I have seen were all gold-brown. Can the lighter part also be used to make scales?

Thanks,

--squiddy

 

[watercrawl]

If you can dig at it with your fingernail....no.

If you cannot....maybe.

Without seeing the specific piece of wood in hand, it's nearly impossible to know for sure.

Any wood used for scales should be dense, dry, free of loose bits, and free of soft spots.

I always like to use stabilized wood for scales when I can.

 

[woodwrkr221]

The light colored is probably sap wood, (near the bark in case you don't already know), the darker heart wood will darken naturally with age depending on what sort of finish you apply and whether or not it's been stabilized. I've got about 800 board feet of cherry that came from Hurricane Katrina.

 

[mete]

There are also different types of cherry that will have different color .When you get the piece check for hardness and put a litle finish on to see what you get. In any case I'd stabilize it .

 

[redsquid2]

Thanks for all the feedback. Thumbnail testing reveals that the sap wood is softer, but it still might be hard enough for handles.