# HELP. I put boiled linseed oil on a cherry tabletop and left it in the sun to darken a bit...



## bayouwood (Nov 26, 2015)

and i forgot about it and there was some light rain overnight. It has a slight cup to it. What can i do? I dried it off and brought it inside. should i clamp it flat with cauls while it dries? should i point a fan at it? should i point an air conditioner vent at it? Should i just leave it alone?
Maybe the BLO helped it from absorbing too much water…
any advice is appreciated


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## bayouwood (Nov 26, 2015)

for the record, a few weeks ago i left the glued up panel in the garage for a few days (this was before the BLO) It cupped in the outside humidity but flattened out after a day or so inside. Not sure if the same would happen here if it has some surface moisture from the rainhttp://lumberjocks.com/topics/169610#...


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## punkin611 (Feb 24, 2016)

You might try putting it in the mid day sun cupped side down and watch it closely. Take it out when it's level. You might have to do that a few times just remember to put it in sun cupped side down. Good luck.


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## bayouwood (Nov 26, 2015)

i cant leave it outside to flatten. nightstand panel (quite small) and the humidity alone is enough to keep it cupped regardless of gravity. It is glued up with rings in opposite directions (3 boards) but it still wants to go that way. i have a granite countertop completely flat I think I will clamp it to with fans blowing


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## bayouwood (Nov 26, 2015)

i put it cup side down (this was also the side that was down in the rain, so i dont think it got wet) and clamped it with cauls on newspaper to get any residual moisure… crossing fingers.

i think halfway through the day I will rotate the panel and clamp it across the boards


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## josephf (Aug 29, 2012)

wow , this sounds promising .let us know if it works . i have tried to 'over bend' in order to take out the bow in a few drs . .if what your doing doesn't work you might shove a wedge[scrap of wood] under the middle and clamp till it bows some .
something sounds wrong though - did it cup up .if so the bottom absorbed the moisture not the top . fans would need to be blowing on the longer convex surface .


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## josephf (Aug 29, 2012)

maybe you could span them across ,between two surfaces and set a weight in the middle. cup is up ,weight gentle helps to lower it .the fans blowing could help move moisture away .


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## bayouwood (Nov 26, 2015)

it cupped down. it was sitting on a small footstool in the yard, so the bottom wasnt in sitting water and probably didnt get anything. The side you see pictured is the side that was facing the sun, and is the longer convex surface. no fans right now, just sitting on the air conditioning. i figure if i let it dry slowly my results will be better.


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

I'd let it dry out indoors without and kind of pressure applied and see what it looks like then before trying to do any forcing or fixing.


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## gator9t9 (Apr 4, 2008)

Question…..

What good does the sun ever do to any piece of wood, with the exception of
Helping wood or trees to grow.

Sure there are some woods that are very survivable in the sun…TEAK is one. Western red Cedar is another

But I think finishing in the sun is not a good practice

I say let your piece dry out of the sun and never again in the sun.

You may have to refinish and start over

Mike
Gator9t9


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## BulldogLouisiana (Apr 12, 2015)

> Question…..
> 
> What good does the sun ever do to any piece of wood, with the exception of
> Helping wood or trees to grow.
> ...


Well, sunlight is useful to darken cherry faster. I know some people that have done it, but not after finishing I don't think.


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## bayouwood (Nov 26, 2015)

Yep, popular woodworking found the best cherry darkening was from applying BLO then putting in the sun. http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/adding_age_to_cherry

If anyone cares, i unclamped the piece and just let it sit inside in the air conditioning. The bow is only about 1mm now, and it will flatten when I attach the skirt with no problem


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## jwmalone (Jun 23, 2016)

Glad it worked.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> Yep, popular woodworking found the best cherry darkening was from applying BLO then putting in the sun. http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/adding_age_to_cherry
> 
> If anyone cares, i unclamped the piece and just let it sit inside in the air conditioning. The bow is only about 1mm now, and it will flatten when I attach the skirt with no problem
> 
> - bayouwood


It's a tip that been around a long time but people keep forgetting it. BLO alone will mildly accelerate oxidation but the sun supercharges the reaction.


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