Alternative to Cherry?

[DomValente]

Have been asked to make a media unit for a client.
They would like cherry, which I would have to stain to cherry because they think cherry is dark.
If possible i would like to suggest that some other timber be used as my supplier is asking £58.00 + V.A.T.. and don't think the client wants to pay that kind of money
It would need to be or become a similar colour to the above.
Maybe I'm tired but just can't think of what to use.
Any help appreciated.

Dom

 

[Philly]

Dom
What about poplar/tulip? Cheap and takes stain well?
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[tim]

Is your supplier quoting for the fruit? That seems absurdly high!

Just had a quick look here and they are quoting £33 to £36 + vat. There is a 20% surcharge on under 20cube but thats still only £40ish. They have online prices for planed stock as well.

Hope that helps

Tim

 

[Sgian Dubh]

They would like cherry,......... don't think the client wants to pay that kind of money
It would need to be or become a similar colour to the above.Dom

Red Alder, Alnus rubra, is a common substitute for cherry. It's in the right colour band, the grain is not too bad a match. It's also an American wood so I can't say what you'll pay, or even if it's available near you. Best bet I can think of for a likely supplier in your area is Timbmet in Oxford. Slainte.

 

[Alf]

I would have to stain to cherry because they think cherry is dark.

Urgh. What with that and the routed panels I'm seriously going off your clients, Dom. I suggest you buy one choice length of cherry, bash then over the head with it and when they come round show how it has naturally darkened. Repeat until the desired colour is reached...

What? You were expecting helpful advice? Don't be daft. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[DomValente]

Is your supplier quoting for the fruit? That seems absurdly high!

Just had a quick look here and they are quoting £33 to £36 + vat. There is a 20% surcharge on under 20cube but thats still only £40ish. They have online prices for planed stock as well.

Hope that helps

Tim

Would have been nice Tim but, they charge £22.60 per cube delivery and I need inch and a quarter which they don't appear to have.

Tulip, I had a couple of bad experiences with that Philly.

Red Alder may be the way to go Sgian, although that's not one I've come across.

Or buy the cherry make the unit and wait for it to colour.

Alf, Alf, what can I say, maybe I'll pm you with what I want to say :twisted:

Dom

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Red Alder may be the way to go Sgian, although that's not one I've come across.
Dom

Softish, easy to work, a tendency to tear out, and with a bit of fakery quite passable for 'that' authentic 'dark cherry' look.

A supplier is likely to be your hardest task. By the time you've spent days poncing around looking for the substitute you might end up charging as much for your time to source the substitute as buying the real thing right off the shelf.

Incidentally, American yellow poplar, another substitute suggested earlier in the thread never looks anything like aged cherry no matter how much you dye it, glaze it, tone it, and generally fart about with it before you go ahead with your top coats of polish. Slainte.

 

[Steve Maskery]

One day I was buying English Oak from Whitmore's in Leics.

I met a small dumpy man and we started to chat.

"I used to used quite a bit of cherry, but it's beecome very expensive and the quality is rubbish". says I.

"Are you in a hurry?", says he. "Come with me".

He then proceeded to show me the best cherry I have ever seen. Yes it was expensive, but it was woth every large penny. Absolutely fantastic. A completely different animal (well, vegetable) from the offering of my local timber merchant, who shall remain nameless.

You can't beat it.

However, as a sub I'd go for canary (/poplar /tulip). It's a lot softer though, so doesn't take knocks well, but the actual grain and figure can look remarkably similar.

Cheers
Steve

 

[tim]

Would have been nice Tim but, they charge £22.60 per cube delivery

Only if you order one cube. Its £18 then £4.60 per cube. But as you say the thickness isn't stock - worth a call maybe - I've found them very helpful in the past.

Seems like you need a reality conversation with your clients! "You want that but you can only afford this......." never easy but better than eating your own margins looking for a substitute that doesn't quite come up to snuff.

Good luck.

Cheers

Tim

 

[Lord Nibbo]

They would like cherry, which I would have to stain to cherry because they think cherry is dark.

Dom

If thats the case they don't know what cherry looks like.

Show them anything and call it cherry :lol: :twisted: :lol: :twisted:

 

[DomValente]

Only if you order one cube. Its £18 then £4.60 per cube.

Ah missed that.

Thank you all for your ideas, visiting clients this a.m. will report result.

Dom

 

[Big John]

I've seen Red Alder suggested as an alternative to Cherry in the John Boddy catalogue. No idea what the price is though. I can recommend the catalogue though - full of all sorts of info.

 

[Anonymous]

Exactly the question I've been meaning to ask. I have two projects to make and was going to use american cherry unitl I saw the latest price.

What I am looking for is wood that is similar in colour to amercian (not european) cherry as I won't be staining.

Any ideas?

 

[DomValente]

I've seen Red Alder suggested as an alternative to Cherry in the John Boddy catalogue. No idea what the price is though. I can recommend the catalogue though - full of all sorts of info.

Thanks John.

John Boddy have no Alder and Cherry is £46.82 +v.a.t. +£85.00 delivery
Barnes where £50.00+v.a.t. + delivery
British hardwoods were £41.63 +v.a.t. + £45 delivery

Dom

 

[Ed451]

Birch is a good alternative to cherry. With a good dye job, many would have a hard time telling the difference.

Ed

 

[tim]

I know I'm stepping back from the initial question for a second and I'm only flagging this up because I had a similar situation recently but the reason that you are doing all this running around is because the client can't afford/ doesn't want to pay for the correct material.

If you use a less expensive timber and have to stain it what are the real costs of having to do that plus potentially produce a bunch of stain samples and then the final piece not looking like the client wanted anyway because of the difference between a swatch or sample and the large piece of furniture. If those costs were to be passed on, I doubt there's a great deal of difference between that and using cherry.

Maybe I'm just being cynical this morning for some reason.

Cheers

Tim

 

[motownmartin]

One day I was buying English Oak from Whitmore's in Leics.


Cheers
Steve

Steve, I have heard good reports about Whitmores, as you have been, whats it like, iv'e heard it's a massive place, i'm still practicing with cheap softwood as i'm only a novice but will soon be using hardwood and Whitmores is only 10 miles from me, mind you I have cleaned the bank out just buying tools

Martin

 

[DomValente]

If you use a less expensive timber and have to stain it what are the real costs of having to do that plus potentially produce a bunch of stain samples and then the final piece not looking like the client wanted anyway because of the difference between a swatch or sample and the large piece of furniture. If those costs were to be passed on, I doubt there's a great deal of difference between that and using cherry.
Tim

Spot on Tim, that's the conclusion I came to and is exactly what I have said to the client, even convinced them to let it darken naturally.

Thank you all for your assistance

Dom