Problem with finish on a live edge cherry table

[shopudio@gmail.com]

i work with cherry quite a lot. Recently I completed a live edge cherry coffee table. The plank was kiln dried. I finished it with linseed oil diluted with terpintine. Some areas of the plank were extremly absorbent, more than I have seen in other cherry planks. After a month or so, I topped the linseed oil finish with several coats of Arm-R-Seal.

The table is in bright sunlight during the day.

I noticed a roughness on someparts of the surface that follows the growth rings. After light sanding, the roughness reappears. I've lightly sanded several times and each time the roughness reappears in the same areas. What's going on? I doubt that any Arm-R-Seal remains, so I am back to the original linseed oil finish.

Is the heat from the sun causing the linseed oil to weep out of the top in certain areas? If so why the roughness instead of oil? Will this problem abate with time? Has anyone else seen this?

My plan was to top the Arm-R-Seal with wax but can't do that until this problem is resolved.

I have never had this problem with any of my other cherry projects. Any advice would be appreciated.

John

[wdwerker]

Over absorbtion of oil and turpentine could take a long time to dry out and harden up. Patience and a quite a few months may allow things to settle down. Don't get in a hurry to do anything but keep it clean .