Ron - thanks. It is kind of a fun science experiment watching the color change. Regarding the Rubio sheen - I do think that there is a wood species component. Or perhaps a dependency on hardness. The frame had been sanded to 180 prior to applying Rubio, and with one coat it does have a nice sheen. The cherry stool that I built recently was sanded to 220 and required two coats of Rubio to achieve the same sheen. I'll probably apply a 2nd coat to the cabinet frame just for good measure. I'll wait a day or two, scuff the surface, and apply.