Seems as Burl gets prettier and the grain more exotic the chance of voids goes up. Depending on the void I've used epoxy, dust and epoxy a sliver of wood and if the void is supper small finish and dust just like filling the pores.

Just curious as to what others fill those small pain in the butt flaws to a high $$ blank?

Dust and epoxy for big ones and super glue and dust for small ones.

Why is Burl so unfulfilled, maybe he needs a hobby .

Do you use acraglas epoxy.

quote:

Do you use acraglas epoxy

I don't, I use a long cure thin epoxy and have even warmed it for deep pin holes. Larger I often WET the surface with epoxy then use a dry mix to minimize the darker color caused by the epoxy.

Well for some reason I've use super glue to repair furniture but have never grabbed the bottle for a stock void. Go figure.

I always use acraglas gel.

quote:

I always use acraglas gel.

Hmmm Will have to try it. Always figured thinner would penetrate better. Then again the gel is lighter in color.

I color it brown and it penetrates well enough.

The best way to fill a void is for another piece of wood as closely as possible and epoxy it in. The issue I've found with epoxy is in jumping from dry to humid environments, it expands and contracts differently than the wood.

quote:

The best way to fill a void is for another piece of wood as closely as possible and epoxy it in

For a flaw of any size I agree. Had one that my step son now has that I filled with epoxy several times. Ended up making the flaw larger so I had more room to get some wood in it.

For cracks, I've used cynoacrylate. It comes in different viscosities, and can fill cracks from hairline to about 1/16 with no problem. For bigger stuff, epoxy and matching dust is time honored. You can pre-stain the dust with aniline dye, let it dry, then mix. The more wood content, the better. In the old, old days carpenters would use a blind wedged plug (which is a PITA to do) but is virtually impossible to loosen with an oil based finish. It's like a wedged blind tenon, but with a plug. Very delicate work. Epoxy is way easier.

Lacquer sticks.

quote:

Originally posted by speerchucker30x378:
Lacquer sticks.

+1

Lacquer is too old school for me; I prefer epoxy with or without dust. I have never had one come out. Did two know holes yesterday that were about .1 diameter, maybe a little less.

I use crazy glue for the small ones dpcd. I buy the tinted crazy glue. My falcon gets it for me in dark amber and it matches most walnut. I also buy it in black for filling voids in bedding.

Most people don't know the top secret, super secret, secret to filling with lacquer sticks. You have to crush up some of the stick that you intend to use and then dissolve it in lacquer thinner. Then take an eyedropper and put a drop into the hole or crack that you intend to fill. You do it a couple of times so that the lacquer soaks into the wood and hardens to create a footprint for the melted lacquer to adhere to. Then you melt your lacquer with a lacquer stick pencil or a hot knife (if you're cheap) and press it into the inclusion. Doing it this way gives you a strong footprint and you won't get those pesky little bubbles sitting under the lacquer on top of the wood that you have to hunt down and kill with a hot pin.

Colored Krazy Glue (isocyanate glue) is much easier but it doesn't have the color range that's available in lacquer sticks. As the manufacturers make more shades of isocyanate glue available I'm pretty sure that lacquer sticks will go the way of the Dodo.

dpcd will probably get drunk and hold a wake when that day finally comes. But that's the way the old cookie crumbles. LOL

I also use epoxy, with or without wood dust. I usually reach for the "5-minute" as I'm too impatient to wait on Acraglas when finishing a stock.

Yes, when Speer goes, I will get drunk that day in honor of him.
Oh, wait; I do that every day.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Yes, when Speer goes, I will get drunk that day in honor of him.
Oh, wait; I do that every day.

I'm gonna live FOREVER !
Just to spite everyone.
he he he he

Sounds like a plan

O.M.G. It just occurred to me that my life now actually has purpose ! I'm the reason Tom drinks ! Now I HAVE to live forever. lol

I hope you do....

Isn't great how all our lives effect others.

Time for more

The problem with many of the methods is in a year or so the sliver pops out, the filler pops out and disturbs the finish..

That said, its about the only choice we have and its a crap shoot, but can always be repaired again..I prefer to use matching sanding dust, dust off the gun Im working on..Epoxy is fine, Laquer sticks work real well, If at all possible wet sand the hole closed with finish, sometimes the gap is too big..

Lately I have used gap filling "Hot Stuff" glue, and it may be the best bet yet, but school is still out on that. Gorilla glue with filler may work and I have a repairs in blocks of walnut up on the roof testing finishes and repairs..An Idaho winter makes for good testing for finishes and repairs..Been doing that for years.

Sometime driving a sliver covered with epoxy is the best method for a knot fill..tap it until it mashes, then sand it before it dries, and finish with stock..

Not rocket science, but it needs to checked from time to time..Many such repairs last a long time, fewer last forever.

Is the use of lacquer sticks related to french polishing? If so, does that predicate the final finish?

I have seen fine, matching, saw dust mixed with PVA glue. It was used under a clear varnish but doubt it would work with an oil finish.

quote:

Is the use of lacquer sticks related to french polishing

French polishing is shellac and alcohol.

To me French polish if more like many coats of thinned oil. The shellac will had more color than the oil but isn't a strong finish.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:

quote:

Is the use of lacquer sticks related to french polishing

French polishing is shellac and alcohol.

To me French polish if more like many coats of thinned oil. The shellac will had more color than the oil but isn't a strong finish.

I think shellac is actually lacquer mixed with lacquer thinner and lacquer is actually Betelgeuse. Never let the French invent something. It gets all fawked up and confuzzlin. They learned how to over complicate things from the Germans.

shellac is bug spit melted in alcohol.

lacquer is usually nitrocellulose based in a nasty thinner.

quote:

shellac is bug spit melted in alcohol

"""Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes (pictured) and dissolved in ethanol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and wood finish. Shellac functions as a tough natural primer, sanding sealant, tannin-blocker, odour-blocker, stain, and high-gloss varnish. Shellac was once used in electrical applications as it possesses good insulation qualities and it seals out moisture. Phonograph (gramophone) records were also made of it during the 78-rpm recording era which ended in Western countries during the 1950s.

From the time it replaced oil and wax finishes in the 19th century, shellac was one of the dominant wood finishes in the western world until it was largely replaced by nitrocellulose lacquer in the 1920s and 1930s.""""

It is strange I started this thread because a blank I had to cut had a number of burl voids. After cutting all voids were gone. The I cut that pretty stock that looked perfect only to have the void. As Forrest would say "blanks are like a box of chocolates you never know what is inside".

Like I said. lacquer is BETELGEUSE !


Atkinson, if you are a Krazy Glue lover you will just GO NUTS for the colored stuff. I put a drop of the clear and brown stuff on a bit of paper towel as a demonstration. Repairs with the colored stuff blend in way betterestestest !

Krazy glue by Rod Henrickson, on Flickr

So...from all of this, can we assume that the cost of stocking with burl is higher...time intensive?

Blank is higher. Not really much extra time.