Grain filling on the cheap

[exray]

I'm redoing a cheap little cabinet that had some fractures in the grain and some other damage.

The grain fractures were a little bit more than I would assign to regular grain filler so I brought out the quickie Acrylic Wood Filler-Walnut to do the fill in. This is the same cheap stuff a guy normally uses to fill finishing nail holes and the like. Smooth and pasty, not like the Famowood and other gritty products. About $1.50-$2.00 for an 8oz tub in any hardware store. Water soluble, easy sanding, inexpensive, and available everywhere. Not made for strength...you wouldn't want to build up damaged moulding with this, for instance.

I noted how well it filled the grain in the surrounding area and although I had planned to fill the grain anyway in the conventional credit card and burlap method I found I had no neutral colored grain filler here in the shack. My Constantine's Walnut Paste Filler stains the wood and this cabinet style doesn't want to be darkened.

So I proceeded to fill the grain on the entire cabinet with this stuff. I started out with spit and a fingertip but quickly realized a damp paper towel would work much better and faster. It doesn't stain the surrounding wood but remains dark in the grain. It buzzes off quickly with 220-grit sandpaper after about 15-20 minutes of drying.

Olde Yankee Craftesmen may cringe at the idea of using this as a grain filler but this really worked well. A no-brainer, no special techniques other than getting the dampness of the paper towel/rag just right to thin the stuff and not overly wet the wood.

Another arm in the arsenal!

-Bill

------------------
The Sparkbench

[Hagstar]

[Terry Judkins]

Thanks Xray for admitting that you used the stuff. I used a similar product that is sold by Home Depot for filling nail holes, etc. on a couple of radios and it worked fine. I would not admit it to yall though.... I cut it with a little water to make it apply a bit easier.

------------------
Kind regards,
Terry
http://home.comcast.net/~suptjud/
It's scary when you start making the same noises as your coffeemaker.

[exray]

Yeah, Terry, one risks a beating here if you don't do it the old accepted way. O'course this wasn't a Steinway piano or a big console radio or some project where you could blow off the cost and time to a deep-pocketed "client".

I thought the procedure was good enough to mention here. Many of my "lets see what happens" attempts aren't so successful

-Bill

------------------
The Sparkbench

[Mike Toon]

Ok, now I can admit I used just about the same thing. When I gave up on my Jasco grain filler, that never did dry completly, I used Elmers Wood Filler (Walnut) in 3.25 OZ tube. I used it to fill a crack and fill grain on my Howard cabinet. Stuff works great.

------------------
-Mike Toon

[exray]

We have to be real quiet about this or else it won't work

------------------
The Sparkbench

[Don DB]

Exray, you are the man!!
I have had terrible results so far using the limited brands of grain fillers I could find locally and was getting quite depressed. I went out today and bought some basic wood filler (Lepage brand up here in Canada) and applied it using your technique with great results; smooth as a baby's behind. One question though, since this is a water soluble product should I use a wash coat of shellac before staining and spraying?
Thanks
Don

------------------
http://ca.geocities.com/rogersmajestic@rogers.com/radios.html

[exray]

I wouldn't think you should have to. I've become attached to using a sanding sealer (11 herbs and spices, John H) so thats what I used on mine.
My product sez on the label to wait 2 hours before using a water-based stain and 24 hours for an alkyd or oil base stain.

-Bill

------------------
The Sparkbench

[Paul Dietenberger]

Tried it last night, had much better success than with traditional grain filler. Thanks for the tip!

------------------
Paul

"Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."
-Napoléon Bonaparte

http://personalpages.tds.net/~pdieten

[Ed Jacobs]

Hi Exray, I don't seem to find the colored filler so I wondering if it can be stained or can stain be mixed in with the filler before it's applied?

------------------

[exray]

Dunno. Its pretty thick paste and might be a bit troublesome to mix except maybe in small portions. Its also water-based acrylic so I don't know if plain oil stain would mix. Maybe a water-based stain would work. The tints and dyes like Trans-tint should color it just fine but they cost more than the filler!

It says it will take either oil or water-based stain AFTER drying but that means staining the wood too which isn't always desirable.

-Bill

[Don DB]

Here's the finished product using exray's filler method. Definitely my best effort so far. I sprayed 3 coats of generic spray can lacquer, then followed by only a lite rub out with a 3M pad.

[Paul Dietenberger]

Wow, Don. That is an excellent job.
_________________
paul - http://personalpages.tds.net/~pdieten

[exray]

I second that. Thats how a refinishing job SHOULD look!

-Bill

[radiorich]

hello Don_DB,
I hope mine truns out half as good as that great work Don all I can say ya that turned out very nice .
Radio Rich

[Keyop]

Don, et al...

Very nice, very nice, indeed...Certainly a "front and center" addition to your collection.

It's often funny how you pick up some ideas from related experiences...Bill "exray" said he "discovered" the expanded use when making minor repairs to a veneered cabinet, remarking, "This is the same cheap stuff a guy normally uses to fill finishing nail holes and the like."...About 2 years ago, while finishing custom cabinets made of oak in a client's home, the cabinet maker had filled the nail holes in molding with this stuff...When I finished the sanding routine and applied the stain to that first section of molding I noticed immediately the difference in the surface surrounding each filled nail hole, an area ranging from dime to quarter size in surround...Yup, the filler was in the grain!...In this case it was Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler, a light neutral color and water soluble...The solution, for me, at the time was to retreat in the process and apply the stuff to all the moldings...When done, re-sanded and stained the "problem" was solved and the finish work using CAB lacquer was completed in good order.

Bruce
WC5CW

[Omer]

So, how does one apply this acrylic wood filler and what brand or brands are reccomended?

Omer

[Keyop]

Omer...

I can't tell you what brands may be recommended but the one that I have used is made by Elmer's and is simply called Carpenter's Wood Filler...It is available in a plastic tub having a bright orange lid...It also may be available in a transparent plastic tube.

As for application, it depends on the surface in terms of size, shape and "landscape"...For larger planar surfaces, I use it just as I do traditional naphtha based grain fillers: Apply it in the direction of the wood grain with a flat paint spatula of suitable width, forcing it into the grain with moderate pressure...Then shortly thereafter gently scrape and/or wipe the excess away across the grain with the spatula and an old but clean cloth...The key is to work in small areas with this routine before the filler has a chance to harden, then move on to the next...After about 20 to 30 minutes the filled surface is ready for sanding with 180 to 220 grit abrasive paper.

For smaller items such as contoured moldings, trim pieces or areas in close quarters, you can put it on with your finger tip and work it into the wood grain in that fashion...Clear away the excess as described above in preparation for sanding.

If you find the paste beginning to thicken or cake in the tub add just a wee bit of water to the filler and mix it well...It's somewhat "renewable" in that regard.

Bruce
WC5CW

[radiorich]

hello tubbytwo ,
how did your radio turn out after using that wood filler elmers walnut what color is your cabinet is it mahogany like mine i'm working on A philco model 610b .
sincerely Radio Rich

[radiorich]

hello Keyop
have you ever used it on radio as grain filler before I have used it a lot when I work with red and white oak to fill in bad spots like nail holes or wrong drilled hole I have noticed the coloration is diffrent how it fills the grain I might try it on a piece and see how it works before I use it on my radio.
sincerely Radioric

Very nice, very nice, indeed...Certainly a "front and center" addition to your collection.

It's often funny how you pick up some ideas from related experiences...Bill "exray" said he "discovered" the expanded use when making minor repairs to a veneered cabinet, remarking, "This is the same cheap stuff a guy normally uses to fill finishing nail holes and the like."...About 2 years ago, while finishing custom cabinets made of oak in a client's home, the cabinet maker had filled the nail holes in molding with this stuff...When I finished the sanding routine and applied the stain to that first section of molding I noticed immediately the difference in the surface surrounding each filled nail hole, an area ranging from dime to quarter size in surround...Yup, the filler was in the grain!...In this case it was Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler, a light neutral color and water soluble...The solution, for me, at the time was to retreat in the process and apply the stuff to all the moldings...When done, re-sanded and stained the "problem" was solved and the finish work using CAB lacquer was completed in good order.

Bruce
WC5CW[/quote]