Interesting Pore Filling Idea

Dave W · October 07, 2008, 05:22:29 PM

I don't care for pore filling. Still, sometimes it's necessary or at least desirable with certain woods. I haven't done any woodworking projects for quite a while, but I still check in at the WoodNet.net forums every couple of weeks. I recently saw a thread where someone asked for pore filler recommendations, and one guy who responded said he uses thinned-down drywall compound. When another poster asked him for more info, here's what he said:

QuotePerfectly safe to use under ANY clear finish .. .. tint the filler before application if you want to accentuate the grain - then apply it to the stained project .. or apply it white & stain it along with the rest of the surface if you want it to blend in, and just be very flat.

A little practice with water-based dyes & tints will have you making striking custom finishes in no time.

Think about it .. when you buy "pore-filler" for $15-25/qt, you are actually getting very finely ground silica (sand) in a binder. The binder is something like linseed oil & mineral spirits, OR it can be water-based. Either can be tinted before or after application, depending on the desired results, just be sure to use the appropriate tints. An old timer at a woodworking show revealed this to a bunch of us many years ago, and I've used it many times since. Drywall mud/plaster-of-Paris, etc. is very much the same materials you buy in so-called "pore-fillers". You can even buy dry "setting" compound that you mix with water just before use .. it "cures" rather than dried via evaporation, and sets more quickly and resists shrinking better, not that it's much of an issue with filling pores in wood

Sounded interesting, so I saved the thread.

Now look what I've found, a new video from an acoustic guitar maker and luthiery teacher:

In the immortal words of Arte Johnson, very interesting!

drbassman · October 07, 2008, 07:28:41 PM

Man, I don't know. I've had good success with Bartley's filler, so I'd be leery of this idea. But it might work for all I know!

hollowbody · October 07, 2008, 09:49:59 PM

I'd definitely give this a go! It's got to be better than pore filling with cyanoacrolyte.

Dave W · October 07, 2008, 11:11:39 PM

I do think I'll give it a try next time I need to fill pores. Robbie O'Brien, who did the video, is a knowledgable luthier. No one solution works for everyone but he wouldn't be using it if it didn't work out to his satisfaction. Here's his website: http://www.obrienguitars.com/.

If you're satisfied with your present method, then of course there's no need to change.

drbassman · October 08, 2008, 07:09:16 AM

I've tried at least four things: epoxy, Bartley's, fiberglass (made just for wood filling) and the stuff Reranch sells. I found Bartley's worked best for me, but the epoxy wasn't bad either. So, there's always more than one way to do anything!

Basvarken · October 08, 2008, 09:17:18 AM

Funny, I would say that rubbing plaster into the pores would affect sound in a negative way. But that luthier looks like he knows what he's doing.

Dave W · October 08, 2008, 09:48:40 AM

Whatever material you use to fill pores will clog them up, that's the general idea. I'm not aware of anybody claiming that different pore filling materials sound different from each other.

shadowcastaz · October 08, 2008, 04:19:37 PM

I have 3 mahog projects to work on this winter . This may be a way for me to coax the red starfire into a greenie

Nocturnal · October 08, 2008, 11:32:33 PM

So this would work on a heavy grained wood like ash, or just something like maho with less defined grain?

Robbie OBrien · October 09, 2008, 08:39:19 AM

Quote from: Nokturnal on October 08, 2008, 11:32:33 PM
So this would work on a heavy grained wood like ash, or just something like maho with less defined grain?

Actually this method would work great for ash. You could even use colors like green or red to really pop the grain and give it some character.
If you are happy with your pore filler method than stick with what works for you. This is just an option for some.

Dave W · October 09, 2008, 10:08:52 AM

Hey, thanks, Robbie. I'm a lurker at the OLF, that's where I saw it. Also appreciated your Safe-T-Planer resharpening tips.

Nocturnal · October 09, 2008, 11:29:29 AM

Thanks for the info!!

Robbie OBrien · October 09, 2008, 11:32:53 AM

Dave,

You can also see all of my Youtube instructional videos from LMI's website. They are putting together a video library of sorts from these clips. Check back often as I upload about one a week. Enjoy!
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/Video.asp

Dave W · October 09, 2008, 07:37:45 PM

Easier for me to subscribe to your YouTube channel and get automatic notification when you post a new video.

drbassman · October 10, 2008, 08:21:49 AM

Quote from: Robbie OBrien on October 09, 2008, 08:39:19 AM
Actually this method would work great for ash. You could even use colors like green or red to really pop the grain and give it some character.
If you are happy with your pore filler method than stick with what works for you. This is just an option for some.

First, welcome and thanks for joining us! I couldn't believe your video when I first saw it, but it does make sense. Seems the water-based world has more opportunities than I had imagined! I often want to do a natural look over ash or mahogany without necessarily wanting to darken the grain. Will this material still work or might it dry white and obscure that grain? That's my question for the day!