grain filler

[jtmullet2006]

I am looking for a new grain filler what I have used in the past is bartleys wich was from reranch and was a real bitch and a half to get off so I need something easy get off and even if I don't get it all off I don't want it to show through a translucent finish.

[Jackspira]

Some people use clear epoxy TJ, or CA glue. I prefer to fill the grain with lacquer. I find it easier to sand and deal with in general. I use a two pack acid catalyst lacuqer that doesnt sink if left to dry for a week in the grain. If you're using nitro it will probably need at least twice that long to dry but should still work fine as a grainfiller.
Jack

[Paul B]

Problem with epoxy, it's hard to get off. I've used it once on a guitar and never again. CA works but the fumes are nasty - I'm allergic.

On my last guitar I tried timbermate waterbased filler http://www.timbermate.com.au/ I don't expect to be using anything else in future. Dries fast, you can colour match it to your wood, sands off very quickly. Great stuff.

[fanlee]

On my last guitar I tried timbermate waterbased filler http://www.timbermate.com.au/ I don't expect to be using anything else in future. Dries fast, you can colour match it to your wood, sands off very quickly. Great stuff.

Do you use the white timbermate filler & stain the filled job with dye, or try to use the closest matching coloured filler?

RobSm

[old_picker]

This timbermate stuff is great.
You can stain it fine with with feast and watson stains.
I usually mix it down to a creamy consistency and stain it dark so the grain really jumps out and just slap it on with a brush. Run a coat of sealer first. Hand sand gently or it just rubs out. Once the lacquer seeps into it it goes off real tough.

[Paul B]

I've just used the pre-coloured stuff so far.

[Malibu]

I'm fooling about at the moment with some calcium carbonate powder (chalk)... I don't hold high hopes for it, but I'll see what I can come up with.:D

[AlexS]

I use Wattyl grain filler tinted with powder tints. Make it darker than the wood, and rub it in with hessian. This way, there won't be much left on the surface to sand off.

[kiwigeo]

I'm fooling about at the moment with some calcium carbonate powder (chalk)... I don't hold high hopes for it, but I'll see what I can come up with.:D

I dont think calcium carbonate (= limestone) will be hard enough to act as an abrasive. Chalk is a limestone consisting of clay sized grains of calcium carbonate. Pumice is silica which is alot harder than calcium carbonate. If youre going to use a fine abrasive for grain filling then Belhens 4F grade pumice is the stuff to use.

[Flowboy]

Malibu,
In addition to what TG has said, CaCO3 is a base, i.e. it has alkaline properties. I'd be very wary about what dyes you use and the nature of the timber. You may end up with quite a blotchy finish which will require a lot of effort to rectify, due to precipitates forming in the timber.

Regards

Rob

[Malibu]

Yep, I'm wary... that's why I'm just fiddling about with it. I tried various things from baking soda, flour, even some ash from my coonara just to see what did what. I can tell you from experience, none of those things are much chop... In case anyone was wondering :D:D

[kiwigeo]

Malibu,

It sounds like your trying to re-invent the wheel there. People have been doing what youre doing for centuries and it was decided some time ago that pumice was one of the better traditional grain fillers. Pumice in turn has been superceded by more modern grain filling products/techniques such as expoxy glue, water and oil based fillers and CA glue.

Cheers Martin

[contrebasse]

It sounds like your trying to re-invent the wheel there.

hey ... you're taking away half the fun! A man's gotta try everything first, THEN go buy the product. Its like me cooking up stringybark keno and hoping to discover stradivaropoulosamurra's dark secret ...

malibu, go into the bathroom ... there'll be a pumice on the edge of the bath ... grind it up, don't tell the missus ...

;-)

[Malibu]

haha.. :D
That's the way to do it.. try it all out and do it wrong first, THEN figure out everyone else has been right for the last 300 years after all! ;)
I get a bit of a kick fiddling and it doesn't take much time or effort to realise that flour and shellac make a sticky mess. And I have the proof! :)
Ok, next week it will be the wheel... I've got a few ideas about that one too :cool:

[contrebasse]

discussion on fillers here:

http://www.maestronet.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=4&threadid=314699&enterthread=y