Black Putty

[BozInOz]

Occasionally... just occasionally… I use some putty.

In the past I’ve used Wattyl putty on pine and been happy with the product. On hardwoods I’ve always used some sanding dust and PVA. I don’t really like that method, it’s a little messy and doesn’t give a smooth finish, but it does the job.

The next job is RedGum. Do love redgum. I bought some intergrain redgum wood filler. Looks alright. Sorry… off the track... black putty.

I want to fill redgum cracks that are black and knots which are black with black. What’s the best way to do this? I can’t seem to buy it. I don’t have any really black woods to turn to dust.

[Poppa]

We have mixed a little Black Japan into putty successfully, and I've also used black oxide powder with Techniglue epoxy to fill cracks and knot holes with black. This works very well and sets a lot harder than putty (can be sanded, etc).

[Woodlee]

Cabots market water based putties in different colourings for timber filling .
There is a neutral colour that matches radiata pine very well .
In the past I have mixed artists powdered pigments to colour it for different timber that I have had to putty up nail holes and the like.
I've never mixed the black , but I don't see why it wont work as its worked for other colours .
The best thing about this way is ,with a little trial and error you can match the putty and the timber colour as close to perfect as it gets .

Kev.

[BozInOz]

I've never tried my hands at epoxy. Might be the way to go. I know people speak of the technique highly.

What is "black oxide" and can I buy it the hardware store? Sounds more like a welding biproduct.

I thought japan black, I was worried it would leak out into the wood.

[springwater]

black oxide is also used to colour cement, it's a common enough substance to be found in most hardware and garden suppliers. Black acrylic paint can also be used so can black pigment to colour resin.

[Hobbyhorse]

Grap:)hite powder can be mixed with epoxy resin to give the effect you are looking for.

Rhys

[KorDes]

Timbermate do a black water based filler, should be available at bunnies/mitre10 (well they are here in NZ so i guess they should be over in Aus)

[Harry72]

Or using any water based filler you can tint with Ubeauts water dye... you can tint casting/epoxy resin with it too!

You dont actually need black a dark green or blue will look black on redgum.

[bucket1]

A small amount of black paint tinter mixed into either bog or epoxy will give a much darker black than the oxide powder.

[rtfarty]

If you are using linseed oil putty you can mix black putty using black oil paint that you buy in tubes for painting in oils.
If it gets too sticky or wet you can stiffen it up by working in some calcium carbonate or talcum powder.

[elraco.com.au]

Timbermate do an Ebony putty that is ..... Ebony (black)
It is made and available in Australia. You do not have to go to New Zealand to get it

[rtfarty]

You can buy linseed oil putty almost anywhere in the world. It is probably the oldest filler used in the world. I know that you can buy it in aussie. I never said that you have to buy it from New Zealand.

[Zoot]

Any supplier of stained glass sells black putty ... that's what they use to putty their glass into the lead 'cames'. Some of the smart ones mix it with petrol ... yes petrol! ... to make a slushy mixture that they brush onto the panel, brushing the mixture into the gaps between the glass and the lead, then the petrol evaporates and leaves nice solid putty.
I have used it this way in a former life pre-woodwork.

Cheers,
Alan

[BozInOz]

Thanks for the all the ideas.

I thought the epoxy solution had the best to offer. Today I bought some slow set araldite.

For colour... the only thing in bunnies I could see to colour was the feast watson black prooftint. Someone suggested and I had some black shoe polish in the shed already. I mixed in some, more then I thought I would need, and the colour was slightly grey.

I tried it on a piece of scrap and is now sitting in the shed drying... tomorrow I'll fix it up... and put some finishing oil on it and see if everything is good good good.

[Harry72]

Yep the prooftint should work, its waterbased(I thinks).

[BozInOz]

Prooftint
A unique fast drying spirit based stain which allows the full clarity of the timber grain to show through after staining. Feast Watson Prooftint is suitable for use on all interior timber, including floors and furniture.
http://www.feastwatson.com.au/WoodstainsProoftint.asp

Why is water based preferred? Is an issue with the epoxy or with the oil finish?

[timberbits]

Have you though about using CA glue and sandpaper. You will be surprised with the results. Thats all I seem to use, infact I don't even own any putty now. I just use CA.

[BozInOz]

CA, assume you mean cyanoacrylate or superglue.
Yeah, have used it. Not so much with sanding dust. I use it to glue inplace small patches... not that my project needs patches. :U

Problem with this job is I needed black and had no really black wood to get dust from. Ebony and CA sounds great... but I ain't got no ebony.

[David Mitchell]

Timbermate is a good product ,water base many colours,available at most harware stores:cool:
Regards
david

[BozInOz]

My first adventure into using epoxy's is working well.

You might be horrified about how much I am putting into this project (cause I am) I would not have used this piece of wood if I had another. the slab was badly cracked.

[timberbits]

Problem with this job is I needed black and had no really black wood to get dust from. Ebony and CA sounds great... but I ain't got no ebony.

You should try it it, because after you squirt in the CA, you use 120 grit sand paper and rub before the glue has set. By sanding while it is wet, you take dust from the sanding and force the dust into the gaps you want to fill. This will case the filled bits to be the same color as the surrounding timber.

It should save you lots of time compared to injecting it with epoxy.

[BozInOz]

Epoxy worked well. A little bit of colour bleed into the wood.

Next finishing questions...
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?p=795621#post795621

[Harry72]

Prooftint
A unique fast drying spirit based stain which allows the full clarity of the timber grain to show through after staining. Feast Watson Prooftint is suitable for use on all interior timber, including floors and furniture.
http://www.feastwatson.com.au/WoodstainsProoftint.asp

Why is water based preferred? Is an issue with the epoxy or with the oil finish?

Spirit based... whoops I thought it was a water based product!
:B

So what did you end up using, the prooftint?

[BozInOz]

Duban black shoe polish...
worked.

I'm not sure how you'd prevent the slight discolouration of the wood around the patches.

[rodent]

Fiberglass suppliers sell resins and tints . See them about tints for epoxy .

[BozInOz]

On another project, I took advice recommended, and used some CA glue (namely lock-tite super glue) and saw dust. On a silver ash project so quite light coloured.

When I went to sand the area, the colour changed to a dark red brown, making my invisible hole... very visble.

I thought it was picking up colour from the sand paper on ROS. Chatting at the wood club and another chap had the same problem.

Any thoughts?

I did some with PVA and sanding dust, works alright but messy.