Thread: red gum burl

Resin with carbon, black resin pigment or even paint pigment works (with PR that is).

I use Australian Ebony sawdust to fill for a black, natural looking finish. You could mix it with epoxy if you like messing with that stuff but I just drown it in CA

thanks guys i might go dai sensei route ive been told coffee grounds also work to colour the epoxy is that correct. now my other question is after finishing the holes with the epoxy what can be used 2 finish the whole job. would varnishes and oils stick to the epoxy...

ok another question was just looking at carrolls and they have a product called timber mate water based wood filler it says that it can take all types of varnishes and oils and french polish. they also claim that it can be sanded and even routerd hmm. but i have some big holes in the burl and would this be ok to use. and they also have australian ebony so that would be perfect for the burl as i want black for the holes

Timbermate's pretty good but I wouldn't use it for your application, not at least for large voids. What size are yours?

I use epoxy 50:50 with coffee grounds and it cuts and sands well enough; has a lot of holding power but you should use it after outside shaping and before hollowing.

Timbermate will take an edge off chisel in the first revolution. DAMHIK.

It is a great product and I use it for normal filling where it is to be sanded afterwards.

Epoxy or "car bog" turns very well.

I have used coffee and super glue on Redgum which finishes well. Recently I used fine Blackwood sawdust and Super Glue to fill a large crack in a Red Mallee Burl which finished well also. I think either one would be a good contrast.

Barry.

rsser if i use epoxy coffee grinds witch i say i will. can u oil the finished product i have some voids in the timber that are the size of a 50 cent coin

Plastibond with a little bit of black ,or any other colour,pigment in it .
You can get the pigment at any fibreglass supply place . You only need a speck of colour to about a teaspoon of plastibond .Skim over the top with your tool as soon as it goes off . Don't leave it more than about 30 minutes or it gets very hard and will rapidly blunten your tool .If you don't fill it completly the first time you can easily add more .

Ted

Ooh, a 50c size void? I have my doubts.

How thick will the wall be?

Originally Posted by rsser

Ooh, a 50c size void? I have my doubts.

How thick will the wall be?

rsser it is going to be a leg for a drink stand beside lounge chairs. it started out as 4x4 500 long i do a bottom and then a top. this is the 1st burl i have done. i just finished 2 for a person they where blood wood base stringy leg and crows ash top when finished i will post pics. i have 1 half way it is mango leg red cedar top and prob blood wood base 2 get a bit of weight in the base

Ah, sorry, I had assumed a bowl or platter.

Can only suggest you rough it out and see where the probs might lie, and take it from there.

Since it's structural, I'd stay with epoxy and tint or coffee grounds.

Post a pic?

Originally Posted by rsser

Ah, sorry, I had assumed a bowl or platter.

Can only suggest you rough it out and see where the probs might lie, and take it from there.

Since it's structural, I'd stay with epoxy and tint or coffee grounds.

Post a pic?

yeah will do i have roughed it down and stopped at that. i hope to start again on monday.