To Fill or Not to Fill

[Bledrin]

That is the question.

As I've mentioned in a few other threads I've got a hardwood table top that needs finishing. My Father and I built it and as such its a bit of a rough job. (old man is a builder, I believe you all speak of such carpenters as wood butchers...)

I've started sanding it and have decided I need to fill some bits and pieces. I was hoping for a bit of a how to reply..

Here are some pics of bits that might need filling. Please comment on weather you think I Should fill them or leave them, considering that its reclaimed hardwood.

[Waldo]

G'day Bledrin,

I'd fill them. Not with a timber filler though, but with resin instead.

[masoth]

G'day Mate. What do you propose using the table for, what finish are you thinking of using, and what are the diimensions? I'm guessing there is a simple four-legged stand.

soth

[Bledrin]

Its a dining table. Will actually be a dual pedestal base. Dimensions are 2070 x 1080. Using China Wood Oil and finishing off with steel wool.

[Bledrin]

Whats the advantage of resin over filler? Where do I get resin? The other problem is I'm colour blind so its going to be hard to match the colours...

[Christos]

I have used PlastiBond in the past to seal holes in wood. It can be sanded afterward. I cannot tell you what to expect on a dinning table as to how it will look. Or as to what effect it will have on the final finish. When I have used this I also used a clear finish over the whole piece. Polyurethane finish (effectively plastic).

It is a two part mix and for big deep holes I did this in layers. What ever I had left I used to fill holes in the garage.

[Christos]

I forgot to mention that it Blackish to very dark Grey when dried. You can pick this up from your local hardware store. Made by Shellys.

[Superbunny]

I collect the sanding dust and mix it with sanding sealer, then I fill the holes and let it dry. It blends in resonably well after a light sand, to my mind better than a filler anyway. You can then apply sanding sealer to the whole top and then give it the finishing sand through the grits then apply your finish. The good thing about this is the sanding sealer binds the dust in place untill your finish is applied.

SB

[masoth]

Its a dining table. Will actually be a dual pedestal base. Dimensions are 2070 x 1080. Using China Wood Oil and finishing off with steel wool.

The reason I asked was in case you intended "painting" or "staining" the end product. Superbunny's suggestion is worth your while because the oil finish is going to react differently with whatever finiish you do use, and paint would have not mattered. Collecting the fine sanding dust will create the closest match. The use and size is only relative for paint colour for the impact (over powering) in the room.

soth

[Waldo]

Superbunny's suggestion is worth your while because the oil finish is going to react differently with whatever finiish you do use, and paint would have not mattered. Collecting the fine sanding dust will create the closest match. The use and size is only relative for paint colour for the impact (over powering) in the room.

soth

And a great idea. I've not yet used the method so it hadn't occurred to me to recommend it.

[Bledrin]

so how much sanding dust do I need to mix. In other words whats the step by step....

And what is sanding sealer and where do I get it from?

[Bledrin]

I've just read up on Feast Watsons sanding sealer. From what I gather its like a laquer that then gets sanded off, leaving small gaps in the grain filled. How viscous is the product? With a largish gap between joins like those pictured above will it conform and fill? I suppose it will with dust added? Will this look odd under an oiled and burnished finish? I suppose I could leave it clear if I wanted the reclaimed look but with a perfectly smooth finish.

[masoth]

There have been many discussions on filling using various glues so I suggest you do a search, say "filling cracks" to start with. Put simply, use as much sandiing dust as the 'glue' will hold - perhaps the size of the fill will not be obvious, then again the 'glue' may be the key dicision. Good luck.

soth

[Wongo]

Love the pinned mitre joint. I still remember how difficult it was to make them. Here is one I prepared earlier.

As for the small cracks, I always fill them with 2 part epoxy. It is easy to clean up with a scraper, it sands well and it is almost invisible.

[Bledrin]

Love the pinned mitre joint. I still remember how difficult it was to make them. Here is one I prepared earlier.

As for the small cracks, I always fill them with 2 part epoxy. It is easy to clean up with a scraper, it sands well and it is almost invisible.

Did you have to do any filling on that? Looks great! Is that dark square a result of a function of the piece or a decorative inlay?

Does the 2 part epoxy have to be tinted? What makes it two part? Could you mix epoxy with sawdust or does that only work with the sealing sander?

A sticky thread with a quick refference & pros and cons table for fillers would be great..... Maybe a matrix that links crack with filler with finish....