Grain filling questions

[markharrison]

Having finally completed my bedside tables (the Red Gum nightmare is finally over!) I am now ready to apply the finish.

The intention is to have a padded shellac and wax finish. Having worked on a scrap test piece, I can see that there will need to be grain filling done. I expected this during construction. I'm not aiming for the classic french polished piano finish but I would like it smoother than it is.

Techniques I have heard of use Rottenstone, Pumice, Plaster of Paris and Talcum powder. I bought the latter from our forum hosts.



I had a bit of a play with that last night on another scrap piece but I don't know if I am doing the right thing. I would like to hear from others here on how you would use this. I am using dewaxed white shellac as the finish and will follow up with the Hrd Shellac.

A question on this though. Why doesn't the powder show up as white specks in the grain? Well, I'm assuming that it never will show but my test piece has only had overnight to fully harden. I'd love to hear your experience.

[JB]

I use Wattyl woodgrain filler. Comes in a small tin. Turps based (dilute to thickness of cream), apply with circular motion, remove excess with hessian or coarse rag (or steel wool). Leave to dry overnight. Easy. Dont understand why you're using stuf like rottenstone and talc as grain filler.

[markharrison]

Hmmm. I wasn't aware that commercial preparations existed but the finishing thing is new for me. Previous pieces didn't require anything more technical than Danish Oil.

[craigb]

As I remember, Neil suggests using Timbermate mixed with a little water to create a slurry and then working this into the grain.

Don't know if Timbermate do a Redgum though.

You DO have The Book don't you?

[markharrison]

I have The Holy Book but I haven't read it all, yet. I will keep experimenting on scrap for the time being.

[Paul B]

A question on this though. Why doesn't the powder show up as white specks in the grain? Well, I'm assuming that it never will show but my test piece has only had overnight to fully harden. I'd love to hear your experience.

It will if your technique isn't right - if you use too much pumice. The pumice is an abrasive that will abrade small particles off the wood, and it's these particles mixed with shellac that fill the grain, not the pumice. The alcohol/shellac mixture will "clear" the pumice, or make it transparent unless you've got too much pumice on your muneca. This is a fairly old method that is still used by some guitarmakers.

I bought some of the wattle stuff, and didn't like it at all - nasty, grainy, goopy stuff - I chucked it in the bin.

There are more modern methods for grain filling, I used Cyano Acrylate (super glue to you and me) this worked well, but I became sensitised to it and won't use it again. Another method that's gained favour is epoxy resin, sqeeged on and off. A guitar maker I know in the US has used this under hard shellac, and he was very impressed with the results. I'll be trying this method on my next guitar.

For probably the best explanation of french polishing, and grain filling with pumice on the web, have a look here: http://www.milburnguitars.com/frenchpolish.html

Cheers,

Paul

[Tasman]

I have used a comercial spray laquer thinners based and spray some good thick coats on then use a rubber with the french polishing method and keep the rubber wet with thinners and drag the polish across the grain then with the grain untill the polish gets too thin to work then spray on more coats and do the same untill the grain is filled then spray the final coats and finish off with the rubber again with the grain only and finally cut back with ooo steel wool and wax when dry.........Hope this makes sense as i did an old cedar writing desk with this method and finished in only 3 hours and the client was thrilled with the french polishing i did so it cuts down a lot of time but looks just the same as the long way with shellac............

Reguards Tasman

[markharrison]

I've been continuing my practice sessions (i.e. hide in the garage for as long as I can manage after sneaking home from work...) and I have tried another technique. I had a tin of Organoil left from another job so I wet sanded with that and a 1/3 sheet sander. I did this up to 1200 then I squeegeed a thin coat of the talc, meths and shellac on. I sanded that back and the difference is quite agreeable if I may say so ) Organoil also brought out the depth in the wood as well and gave a slightly more appealing redness to it.

Well, that's all fine for the top. Would you guys go to the same level of effort on the rest of the piece or would you just aim for a nice brushed shellac and wax finish?

One last question. The wet sanding technique was done with a finish sander that doesn't have dust collection. All the ROS seem to have dust collection. Could I use the ROS with sheets without DC holes here?