Tips for Kauri please...

[OLDBROWNDOG]

Hi all, I am really into working with salvaged Kauri & need a few tips from seasoned users please:

1. GAPS & HOLES
For long seam gaps & holes I'd like to fill them with either a completely inconspicuous substance or alternately one that has a nice look to it. I find timbermate & cabots putty really show up once i polish the timber (i have to mix bit off jarrah colour with a lot of pine colour to get a colour match) so i am not a fan of them. Is there a substance that can be used for seam gaps & small holes that is inconspicuous? OR alternately is there a wax that will give that nice antique look.. Bearing in mind i usually shellac as a finish.

2. SHELLAC
I've been using regular shellac which has that orangey colour to it, but i think kauri has a nice colour to it & am wondering if blonde shellac would look good? Alternately what other finishes are nice? Ive been thinking Linseed/metho/vinegar rubbed a few coats rubbed back each time with steel wool & then a finish with carnauba wax might be nice..
Any other proven methods? I like natural type finishes. (besides french polishing.. i want something easyish but nice)

3. GLUE
When putting 2 long boards together at right angles (so it leaves that hard to sand inner edge) i have been having a nightmare getting the last little bits of glue out of the inner corners. I need to use really strong glues cos i dont like screwing so ive been using sikkens 30 min super grip or CA techniglue. Both of them obviously squeeze out the sides when clamped & then when dry are a &*^%$ to sand off (even after chiselling away). Is PVA strong enough? perhaps with a biscuit join? Or any different glues you can recommend?

thanks people

[AngelaPetruzzi]

What is your project?
If there is movement then the putty will move if you use a natural coating. If you use a heavy varnish, it may be less of an issue but may cause a split in the coating eventually. Have you tried furniture crayon? The colour to match would be the issue here but again, you can play around with colour mixes....and the colour will stay true even after treating it with a natural coating. There is coloured silicon but I would not go down that path without a lot of practice.

Is there such a thing as being an easy coating? It becomes easier once you use a product and have worked with it and know the ins and outs of it. I am biased but the Kunos natural oil sealer is not only natural, but can be used from small things such as pens and toys right up to timber and concrete floors.

Re the glue, again it depends on your project and ...possible a dumb question but can you remove it whilst it is still wet and not hardened?

[LGS]

Hi,
1. For the cracks and holes, I would suggest Crystal clear type Casting resin. Crystal clear is generic, it's a kind of Casting resin. If you want to colour the resin, then I would add Feast Watson Proof Tint. Works well with Casting resins.

2. My personal favorite finish is Burnished Scandinavian or Tung Oil. You can buy some Tung Oils for very low cost and if you have a Random Orbital Sander and about an hour of time, you'll get a really impressive oil finish that doesn't mark and is heat resistant. Like all oils it does darken over time, but not so much as some.

3. I can't see that a good PVA glue would not work. Perhaps Tite Bond III would be good. I made a Merbau table for outside (in the middle of the back lawn, exposed totally to the elements) seven years ago and still no problems with the joints.

That's about all I can tell you. Hope it helps. If you want more info on the oiling method, I'm happy to help out.

Regards,

Rob

[Christos]

I have used epoxy for filling gaps with a black dye. Something to remember is not to add to much and try to make it just above level. As it is harder than the wood the surrounding area will sand easier and you end up with a mound.
When gluing up and worried about the squeeze out I have used blue painter tape. If using epoxy take the tape off before it sets up completely. So scrap off with a chisel the excess epoxy and pull the tape off. If you still get some squeeze out the chisel is the tool that I use. BUT after it dries.

[fletty]

Hi OBD and welcome to the forum.
The answers to some of your questions will depend on what you are making and the dimensions, particularly the thickness,
My daughter lives in Carlton NSW and has kauri flooring through the house. I have made some fancy storage boxes from kauri flooring and the finish on those is wax applied with 0000 steel wool only, very smooth and silky to touch,
I have also finished with UBeaut hard white shellac and then wax which is even more silky and lifts the grain. For gap and hole filling I gave up on matching the colour and just used clear epoxy and let the colour of the timber underneath show through. I used to use black stained epoxy to fill dark stained nail holes that were to be a feature but now even they get the clear epoxy because the black shows through the clear just as well.
I think your description means you are end glueing and I can't really help you there because I have been able to avoid it but, if I was doing it I would use biscuits or dominos and just Titebond III glue?
fletty

[OLDBROWNDOG]

thanks for all the tips, I will try some of these & see what happens.. Does anyone know a decent shop in the inner city melbourne area to buy wood / furniture supplies ? carton/ fitzroy etc?
thansk