Filling voids in Maple Burl?

rdrr · #1 10-01-2009, 01:57 PM

Can someone give me a little insight on how this is done? I think I have the general idea

Finish sand
sealer coat(s)
Fill voids (epoxy?)
sand
top coats

Does seem about right or Am I missing something?

Also, are there sealers that I should avoid with different products? I want to use something like de-waxed shellac to bring out the figuring in the top but I dont want to use something the fill material wont stick too.

Thanks

Todd GT5 · #2 10-01-2009, 02:24 PM

I've had experience with filling voids in guitar and bass bodies with epoxy and it works great. I recommend doing a real carefull proportioning and mixing. Also allow at least a few days for it to finish any shrinking it might do before finishing over it.
-Todd

rdrr · #3 10-01-2009, 04:33 PM

thanks, any idea on what can be applied under the epoxy to bring out the figure? I did a quick test on some scrap with just the epoxy and it did not enhance the figure all that much. I just don't want to put something down that the epoxy will not be able to adhere too.

Cy_Miles · #4 10-01-2009, 09:35 PM

I have a friend who showed me the technique of filling crack and voids with ebony dust and CA or Titebond. The CA works best for small cracks.

The black makes the voids and cracks reall stand out and the CA helps stablize it. I imagine you could mix the ebony dust with the epoxy as well, I don't havbe recent epoxy experience.

ppk · #5 10-01-2009, 11:16 PM

im using copper dust in mine. i stole the idea from my woodshop teacher tho. it turns out lookin awesome. and really really METAL! i also remember someone using turquoise with fantastic results

Good luck, Paul

Cy_Miles · #6 10-02-2009, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppk

im using copper dust in mine. i stole the idea from my woodshop teacher tho. it turns out lookin awesome. and really really METAL! i also remember someone using turquoise with fantastic results

Good luck, Paul

what about crushed opal?

wilser · #7 10-02-2009, 10:49 AM

thickened epoxy, with any dust you like to accent or blend the voids.

AltGrendel · #8 10-02-2009, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilser

thickened epoxy, with any dust you like to accent or blend the voids.

Yea, someone in this forum used crushed lapis for that. Looked fantastic.

Found it: Inlaying crushed turquoise tutorial

dremy2006 · #9 10-02-2009, 03:52 PM

I was gonna ask the same thing, so if I have a crack or a small space in the wood, I can use epoxy and wood dust, to fill in the void????

rdrr · #10 10-02-2009, 04:39 PM

Do you guys apply anything under the epoxy first to bring out the grain or do you just lay the epoxy down on the bare wood? I'll do some testing on my own but I am curious as to if anybody has done that and what the results were. I'm thinking a dewaxed shellac or somthing along those lines that will give the burl a nice amber glow and highlight the grain a bit more then the epoxy alone seems to do.

jdicebassist · #11 10-03-2009, 08:14 PM

I have been working on a top and did epoxy on the bare wood and then sanded it down. It turned out quite well, still have a lot more work to do. I wanted the black look and didn't have any ebony / wenge lying around so I used espresso and epoxy