Sealing Under Timbermate Filler?

[FerruleCat]

I'm preparing to do a natural-finish swamp ash P, and I'd like to grain fill with Timbermate, then color with Watco Danish Oil and build the clear with Tru Oil on top of that.

To prevent the Timbermate from staining the field of the ash, I want to start with some kind of sealing coat, but I want one that will be easily sanded away once the pores are filled. Is spray lacquer a good bet, or should I look at something else?

Thanks.

 

[Hopkins]

I'm preparing to do a natural-finish swamp ash P, and I'd like to grain fill with Timbermate, then color with Watco Danish Oil and build the clear with Tru Oil on top of that.

To prevent the Timbermate from staining the field of the ash, I want to start with some kind of sealing coat, but I want one that will be easily sanded away once the pores are filled. Is spray lacquer a good bet, or should I look at something else?

Thanks.

I would seal it with the finish you plan on using.

 

[FerruleCat]

Thanks. That's a sensible idea. I'm a bit wary about the likelihood of creating unevenness in the tinted Danish oil during the Timbermate residue sandback process. Maybe there wouldn't be much residue if working on top of a good oil seal coat. Alternately, punting the DO and going entirely with TO would simplify things.

I'm going to get some scrap and figure it out, but it's good guidance to test oil as the seal coat, since that's what the finish will be. Thanks again.

 

[Manton Customs]

Id seal with Shellac rather than the oil you're going to use for your top coat. Oil takes a long time to dry comparitivly and you'd need a couple of costs to build up any kind of film (which is what you want).

 

[FerruleCat]

Id seal with Shellac rather than the oil you're going to use for your top coat. Oil takes a long time to dry comparitivly and you'd need a couple of costs to build up any kind of film (which is what you want).

Thanks for that. I will try a clear, de-waxed shellac. If it sands easily back to bare wood, leaving the filler in the pores, that will be a good choice. Whatever I use will need to serve the goal of getting my ambering effect from the Watco Danish Oil in Golden Oak, which looks to be just the color I'm after. I'll head to the shop at lunchtime to collect supplies for scrap testing.

EDIT: That beautiful Horizon Mk II on your website is nearly what I'm after -- maybe just a hint more of amber, but pretty much that effect.

 

[Manton Customs]

No problem. Yes, dewaxed blonde Shellac will pop the grain just as well as an oil finish and sands very easily. It sounds like the Watco Danish oil you're using is tinted golden? There are plenty of different shades of Shellac to chose from, so you should be able to match that. Though I can't imagine Blonde will be far off. Good idea to do some experimenting!

When it comes to applying it, you want just enough to build up a film but not so much that it goes to a high gloss, if you're brushing it on, one or two (at the max) coats should do. When you build up a gloss you reduce the fillers ability to be able to "grab on" to the wood...so don't do that!

 

[Manton Customs]

EDIT: That beautiful Horizon Mk II on your website is nearly what I'm after -- maybe just a hint more of amber, but pretty much that effect.

Sorry for double post, I didn't see the edit (if it was there earlier!). Thank you! Glad you like the Horizon MK II, this was done in pretty much the way we were talking about. The only really major difference is that the top coat was lacquer rather than oil, however Blonde Shellac was still the sealer to pop the grain, give colour and prevent the black grain filler staining the wood (been there before!). I also sprayed the Shellac, but you should be able to get good results by brush or wiping.

Truoil is Linseed based, so even if after the shellac it isn't quite amber enough for you, it's bound to get a little darker after you've completed your topcoats.

 

[PDX Rich]

I did my last wash coat with Tru Oil, as that was the only material I was working with (aside from the Behlen's tinted grain filler). I worked really well, but I think I'll go with shellac next time based upon advice I was given on another project. It does indeed help pop the grain!

 

[FerruleCat]

I just picked up some scrap ash, Zinsser Sealcoat, Watco Danish Oil (Golden Oak), and Timbermate filler. I have Tru Oil at home, so that's a good lineup for a first round of experimentation. Thanks for the advice.

 

[FerruleCat]

This is helpful. The Timbermate (American Cherry) did a decent but not perfect job of filling the grain after 2 coats, but on raw wood it does have a slight staining effect, as shown on the right.

I then coated this board in Watco Danish Oil (Golden Oak), and the DO applied nicely over the Timbermate. In fact, the staining effect from the filler helped balance the yellow hues of the DO.

Now that I'm seeing the results in person, I know that I do want the grain filled, but with clear filler instead of contrasting. I also think whatever color and pop I get from a base coat of shellac will be enough, so the DO might drop out of the picture.

My next round of testing, then, will focus on a wash coat or two of shellac, followed by Aqua Coat clear grain fill and another coat of shellac to seal. From there, my options would include finishing with Tru Oil or General Finishes wipe-on poly.

 

[FerruleCat]

Update: Testing shows good results alternating layers of Zinsser Bullseye Seal Coat and Aqua Clear pore filler. Very easy to work with, no odor, builds well, end grain looks fine, sands nicely.

Next step is to test a color layer of shellac: a 1# cut of amber flake in Everclear. If I like the result, then I'll top coat with a few layers of General Finishes Arm-r-Seal. I might go to a blonde flake if the amber is too orange.

Once I have everything dialed in, it's on to the actual body.