After staining and a coat of 1 lb shellac, I applied an alkyd based filler on mahogany. I squeegied it across grain and used burlap across grain, then with the grain. But the cross grain approach creates subtle streaks that I can’t seem to remove by rubbing with burlap or cloth. I’m going to fill again in a couple of days. I’m reluctant to go back over the fill with a thinner because on the test piece it really pulled out the filler. I’ll probably use a different application technique for the next application, but I’d appreciate any suggestions. BTW, once the burlap is used across grain, there is very little remaining.
I confess to another annoyance (goof). I oversanded one area of the top, leaving it a lighter color. I’m wondering if there is a glazing or other technique that might even out the color at this point. thanks
Replies
Todd, I'm seeing you haven't gotten a response yet. You might want to post on Jeff Jewitt's forum -- he'll give you an answer within a day probably.
I had a grain-filling disaster a couple of weeks ago and got fairly quick help there.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Wiping with the burlap in the direction of the grain will remove some of the filler from the pores, which you don’t want to do. Also, the burlap is too coarse to really get all the filler off. I wipe across the grain with the burlap after removing the bulk with a cheap plastic putty knife. Then I let it set up for a while and lightly go with the grain using cheesecloth. After a few days drying, I lightly scuff "sand" using a synthetic abrasive pad. This will get any minor streaks off. Without a doubt filling grain is my least favorite chore, but the one that makes the biggest difference in the final look.
As for the rub through, they can usually be blended in, using the stain/dye you colored the wood with. I have been using Trans Tint dyes in shellac with good results for minor rub throughs near an edge.On mahogany (which I use almost exclusively), Minwax red mahogany stain applied with an artist brush and feathered in. works wonders. You might also try some dark shellac applied to the areas, sometimes that helps.
Todd - When filling, start with a good coat of your shellac to make sure the surface is well sealed and there's enough film to do a little light sanding without cutting through.
After using the squeegee, let the filler sit until it hazes/dulls. Fold the burlap and roll the corners to create a tight ball so that when you press it to the wood, it keeps a flat face and doesn't get into the pores. A big piece of burlap makes it easier on larger surfaces. Work the excess filler off, across grain only, changing the "face" on the burlap as neeeded to get as much of the filler as possible.
Now you can go one of two ways - you can get a clean face on the tightly rolled burlap and get it damp with naptha then rub across grain until the streaks are gone. Or, you can let the filler dry for a day and sand lightly with the grain until the streaks are gone - this is where it's important to have a good coat of your sealer on the wood after staining.
To touch-up your cut-throughs, thin your stain 100% (or even more)with naptha and brush/wipe it on the affected area. Let the stain dry completely and repeat as needed. If you have a supply of water-base dye stains on hand, use one of these instead and wipe the affected area with the dye stain and immediately wipe it off with a clean rag. Repeat if needed.
Paul
F'burg, VA
I am a reluctant sander. What grit would you use to remove the streaks? Is one day enough to wait? Flexner recommends curing for 3 days before moving on. And before applying the filler I wiped on two one-lb. coats of shellac right after the other . Am I risking more trouble with these cures?
Good feedback, and the Jewitt site looks good also. Tell me more about the sanding (see above post).
Paul: I do a lot of filling on walnut and I find that after the cross grain rubbing with burlap, I rub with the grain with cheese cloth or an old t shirt . The next day if there is filler left over close to the edges or streaks, I rub down with 4-0 steel wool. Granted the rubing with the grain removes some of the filler but there is still plenty left in the wood. Also, do you tint the filler to approx. the same color as the wood you are filling? I find that this evens out the color on the project and helps hide any streaks. Lee
Todd
I don't know if you're still working on this, but I've been doing the exact same process with two pieces of mahogany over the weekend. I found that its hard to tell if the filler has dried enough before you start to remove it if you put it on too thick, and then start to remove it too soon, it will streak. ALso, I used old t-shirts to remove, and I had to constantly change spots to keep from picking up little wet clots to drag along. I used 000 steel wool to take off the excess and streaks which seemed to work OK without going through the shellac. I've always used steel wool between shellac coats on the "theory" that it slices instead of scratches.
Stan
I got through that stage by sanding with 320 no fill paper, which evened out everything and got rid of the streaks. Then for the second fill, I divided the piece into 6ths instead of 4ths, and also worked the burlap more in a circular fashion. No streaks. Speaking of streaks, I'm going over to the shellac thread to find out if the streaks in my covercoat of shellac are likely to show up through my layers of varnish. Thanks, Todd
I’m not sure that it presents a problem, but I would avoid a heavy coat of shellac under your varnish. My thinking is that the two finishes have very different properties as far as hardness is concerned, and this could lead to trouble down the road. Also, I use only dewaxed shellac under varnish.
My approach is to dye the wood, seal that with a very thin rubbed on coat of dewaxed shellac. I don’t want a heavy coat for the reason stated above, and it would also "round off" the pores making it harder for the filler to bite. I fill by slopping on the oil based filler and letting it set up until it is quite firm. Thinning with mineral sprits tends to slow the set time (great for hot weather) while naphtha makes it set rather quickly. Then I scrape it off going across or diagonal to the grain. Wipe with burlap going across the grain only, turning to expose a fresh surface as necessary. Finish with cheesecloth going lightly with the grain. Sometimes I apply a second coat of filler with a day drying time in between. A light rubbing with a synthetic abrasive pad after 3 days drying will clean everything up in preparation for the first coat of varnish (I use the Behlen Rock Hard, which is an excellent product).
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