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Hello everyone. I need some help finding a product that is proving very elusive! Back in my high school wood shop days, the shop teacher sold us tons of mahogany lumber to build our projects with. Anyone working with an open grain wood like mahogany knows how hard it is to get consistent stain and finish coverage without a good grain filler. This guy had the best grain filler I’ve ever seen. Only problem is, I haven’t been able to find this product since! He left the school about the same time I did and moved out of state so finding out from him is not an option. It was just over 20 years ago so here’s a description as best I remember it. It came in a pop top can like Rock Hard Water Putty. It WAS NOT WATER PUTTY! But the can was about the same size. It had a fairly plain label that just had “paste wood filler” printed on it in large letters. There were some instructions printed on the label as well but the stuff was so idiot proof that if you did it once you had it down. It was a rough powdered product that was light tan or beige in color. It mixed with tap water to a slurry consistency and then was rubbed across the grain to pack it into the pores. We would then smooth it slightly with the grain. We just applied it with our hands, no rags or brushes. The nicest thing about this stuff was after it dried, you could easily sand and stain it. Unlike the product descriptions of grain fillers I’m finding these days which say to pre stain/dye the product or in the case of water based filers, stain before it dries. This stuff took the red stain we used on that mahogany just like the wood did. Very little color distortion. I don’t remember for sure, but I think the stain the teacher had us use was a water based stain. It was also a gel if I remember correctly. Do any of the products above ring a bell with anyone? Any substitutions? If so, feel free to jump in. I’ve got a walnut table to re-assemble and refinish and I want it to be nice.
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Replies
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Todd,
i It mixed with tap water to a slurry consistency...
Sounds like water putty to me.....
Do you remember if it raised the grain at all? This is one of the reasons that I stay away from water based products.
I'm real satisfied with Behlen's Pore-O-Pac fillers. Their neutral will take any color stain. They offer three colors, neutral, Walnut, and Mahogany. You will want to thin it with their Pore-O-Pac solvent. Also, Homestead Finishing Products carries fillers, I believe. Their web address is http://www.homesteadfinishing.com
Dano
*No Dano, it wasn't water putty. I've been around finishing long enough to know the difference. Water putty is designed to fill cracks in plaster, wall board and masonry products, and then painted. I can't imagine how blotched the stain would be letting it soak into something like water putty. Plus, the stuff I used sanded quite easily. Try getting fine sanding results with water putty! Anyway, I'll check out Behlens products and see if they'll work for me. As far as staining, does the Behlens need to be tinted before application or after? Also, what type of stain is preferred in your experience for this products? Thanks.
*Todd,Misunderstood the "water putty", where I come from we called it "mud" or "plaster".Any who, if I understand your first question; if I am going to use a stain I apply it after filling, just make sure the filler is fully dried then very lightly sand with 220 or 320 grit. I've been using Min Wax oil based stains (yellow can) for years and swear by it. If you do opt to go with another brand that you are more familiar with (if you are not familiar with Min Wax), you will more than likely have to use a sealer before applying the top coats. Min Wax touts their oil base stains as a "Stain/Sealer" and I have never had to use a sealer before applying the top coats.I should point out that the Behlen's is more of a "traditional" filler in that it is applied with a squeegee type applicator working it into the grain, I then use a burlap cloth to wipe the excess off going i across the grain after the filler just starts to set up, follow this by using a soft, clean cotton rag going with the grain. If you rag too soon it will pull out the filler. I wait until the filler loses it's wet look and test by dragging a finger across the surface; if a ball is formed it's ready, if it slips, it's not. I let stand for 24 hours then lightly sand. It's not as easy as the stuff you described in your original post but, after a little practice on some scrap, you'll get the hang of it. Hope this helps.Dano
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