# epoxys? resins?



## woodsmith (Sep 6, 2012)

which of the resins would you guys recommend for filling voids, with or without an aggregate. possibly mixed with wood chips and or sawdust.


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## TimR (Sep 6, 2012)

I've used West Marine epoxy (105 resin and 205 hardener) and their fairing fillers. It takes coloration pretty well using transtint and transfast dyes. I wouldn't use the stuff 'full strength' without adding fillers...it's very hard and perhaps much too hard for filler use on voids that don't need to be structurally sound.
I think very fine sawdust would be a suitable substitute for their fillers...it may be little more than that anyway!
I've also used System Three and will say this...if it dries and cures and you don't use some sort of filler ... it turns like rock. I dulled my gouges frequently on them after a piece had cured for a couple weeks.
Hardest thing about epoxies will be getting air bubbles out...the casters have a much better handle on that, I'm sure some are on WB. Requires either a vacuum or pressure pot to get rid of the little bubbles.


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## justturnin (Sep 6, 2012)

My experience is somewhat limited but I have done these with success. I have used 5 minute Epoxy thinned with Acetone and tinted with Mica Powders to fill cracks. It will slow the cure time and make it this so it will flow into all of the cracks. You can put it on a vibrating table to shake the bubbles out. I have also use CA with fillers. I stuff the filler in little by little and flood it with thin ca then pour more filler in and press it down with a skewer or toothpick, you may have to do this in several steps.

Here is a piece of cracked up persimmon I used the tinned Epoxy on. I wrapped the blank in tape to cover all the cracks and poured in one spot (where it is caked up) and you can see where the epoxy ran all the way to the other side and stopped at the tape.






Here is a Pen I did with the CA and stone method.


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## woodsmith (Sep 6, 2012)

justturnin said:


> My experience is somewhat limited but I have done these with success. I have used 5 minute Epoxy thinned with Acetone and tinted with Mica Powders to fill cracks. It will slow the cure time and make it this so it will flow into all of the cracks. You can put it on a vibrating table to shake the bubbles out. I have also use CA with fillers. I stuff the filler in little by little and flood it with thin ca then pour more filler in and press it down with a skewer or toothpick, you may have to do this in several steps.
> 
> Here is a piece of cracked up persimmon I used the tinned Epoxy on. I wrapped the blank in tape to cover all the cracks and poured in one spot (where it is caked up) and you can see where the epoxy ran all the way to the other side and stopped at the tape.
> 
> ...



Thanks to both you gentlemen for the advice, I'm going to need it. My voids are much bigger, but I guess I'll be scaling up. I read a thread in the sanding and finishing section and got some great ideas as well. This forum will be a good send on things I have not tried before.


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## Woodsman (Sep 7, 2012)

woodsmith said:


> which of the resins would you guys recommend for filling voids, with or without an aggregate. possibly mixed with wood chips and or sawdust.



I would say that it depends on what you are trying to fill. I use a product called wood flour cement that has worked really well for me. It is formulated to be used with the sanding dust of the wood you're using. It's made primarily for wood floor applications, so it's gotta be durable, right? I use this for a lot of things that I do where there are multiple "patches" needed. The color blends together well when you use the sawdust in it. I've used it with turquoise, powdered charcoal, alcohol based powdered dyes, and probably a few other things I can't think of right now with good results. I don't recommend using it "straight" though. It needs some sort of "binder" in it to work well. It runs about $50.00 a gallon, and will last for a looooong time if properly sealed. The first gallon I bought lasted me almost 2 years. It is also sandable in about 30 minutes to an hour after application depending on ambient temperature. It's one con is that it won't fill deep cracks/voids without multiple fillings of about 1/8" thick. So, for pieces that require a lot of filling, I would recommend it. I use this when I have places that I want to try and hide or mask. 

For something that just has one or two holes that you want to fill, you could still use the wood flour cement, however, you could also use a two part epoxy (harder than above) to fill the holes. It will still require about the same amount of time before sanding, but will be a little harder to sand. It will polish more than the wood flour cement will, but usually, for me anyway, that's the idea behind using it. I use this when I want to bring attention to the fill that I have done rather than try to disguise it. 

I've used both for table tops and the like, but again, it depends on what I am trying to achieve with it. I hope this helps.


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## woodsmith (Sep 7, 2012)

Woodsman said:


> woodsmith said:
> 
> 
> > which of the resins would you guys recommend for filling voids, with or without an aggregate. possibly mixed with wood chips and or sawdust.
> ...



Thanks for this, good to have a lot of ideas.


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## scrimman (Sep 7, 2012)

I've used the system 3 epoxy quite a bit, and I've never had any issues. It does turn into something like stone when it fully cures, but that's never damaged my tools.
I've also seen some really cool stuff done on white wood and/or micarta using copper shavings and CA glue.


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