# Infill Materials . . .



## Kevin (Mar 25, 2015)

I'm looking to expand my limited knowledge and use of infilling cracks and voids. I have some projects that I'm doing that are going to require infill. I want to stock several different types including turquoise of course but also others. What are some of your favorite materials to use (for both light and darker woods) and where do you buy them?


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## Schroedc (Mar 25, 2015)

I like to use brass shavings, I get them from a hardware store with a key machine.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## SENC (Mar 25, 2015)

I like metals, too... bronze and copper are nice with both light and dark woods. Aluminum is nice with very dark woods, I think. You can use shavings, or you can also buy it "powdered". I think I saw some last at Packard, but will look and see.

Edit: here they are...
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Mer...Code=151099&Category_Code=surdec-inlay-metinl

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Final Strut (Mar 25, 2015)

I like to use powdered antler shavings. I save the drill shavings when I drill my pen blanks and then run them through an old hand crank coffee grinder to powder them. I think I have enough that I could send you a small bag. A little bit goes a long way.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## TimR (Mar 25, 2015)

Kevin, if I could only have one infil material, it would be malachite, and it really makes wonderful accent contrast on cherry burl. The green color looks good with most any wood. I've used others like turquoise and red Bali coral, but usually only in lighter woods. I've not used brass, but have used copper and it looks good on most woods to me.
I buy my infill material from Craft Supplies, http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/47/5179/Turners-Select-Crushed-Stone they carry both coarse and fine if you don't want to mess with grinding on your own.

Reactions: Informative 2


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## Kevin (Mar 25, 2015)

Tim you know I pay attention to what you say so I am gonna order some. Which color or colors do you like beside the green?


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## TimR (Mar 25, 2015)

I've bought but minimally used following:
- Red Bali Coral, coarse and fine
- Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, coarse and fine which in hindsight isn't worth premium over standard turquoise seeing as I hardly use it.
- Copper powder , fine only

As I said, I really like the malachite, coarse and fine as my primary. When you look at some of the other colors they have, some are just easier to substitute with other materials.
Coffee or black wood shavings for black

One of these days I'll probably try some of the others, they look pretty cool

Reactions: Informative 3


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## Torque Turner (Mar 25, 2015)

I'd have to agree with TimR on the malachite. I've also used chrysocolla and azurite which are both easy to work with and relatively cheap at a rock shop. Make sure you use a good respirator when crushing and inlaying this stuff as the dust is quite toxic.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Mar 25, 2015)




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## gman2431 (Mar 26, 2015)

If you're working on mills Kevin try pepper. I really like how it looks and next time I got a real big void in going to put whole peppercorns in and see how that looks. 

I tried salt and wasn't to big of a fan of it. 

There's still more stuff around the home I wanna try before ordering the stuff mentioned above.

Reactions: Creative 2


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## Tim Carter (Mar 26, 2015)

Some others you can try are: red pipestone, oyster or abalone shells, marble and onyx. An interesting combination is to use malachite and lapis in the same crack or hole-small pieces work best, rather than fine powder.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## guylaizure (Mar 26, 2015)

I like malachite and some of the other stones.I have bought large pieces from Ebay and then crushed them myself which is cheaper then the woodturning supply companies.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## barry richardson (Mar 26, 2015)

I know this aint what you have in mind, but check this guy out, http://www.dwightbennett.com/ he uses solid silver, I've spoke to him a couple of times at Art shows and he explained that he takes a casting of the piece, or at least the cracks, has a foundry cast the fill pieces, and then sticks them in the cracks, seems like a ton of work, which is probably why he is happy to share his process, I doubt anyone would go to the trouble of trying to rip off his idea. He is in the big leagues, commands very high prices for his work, Cliff probably knows him...

Reactions: Informative 1


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## gman2431 (Mar 26, 2015)

HAHAHA! i just reread my post!! Whos been playing with the buttons? I typed Kevin and that is not what is in my words. lol 

@Kevin someone fooling with you?


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## gman2431 (Mar 26, 2015)

LOL!!! got yer screen name to!


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## Johnturner (Mar 26, 2015)

C'mon Darth Leprechaun what is (are?) chicken lip pies?????


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## David Hill (Mar 26, 2015)

@Kevin- I've learnt the fill thing on my own. What I use for fill depends on whether I use epoxy or CA as the matrix. Stuff I've used as fills: _turquoise_- both natural and manmade, _malachite_, _chrysocollite_, _lapis_, _calcite_, _iron pyrite_ (dark powder with "sparkles"), _glitter_==best to use the finely ground stuff (and lots of it), rarely use _wood dust_ (mostly 'cuz if I'm going to that trouble I want it to stand out). Also when one is going to use minerals--try to stick with ones that are lower on the Mohs Hardness scale. Quartz/amethyst and others are pretty but certainly hard enough to damage tools and will be difficult to sand as they're as hard or harder than the abrasives on sand paper.
If using CA I recommend using more coarsely grained stuff so the glue can get around all the particles to make sure there aren't voids. Plus I've found it takes more than one application of the glue to get things "right".
I like using epoxy more because it doesn't get near as brittle as CA (and I don't stick my fingers together), makes a better matrix and there's more control of how much color can be in the inlay. I find that the epoxy tends to "move" better with the wood as opposed to CA----I just know that.
I've looked at the inlace stuff and I'd rather have the natural mineral appearance rather than a homogenous area of color.

Reactions: Agree 2 | Informative 2


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## Kevin (Mar 26, 2015)

Thanks for all the info guys this is going to be my go-to thread when I start doing this. Like tonight maybe.

Reactions: Like 3


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## woodintyuuu (Mar 26, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Thanks for all the info guys this is going to be my go-to thread when I start doing this. Like tonight maybe.


remember the black stuff i sent along with the spray can remember...... it is your buddy along with all these great ideas

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin (Mar 26, 2015)

woodintyuuu said:


> remember the black stuff i sent along with the spray can remember...... it is your buddy along with all these great ideas



I have the box and its contents right on top of the ways as we speak type.


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## DKMD (Mar 26, 2015)

I like fuchsite 'cause it's a nice pale green, and when mispronounced, it sounds like one of my favorite words. I got mine at a rock shop locally.

I use an old electric coffee grinder to powder rocks and wood shavings(mostly African blackwood).

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Kevin (Mar 26, 2015)

DKMD said:


> I like fuchsite 'cause it's a nice pale green, and when mispronounced, it sounds like one of my favorite words.



Fuchsite sounds like peekaboo?

Reactions: Funny 3


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## TimR (Mar 26, 2015)

A friend of mine told me tonight that malachite has arsenic in it, might make you sleepy. I think he heard it from a wiki, so it must be true.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Kevin (Mar 26, 2015)

TimR said:


> A friend of mine told me tonight that malachite has arsenic in it, might make you sleepy. I think he heard it from a wiki, so it must be true.

Reactions: Funny 3


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## alankulwicki7 (Apr 2, 2015)

I also use coffee grounds for filling holes. Sometimes I use a coarser mix and sometimes a finer mix. Depends on the look I'm going for.

For minerals, I bought a few different types from 49er Minerals on Etsy. Great selection and the owner is very nice. I think I bought Chrysocolla, Azurite/Malachite and Chalcopyrite...


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