# Help! Filling in voids and empty spots in wood



## milkbaby (Mar 1, 2018)

I got some cool burly knife scales that have both a tapered cut and a large void on the backside that I would like to fill in order to use on a knife handle. I looked at alumilite casting (because I saw a box of the stuff at ye locale Hobby Lobby) but it seems to require a pressure pot and is too much cost and effort just for this one set of scales. Edited to add: After a little more reading, it seems Alumilite can be used to cast without pressure or vacuum? Just that there can be air bubbles, is that right?

Pics of the scales in question are below. You can see on the scale on top, there's an angled cut then a little below that is a big empty void/low spot. My goal would be to fill those in so I'd have a flat surface to glue to the knife tang to use these as the handle wood. I would just sand it level/parallel with the opposite side after filling in. If it were a smaller void, I'd just pour in epoxy or epoxy/sawdust in until it was level, but this is a larger fix than I've ever done before.

I was thinking of just making a little box lined with wax paper and then pouring some epoxy in there on the wood. I have a few epoxy dyes that I could use instead of leaving it clear, though clear might look interesting? I would sand and use a wire brush to clean up any wax from the wood first so hopefully the epoxy would adhere okay.

The backside with the epoxy fill would then get glued to a G10 liner and used on a personal knife, just something for myself so not a big deal other than losing time and effort and a nice piece of wood if an abject failure.

Is there a fatal flaw to my idea that I'm not seeing?

I also bought some Milliput epoxy putty that wouldn't flow like two part epoxy does. That seems like it would be easy to mold and stick into the spots that I want leveled out without having to make a little box? Kinda like filling it in with bubblegum! Not sure if it would work better or worse than two part epoxy though. Is epoxy putty more or less likely than just epoxy to separate due to differences in movement between it and the wood?

I would rather try something I could do at home instead of sending out to somebody else to cast just because that's how I am! 

Thanks for any ideas and advice!

https://i.Rule #2/SOjBz8Ll.jpg
https://i.Rule #2/q2k1wEml.jpg
https://i.Rule #2/tjiy7zal.jpg

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1


----------



## DKMD (Mar 2, 2018)

You should be fine with the two-part epoxy for something that size. A torch can be useful getting the bubbles out of it. A little pearlex powder will add some interesting sparkle if you’re into that sort of thing.

Pretty wood!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


----------



## barry richardson (Mar 3, 2018)

Agree, sounds like you have a good plan with the 2 part Epoxy. I have no experience with the Milliput epoxy. what kind of wood are the scales?

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Great Post 1


----------



## Schroedc (Mar 3, 2018)

Species of wood can affect adhesion, the rosewoods especially can be oily and require wipe down with acetone before casting and even then sometimes don't want to stick well.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Great Post 1


----------



## milkbaby (Mar 4, 2018)

Thanks y'all! I have a lot more confidence now about trying it. I returned the Milliput epoxy putty thinking it would be tougher to get in every nook and cranny.

This is supposed to be cocobolo, so I'll wipe down with acetone before trying to fill with epoxy. I'll probably use G-Flex epoxy for more ability to flex with any wood movement.


----------

