Scored big on some beautiful ash at a hardwood store here in WI (Kettle Moraine Hardwoods, St. Lawrence WI; a great place with great guys) that I’ll use to build McBrien’s “Sleek Side Table in Ash” (FWW, 2020).
Q: The 14″ flatsawn, 4/4 slab that I picked for the tabletop appears to have a number of (what appears to be) very small dark “pitch pockets” or whatever (maybe tiny bug tunnels?) across the face. It’s rather attractive in a way, has character, and I’d rather retain that look. So what should I use to “fill” these tiny areas in the finishing process. And… should I finish the top with something “harder,” maybe a lacquer finish?
Thanks in advance with thoughts.
/VR/
-tonto
Hartford WI
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First. Some photos would help a lot. Second. What you do with the "blemishes" depends on how much you want them to stand out when finished. Without more information, I would be inclined to use epoxy to fill them. You can put color in it or not.
My first thought for a table finish is poly; water based or oil. I have little experience with lacquer on tables, but I understand it is not the best.
“[Deleted]”
To Bilyo, and any others:
Pictures attached, as you requested. Again, I don't want to fill these imperfections with putty or whatever and hide them. Would rather smooth the surface nicely (they way the board looks, maybe only a light touch with a smoother and a scraper), and apply a finish that would "level" the surface and show these nice imperfections. They tell a story; but what is it? Thinking a very blonde shellac sealer, then something else hard and clear as a topcoat. Suggestions?
/VR/
-tonto
Hartford WI
I agree you shouldn't hide them. I have gotten good results with clear epoxy to fill small chip-outs and blemises like that. Just mix up some 5 min. epoxy and use a toothpick to dab in enough to overfill slightly. After it cures, sand it flush and then just treat it like the rest of the plank with regard to sanding. Once sanded smooth and level with the adjacent surface the finish will make it almost disappear or blend to be unnoticeable. Be careful using planes or scrapers on any filler as you could pull the out. I would use sandpaper only. Do any planing or scrapping before using the filler.
I would use water base or oil based poly depending on the color you like. I don't think you need the shellac, but it won't hurt anything either.
Certainly will smooth/scrape before anything else. I've used the epoxy trick before; so sweet. Also: have you any experience with ZAR Interior OMU, oil modified urethane? Good source here in Hartford recommended, and said that the product would level out, self leveling, and fill the tiny holes. 2 hr recoat time. So I'll take some offcuts and try that out at the dealer. One with SealCoat, one without.
-tonto
Hartford WI
I did my 5' x 8' ash table with just french polish and it filled the pores and has left a hard glassy finish that has held up well for about 6 years so far
Forgive all the crap on my table haha
For holes that small, I use drops of medium CA glue, carefully avoiding getting it onto the surface around them.
Sometimes those holes can be longer tunnels. Multiple attempts to fill the voids may be necessary. If that is the case, I would recommend not trying to fill the gaps in one attempt as the epoxy May connect through another tunnel and drip out of the bottom in a different area.
My go to would be 5 minute epoxy with black pigment but you could also use a lacquer stick : https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/finishing/finishes/20071-lacquer-sticks?
I too have had these in my boards. Locally in Hawaii we have a huge problem with termites. I’ve had very good success with clear 5min epoxy. It blends in very well and most people hardly notice them. As others stated sand it and get it ready for finish before applying anything fill the holes then sand it back. The 5min sands well with 120 or 220. I did this on a Koa rocket launcher for my boat and it turned out beautifully.
As to topcoating I’ve used general finishes satin armor seal with very good results on my table tops. It’s beautiful and very durable. I love lacquer and spray it with my hvlp setup. but weather can make the application and curing process a challenge if it’s rainy/humid.
What is a Koa Rocket Launcher?
Koa is a locally grown hardwood. I believe it grows only in Hawaii but it is a part of acacia family. It’s a very beautiful, figured, and expensive piece of wood. In ancient times only royalty was allowed to own anything made of Koa (means brave, warrior, etc). It’s running about $75/bd ft right now but I’ve seen it over $200 if it’s the right stuff. But that’s too expensive for me.
A rocket launcher is a boat term for the wood table thing that holds your rods and cut bait and tackle on.
[url=https://postimg.cc/wt9J77mT][img]https://i.postimg.cc/wt9J77mT/A3-D0723-C-275-E-4435-8875-867-D8-E27-F07-B.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://postimg.cc/CB1qsX73][img]https://i.postimg.cc/CB1qsX73/34-D8773-F-768-A-434-A-AA7-B-A33-F1955-F885.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://postimg.cc/mPYCLQh5][img]https://i.postimg.cc/mPYCLQh5/E2550-FED-25-EB-4800-A9-A3-4-FE7-A0-C9-F9-DE.jpg[/img][/url]
Hope this helps I never heard of it before I moved here 10 years ago but it’s gorgeous stuff.
Thank you
The marketeers, advertisers and influencers seem to have performed a very effective job promoting epoxy. But isn't the stuff rather messy to mix & use? :-)
The traditional filler for such small holes i' the wood is beaumontage, which is a mixture of shellac and wax. It comes in small tins containing 3 to 10 sticks of the stuff in various shades from white to black and several brown/red/yellow shades in between. You melt a teeny bit with a small battery-powered spatula or other hot thing then poke/smooth it into the hole, where it cools to a hard consistency that's nevertheless easily sanded.
https://www.pricepulse.app/liberon-shellac-filler-sticks-tin-of-10_us_514745
Here's the top of an oak table I made with interesting planks that needed to have their shakes and branch inclusions filled with beaumontage:
https://d4c5gb8slvq7w.cloudfront.net/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjE2MDB9fSwiYnVja2V0IjoiZmluZXdvb2R3b3JraW5nLnMzLnRhdW50b25jbG91ZC5jb20iLCJrZXkiOiJhcHBcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjFcLzAzXC8yODA3MDQyN1wvSGF5cmFrZS1jb2ZmZWUtdGFibGUtMi5qcGcifQ==
Lataxe
I us both shellac sticks and epoxy for this type repair.
The shellac sticks are expensive, about $8 each + shipping. Then you need the "hot thing", about $140 for electric or butane knife. Or an alcohol lamp and spatula about $20 + shipping and the fuel, $20 for a quart of Denatured alcohol. Then you have to wait on the hot thing to heat up or go back to the open flame to keep the spatula hot. Then remember to unplug the hot thing when you are done and wait for it to cool before putting it up.
A double syringe full of 5 min. epoxy is the same price as one shellac stick ($8). A small empty plastic yogurt cup (free), a small stick with a flat end (free), and sanding dust are also used. Mix and apply with the stick, adding the dust to color and thicken. Apply with the stick and toss what is left in the trash. No need for gloves or cleanup- as in no mess.
I will use the sticks on occasion depending on my mood but the epoxy generally makes more sense.
The sticks do have the advantage of using to repair and match an existing finish if you do that sort of thing.
Those Liberon beaumontage sticks will last one forever, assuming you're not filling great voids, in which case epoxy might be better - although it will look like a small pond of plastic in yer wood. :-) I have a ten pack of the sticks I bought 20 years ago, with plenty left.
For larger holes, a dutch patch over some home made wood-filler (glue + sawdust) is better, as you can often match the grain of the patch to the grain around the hole.
The beaumontage can be applied by holding the end of a stick in or next to the flame from a match, fag lighter or a-one o' them small kitchen blow torches. Personally I use a very small hand held heated spatula attached to a hand-held wee plastic box containing an AA battery, with an auto-off switch (hold it down continuously to heat the spat). This both melts the beaumontage and serves to spread the drips into the hole. I can't find one for sale just now but it was about ten quid a couple of decades ago.
Beaumontage can be mixed in the breach to get exactly the colour you want from two or more colours. It can also be easily melted and dug out to be replaced by a better dried-colour, if necessary, unlike epoxy.
Beaumontage is a lot faster, more accurate in colour and less wasteful than dollops of epoxy from a double tube, which consists of 10% glue and 90% plastic packaging waste. And if you store it for 5 - 20 years, the glue will go hard, as I know too well. :-)
I make and sell ash tables on a regular basis. Regarding the finish, I find very few people want a polyurethane finish. As a woodworker, what’s to like about it? Some will get worked up over traditional concerns about wood movement, but let’s face it, everyone’s living in environmentally controled environments for the most part. Humidity isn’t rising and falling in a house like it was in the 50’s. I haven’t had a single issue. Poly ttakes away the feel of the wood, it gets scraped up over time, and repairs are a pain. There’s nothing natural about it.
I finish most tables with Odie’s oil, after sanding and flattening to a very high grit level of 800 - 2,000. This makes it harder for the oil to penetrate, but in my testing, the shine does make a difference, as does the smooth finish. Two coats is all that needed. I leave it on about 12 hours each time before removing excess. It’s buttery smooth. No sanding, no bubbles, no ambering. You can also use toners in the oil, but I would advise against this the first time. This makes the table fairly waterPROOF. Certainly enough for the toughest kitchen environments. I’ve shipped roughly 500 chairs and tables with 100% satisfaction among my clients. There isn’t much I wouldn’t use it on. Cocobolo Shoehorn? Looks amazing.
I’ve also used Waterlox, a tung oil finish. This to me is a heavy film type finish. It can look amazing, and is self watering, so repairs can be handled more easily, but more work than poly. (See dark pine table pic)
I just like it to be top quality, and quick. Those two don’t often go together but in this case they can.
On the defects, I’d be inclined to tone them down. There’s plenty going on already. Some timbermate works great to fill. Just don’t use any metal tools in working it or it will change color.
On flattening, cabinet scrappers are the secret weapon for me, in getting that perfect flatness. Just the variation in wood hardness within a board reacts to sandpaper such that it feels uneven. I don’t need a self leveling finish to make my tables flat.
Many may not agree with my perspective, I just know what’s worked for me and 500 customers.
I have to agree with Robsp in regards to stick shellac. With a good pallet of different colors one can match nearly any knot hole or blemish, hide small dings or mistakes. It's easy to clean up and level any over run as opposed to epoxy which can cause disasters and is really messy to work with or remove.
I use a pallet knife heated with a bunsen burner or a hot plate I picked up once at a goodwill. I once purchased a woodburner from Woodcraft that was useless for woodburning but is really great for burning in shellac stick . A soldering iron with a flat tip will accomplish the same thing I would imagine.
The sticks last a long time, years actually, but I need to reup on some colors and was somewhat astonished at the present prices. For what your doing you would probably need some white ,beige, a brown ,maybe an amber, maybe a black. If your in it for the long haul it's worth the investment to purchase a kit of maybe a dozen colors.