Grain filler - Crystal Lac or Aqua Coat ?

[wood2woodknot]

I've never used either of the two grain fillers, so I'm looking for comments on them. Are they equals? Is one better? Why in your opinion?

Do they dry out in the can? Can they be re-vitalized? Or do they harden with long storage and become trash?

I don't usually use any fillers because I like the natural feel of the wood, but I can see some possibilities from time to time. On the other hand, I hate to spend the $$$ and toss most of it in the can because it aged out.

Thanks.

[packerguy®]

I use Aqua Coat.

Waterbased, dries fast, easy cleanup. Works well.

[Bøb]

Save yourself a ton of money, and get a small amount of drywall mud ... NOT the premixed, but the one that you add water to before using. Pack it in the pores ... sand it level ... if you have extremely porous wood, it may need a light second coat, but probably not ... the mix you add water to has very little shrinkage if any.

What's left in the box/bag doesn't go bad like some of the high dollar stuff you buy, bet even if it did ... it's dirt cheap. Takes stain very well, and you can play around with prestaining both the host piece and the filler to get some pretty wild combinations.

[wood2woodknot]

Point behind the question is the word "clear." Not so with drywall mud, spackling, bondo, etc.

Don't plan on using this very often, but certain situations arise from time to time that make it an option. Sometimes I have been able to put enough coats of clear finish and sand each until I get the smoothness I want; sometimes not. So looking into Crystal Lac and Aqua Coat.

[packerguy®]

wood2woodknot said:

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Point behind the question is the word "clear." Not so with drywall mud, spackling, bondo, etc.

Don't plan on using this very often, but certain situations arise from time to time that make it an option. Sometimes I have been able to put enough coats of clear finish and sand each until I get the smoothness I want; sometimes not. So looking into Crystal Lac and Aqua Coat.

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Thats my take on filler as well. The only time I use it is on a multipiece venered panel, which always has hairline gaps that stick out like a sore thumb so a clear filler helps hid them, or on a wood like oak that is going to be engraved and filled with color. Ill apply filler, do the cnc, paint the carving, then sand. That way the paint doesnt bleed into the grain.

[Worthing]

Whenever I've filled grain (just on walnut, haven't done this with anything else) I either just use the topcoat and sand back or when feeling adventurous I use a pumice and BLO mixure and a sanding block. It makes a goo that fills the grains but doesn't have any color, so it just takes on the color of the wood you're filling. It's a freaking mess though. I don't know where I came across this years ago, but a quick google search turned up a link on Lumberjocks pretty close to what I've done. Pumice as a grain filler. I've done it this way and I've also used sandpaper on a Preppin Weapon to get it into the grain. Whatever. 220, 221, whatever it takes.

[atgcpaul]

Worthing said:

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I don't know where I came across this years ago, but a quick google search turned up a link on Lumberjocks pretty close to what I've done. Pumice as a grain filler. I've done it this way and I've also used sandpaper on a Preppin Weapon to get it into the grain. Whatever. 220, 221, whatever it takes.

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This is where I remember seeing the article:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/ar...llers.aspx

Jeff Jewitt uses plaster of Paris mixed with BLO, I think. I think it was like the drywall powder mentioned earlier in this thread. I tried it once with walnut and will try it again. I do remember it was a challenge for me to keep from pulling out the slurry from the pores. It does dry clear, though.

Paul

[JR1]

I am a non-fan of filler. Iike wood that looks like wood. Crystalac does; but it's expensive and a PITA.

[loosetoe]

I have used both.

The Aqua coat is much more viscous. It is like a loose jello, whereas crystalac is like pancake batter consistency.

I have used the aqua coat under lacquer, oil based varnish and several General Finishes water based finishes. I have only used the crystalac under crystalac finishes, though I have no reason to think it wouldn't work under anything else.

Generally, I found the aqua coat easier to apply as I rub it in with a nitrile glove and squeegee off the excess with the side of my hand. It won't run at all. It can be thinned with water, but I haven't found a reason to do that. The thinner crystalac built up on edges requiring more spot sanding thereby risking burn through.

All that said, I prefer to use thinned timber mate. I think black grain filler looks best in most circumstances but that's just an opinion.

I bet you will be happy with either one. I would tilt slightly towards the aqua coat just based off of its application ease.

-Wayne

[Rob Young]

loosetoe said:

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I have used both.

The Aqua coat is much more viscous. It is like a loose jello, ...

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I had loose jello once but went to my doctor and he cleared it right up.