Epoxy Pore Filling Part 1: Application of First Coat & Sealing a Rosette

[rlholo]

Spot on. Spend your time working it in, but then when you go to take it off you don't muck about - one pass of long straight strokes with very little overlap using an alcohol cleaned squeegee. Multiple passes to take off excess merely pulls it out of the grain. I stopped using epoxy as I didn't know you could use shellac over it (even with a rough-up) I read that it would lead to adhesion problems... maybe I need to look into it again as there is nothing better to pop light figured hardwood.

[stengah123]

Excellent set of videos. Have you used this product on Wenge before? I am worried I will see slight discoloring in the large pores due to the amber tint of it.

[blowitaly2]

Thanks a lot Todd, your vids are amazing! just a question, should I make a seal coat of shellac to avoid the risk of staining before the pore filling with epoxy?or is good to do the seal coat after the entire pore filling process?

thank you and greetings from Italy!

Andrea

[MDLuthier]

@blowitaly2 Seal after the epoxy filling is done. If you do a good job sanding and wear nitrile gloves during handling as seen in the videos, you can keep things clean.

[fotodenis]

Very helpful

[dlgoebel]

GREAT Vid, Todd!!! Thank you for sharing it. I'm new to the epoxy fill approach and have typically used the solvent or water based paste type grain fillers in the past. Quick question: with the paste fillers you're supposed to sand back so that filler's only left in the grain. How about w/epoxy? I understand about knocking the gloss off, but how far back do you typically sand prior to S&S/dye/topcoat?

[MDLuthier]

On the first and second coat, just enough to get the high spots back into the top layer of the wood (which will be slightly impregnated with resin, so well sealed). Use a Scotchbrite to tooth any low areas, then apply the second coat. Sand that back to what should be pretty much level, then use the third coat to seal any pores that have been sanded open and give you a uniform color. The third coat gets Scotchbrite'd to tooth for shellac or vinyl sealer - no sanding should really be required.

[IcechickenSr]

Thanks so much for his great and informative video serries mate! I really enjoy watching you work. I've learned alot! You do beautiful work, and would be proud to have a guitar crafted by yourelf. I bet they sound as good as they look! Question for you, Why do you not want to get epoxy on the non bleading type woods like front surface of this guitar, and what is the bleeding you talk of and epoxy's role in dealing with the bleeding? Cheers, IC.

[MDLuthier]

The top of the the guitar is usually a softwood, so no need to fill. In terms of woods that bleed...certain woods have colored resins that are soluble in water, acetone, alcohol, etc., so if you shoot the guitar with lacquer or varnish, those resins can 'bleed' into the finish and onto adjacent surfaces such as purfling lines, etc. To prevent the problem, coco and other woods can be sealed with a thin coat of epoxy, which will keep any solvents used in the finish from causing bleeding.

[savilice]

I've decided to try this on my first guitar. Thanks for the demo, it's helping a lot. Do you epoxy the top of the binding on the soundboard side as well? if so, you do a similar procedure like the rosette was done?

[MDLuthier]

if the binding and the purfling I'm using needs to be filled or sealed to prevent bleeding (e.g., cocobolo), I'll carry some epoxy over onto the top, using care to carefully squeegee it with a gloved finger such that the epoxy does not get beyond the innner purfling line.

[rodmanguitars]

Great demo!