Recommend A Filler For This Idea?

[Cherryburst]

Suppose I have a finished maple headstock.

I take my router and do some kind of inscription/logo/pinstripe. The router bit is about 1/10" wide and going about 1/10" deep or so.

What type of black wood filler would anyone recommend to fill in this? (essentially a thin routed channel) Something that will go in, and then can be "wiped" mostly smooth while still wet... and then lightly sanded later... and then another coat of finish applied... so that the inscription/logo is flush w the maple around it?

What black wood filler would anyone recommend?

(or a regular filler that could be mixed w a black stain before applying?)

Edited March 20, 2010 by Cherryburst

[low end fuzz]

i would go with a epoxy

[Glenn Hutchinson]

I would mix some ebony dust with glue

[Cherryburst]

How about a wood filler with some stain mixed in?

If so, would it be preferable to use a water/latex based filler like the Behlen Wood-Fil that Stewmac sells

(Elmers and Minwax filler are also water/latex based)

Or a solvent based filler (w stain mixed in) like Plastic Wood?

[Woodenspoke]

seal the wood first or you will stain the maple no matter what you use. I would go with epoxy, it can be tinted with any dry color powder.. No saw dust; it is usless.. Wood filler fills wood pores and will not work like epoxy will to create a solid line.

[Cherryburst]

(Yes, sealer is a given, I would definitely use that)

But what if I pour just *a little* too much black-colored epoxy, and I get a slight crown in the groove that would need to be sanded down... would the dried epoxy be substantially harder than the wood around it, and require some rigorous sanding?

[ScottR]

(Yes, sealer is a given, I would definitely use that)

But what if I pour just *a little* too much black-colored epoxy, and I get a slight crown in the groove that would need to be sanded down... would the dried epoxy be substantially harder than the wood around it, and require some rigorous sanding?

Yes, but that is the standard method for inlaying. Just use a sanding block. Epoxy is not especially difficult to sand.

SR

[mattharris75]

Use Z-Poxy finishing resin as your epoxy, as it's quite easy to sand.

[low end fuzz]

mask off around your inlay (even 1/4" away from the route)fill the hole; mush it around wait for air bubbles do it again, then wipe the excess from the middle like you would pore fill; you will be only sanding off the trace amounts ; or if it is a big bubble of epoxy use a basturd to file flus to the wood and then sand with a block.

[Cherryburst]

Folks, thanks so much! Here's a link to Z-poxy if anyone else is interested:

http://www.amazon.com/Z-Poxy-Finishing-Res...z/dp/B0006O8ESK

One more related question... suppose I was building a maple neck from scratch. Would a black-stained epoxy be suitable for filling the fret dot holes instead of the usual plastic dots? Just asking.

[ScottR]

Folks, thanks so much! Here's a link to Z-poxy if anyone else is interested:

http://www.amazon.com/Z-Poxy-Finishing-Res...z/dp/B0006O8ESK

One more related question... suppose I was building a maple neck from scratch. Would a black-stained epoxy be suitable for filling the fret dot holes instead of the usual plastic dots? Just asking.

Yeah, I've done that. Or you can paint or stain the insides of the holes black and get the same look with more depth using clear epoxy.

SR