Filling Voids In Body/glue Joints?

[9MileSkid]

This is my first post to the forum. I have read through many posts in hopes to find and answer to this question prior to posting. I apologize if the question has previously been raised and answered. I am new to guitar refinishing and took on this project as something fun and new to try. Its has been that as well as therapeutic, in a way.

I have a 1970's Japanese neck-through, Washburn Eagle copy. I stripped off the million layers of poly and hideous green stain to finally get it down to bare wood. After stripping and sanding, the body wing glue joints are intact and very solid. However, when it was built, it appears that the wings were not planed to be flush with the neck. So there is about a 1 MM void. I don't want to call it a crack because it appears that is was never fully joined.

So, in your all's expert opinion(s), what type of material should be used to fill the void? I have used wood filler for other projects and don't really like working with the stuff (but would use it if it is the recommended material). Also, I have read many posts about the used of epoxy for grain filling. This is MUCH more than grain fill. I think it should also be stated that I didn't plan on repainting the guitar. I intend to finish it only with Tung oil.

Thanks and I appreciate your responses in advance.

http://picasaweb.google.com/10063525425131...GuitarRefinish#

[ihocky2]

I would recomend auto-body puty, as known as Bondo. It cures very fast and hard and does not shrink back like most wood puties do. It's easy to sand and level and takes a finish very well.

[ScottR]

Medium and thick CA glue are made for gap filling. They will finish clear and probably show as a dark line. More often we pack the gap with sanding dust and wick water thin CA into that. Make it stand proud of the gap and then sand back level. This will get you closest to the color of the surrounding wood.

SR

[guitar2005]

Medium and thick CA glue are made for gap filling. They will finish clear and probably show as a dark line. More often we pack the gap with sanding dust and wick water thin CA into that. Make it stand proud of the gap and then sand back level. This will get you closest to the color of the surrounding wood.

SR

+1 or mix dust with slow set epoxy.

[9MileSkid]

Thanks, y'all for responding. I was near The Home Depot today so I browsed around the wood filler area. I found this product called JB Weld Kwik Wood Epoxy Putty. It sounded intriguing and like it might stand

up to the test of filling a gap, is sandable, and can take stain. I liked the idea that it wasn't like other cellulose fillers. I gave it a try. It was like a clay compound that required kneading. I pressed into the gap and

used a putty knife to scrape the excess. I let it dry/set and sanded it smooth. It seemed to work quite well. So far so good... I'll post pics when I have the opp.

Thanks again.

[Southpa]

Find some similar looking veneer and fill your gaps with that along with epoxy. If you can get the right looking tone and grain structure you might manage to hide it well.