• Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
    As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.

Wood filler.

T

tfcobra

Joined
Mar 3, 2021
Messages
47
Points
58

Wondering if anyone has used the Mohawk epoxy wood fillers sticks? They are currently available in the US by Klingspor woodworking outlets for $12.39 and come in 14 woodtones.
Advertised to have an 8-10 minute working time and harden in 20 minutes. Accept paint and stain. They sound like a reasonable option for filling planking”flaws”, etc.
 
Epoxy wood filler sticks are good for purpose you describe but only if planking with gaps is covered by secondary planking or the copper plates. Gaps between planks are not acceptable if exposed or painted. This would not look good or professional.
 
tfcobra said:
US by Klingspor woodworking outlets for $12.39 and come in 14 woodtones.
Click to expand...
Assuming you are speaking about gaps between planks, filling the gaps, unless VERY minor, means the planking is not done correctly. If it is as YT said, a first layer to be covered, why bother to fill the gaps at all? If it is the final layer and will be visible, for teeny gaps, try filling the gap with a little PVA then sand the area. The sawdust will fill the gap. If it is a large gap, you will get better visual results by removing the planks and doing it over without the gaps.

Allan
 
I have long used Mohawk "wax" filler crayons for repairing very minor imperfections on furniture finishes. I've never used their epoxy filler, although it appears to be for the same purpose. The wax crayons, and apparently also their epoxy sticks, are for filling and blending very minor nicks and scratches in bright finished furniture without having to refinish the entire piece. They aren't designed for puttying significant gaps and voids. The epoxy filler appears to be made for the same purpose as the wax crayons, except that it costs a huge amount of money if I'm reading the advertisements correctly. I have no idea what advantage epoxy would afford for the intended application.

As noted by others above, if your hull is planked correctly there should be no gaps between the plank seams. If you've got a problem with a fair hull, the product you should be using is a surfacing putty, sanded fair, and painted. (E.g., https://www.interlux.com/us/en/products/surfacing-putty) If you want a clear wood finish on your hull, it needs to be perfectly planked with a suitable "grainless" finish wood. Anything less than perfect will only highlight the imperfections. There's no shame in a nicely painted hull. Most high-quality ship model hulls are faired and painted.
 
For a first foundational layer of planking on a PoB hull.
For small and minor dips on the planking run PVA+sawdust or a spreadable filler that bonds to wood and "likes" PVA for the outer layer.
For narrow gaps between planks: you should have done better, but as Allan and Y.T. point out, what difference does it make if they are filled or not filled?
For a significantly wide gap that will affect the outer planking, remove the whole area and do it over - buy more material probably.
For a significant dip - a real valley that would need a big wad spreadable filler - use a wood scab instead, i.e. a piece of veneer or a curl of wood from really sharp plane PVA bonded and sanded to shape.
 
My P.O.B.'s have been double hull, so, I do not spend a lot of time and energy on worrying how the planks look as long as they can be sanded and filled to the form required. As a result, I have used Model Lite lightweight filler. It is very light weight (think balsa) but it is water based and easy to use. I've use some old stock which I re-hydrated just tap water and it was ready overnight. It takes sanding well but, it is expensive.
Can anyone recommend a similar filler that might be less pricey, maybe from home depot type of store?

thanks. Richard
 
Durham’s Rock Hard water putty. Comes in a powder so no shelf life concerns. Mixes with water, so viscosity can be controlled from peanut butter to syrup consistency. It is a light tan color. Sands to a feather edge. A 1lb can, probably enough to build a lifetime’s worth of ship models lists for $9 and change on Amazon. Our local Ace Hardware stocks it.

Roger
 
Roger Pellett said:
Durham’s Rock Hard water putty. Comes in a powder so no shelf life concerns. Mixes with water, so viscosity can be controlled from peanut butter to syrup consistency. It is a light tan color. Sands to a feather edge. A 1lb can, probably enough to build a lifetime’s worth of ship models lists for $9 and change on Amazon. Our local Ace Hardware stocks it.

Roger
Click to expand...

I've got to try this stuff. I've always used Interlux Surfacing Putty, which I also used for doing yacht topsides, etc., but it's gotten insanely expensive. ($50 USD a pint!) When I use up the last of what I've got on hand, I'll give Durham's a try.
 
AllanKP69 said:
Assuming you are speaking about gaps between planks, filling the gaps, unless VERY minor, means the planking is not done correctly. If it is as YT said, a first layer to be covered, why bother to fill the gaps at all? If it is the final layer and will be visible, for teeny gaps, try filling the gap with a little PVA then sand the area. The sawdust will fill the gap. If it is a large gap, you will get better visual results by removing the planks and doing it over without the gaps.
Click to expand...
I agree with Allan 110%. I personally prefer to do only one layer of planking with thick material. I first form the planks to where they will go via wet fitting and/or heat, then take my time and carefully bevel the edges of those planks so there are no noticeable gaps. Fit, sand a little, fit, sand a little, etc. It can sometimes take a great deal of time to do this plank by plank, but hey. To do this properly takes patience. If you 'rush' this process, the results will show in the end result via gaps, etc. I sometimes only properly shape the edges of 'one' plank per day! It is what it is. "Take your time and make it fit 'right'! When it's time to glue the plank in place, I dilute Titebond II 'dark' glue with water to give me more working time. I then use a small paint brush to 'paint' that glue on the edges of the planks and frames, for 'one' plank only, then clamp the plank in place and wipe away any squeeze out of glue with a very wet rag. When the dark Titebond II glue dries, it dries 'very' dark and looks like caulking. I don't worry about the glue preventing even staining because I never stain nor paint any of my models. I use natural woods to simulate the colors that I desire and finish with Tru-Oil, Shellac, etc. Take your time, make the planks fit tight and proper and no filler will be required! It's not hard to do. It only requires a bit of patience!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top