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 Post subject: Oops filler
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:43 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 1:13 pm
Posts: 215
First name: Steve
Last Name: Ellis
City: Manteca
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 95337
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Just routed out a binding channel and had a piece of the side chip out. That along with some binding gaps, what's the best way to make some wood paste as filler? I was also thinking of just doing patches, and may still, but would still want some filler to blend the patch in.

Just wood dust and some white? Would love some advice.

Steve


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 Post subject: Re: Oops filler
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:57 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 3:57 pm
Posts: 775
Location: Powell River BC Canada
First name: Daniel
Last Name: Minard
City: Powell River
State: BC
Country: Canada
I've tried several kinds of filler on spruce & have yet to find one that works well. All ended up looking worse than the gap. (I'm assuming the gaps are in the top.)
Instead of filling the gaps, consider re-routing to add a purfling strip. (or a wider purfling scheme)
I've had to do this a couple of times. Works much better than using a filler.
Depending on the side wood species & colour, you should be able to do a decent repair with sawdust & white glue. It's better if you can find the chip & glue it back in, but that's not often possible.


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 Post subject: Re: Oops filler
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:04 pm 
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Unless the gap is less than 1/32", filler will never make for an invisible repair, you'll always see it, no matter what type of filler you try.

As Dan mentioned, think about changing the binding/purfling scheme and re-route the channels to eliminate the gap. If you have to add a side purfling maybe that will help, or make a wider top/back purfling scheme that might help.

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 Post subject: Re: Oops filler
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 3:21 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:23 am
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First name: Corky
Last Name: Long
City: Mount Kisco
State: NY
Country: USA
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How big is the chip? Does it follow a grain line? What type of wood are the sides? Filler looks like filler. I've never succeeded in a repair with filler that didn't look crappy - sawdust or not. On the other hand, I massacred a back while routing channels, and some large chips cam out, which I was able to patch with offcuts from the back. I worked with the grain, and it's almost invisible.


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 Post subject: Re: Oops filler
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 3:43 pm 
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Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
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Zip/Postal Code: 37772
Country: US
Focus: Repair
Corky Long wrote:
How big is the chip? Does it follow a grain line? What type of wood are the sides? Filler looks like filler. I've never succeeded in a repair with filler that didn't look crappy - sawdust or not. On the other hand, I massacred a back while routing channels, and some large chips cam out, which I was able to patch with offcuts from the back. I worked with the grain, and it's almost invisible.


I've had similar experiences. I trim the chipped area with a gouge if it isn't too big and then cut a matching patch with the same gouge from an offcut. For most woods, except spruce, I glue in with CA and when you sand it level it is usually almost invisible. I have not tried to do this with spruce and would be concerned that the CA might stain the wood.

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 Post subject: Re: Oops filler
PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 4:15 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 1:13 pm
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First name: Steve
Last Name: Ellis
City: Manteca
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 95337
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
The back and sides are curly maple. I've actually cut some patches and am using egg white and saw dust to blend them. They don't look too bad, but this guitar isn't going anywhere.

Thanks for the ideas


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