I have two wonderful knots on the headrest of my rocker. I want to fill the voids in the knots with something clear. What I am concerned with, will there be  a shiner where the epoxy filler is after I oil the chair down?

Thanks guys

Yes, there will be.

Why fill it with Epoxy?

 

I'd just leave them and finish the chair as usual.

 

My last Walnut table had a few holes in it and I left them.

 

Call it Character but it does add a certain wood feeling to the chair.

Turners use epoxy all the time to fill voids.  They use many colors and materials added to the epoxy as a filler and accent.  I am not that advanced yet but have used coffee mixed with epoxy to achieve a color match with walnut.

Thanks guys, I am considering leaving them unfilled, I like it that way also. But I wanted to know the options out there.

Greg, I believe Gene Howe has a wonderful way to fill knots kind of along the same lines your thinking, he does it with resin and metal or turquoise dust and flakes. I am chomping at the bit to purposefully create voids in a chair seat or arm and use his method, it looks really nice.

All the above - good advise.Some times I polish out the knots to a high finish , sometimes I carve away the surrounding material and leave the knot protruding for effect . Garniga Knot Filler is a neat little system that will fill a knot in just a few seconds and is really slick. I am just finishing a knot filling job that has lasted almost 8 weeks ( see my blog on flooring blank preparation )

Cool... Is it basically a toned hot glue stick? Any finishing issues with that? Or are you just using the glue stick to fill up some of the void of a missing knot or defect, then apply a wood filler over it?????

 

I have made little wedges put a little glue on them and drove them into the cracks, sand flush. Works pretty good, so long as they are tight knots.

Looks like tinted hot melt glue sticks - yes .The physical properties of the material itself are quite different though . No finishing issues. It is really fast -literally a few seconds .

Mike Frank said:

Cool... Is it basically a toned hot glue stick? Any finishing issues with that? Or are you just using the glue stick to fill up some of the void of a missing knot or defect, then apply a wood filler over it?????

 

I have made little wedges put a little glue on them and drove them into the cracks, sand flush. Works pretty good, so long as they are tight knots.

John, I have used the coffee grounds and epoxy to fill knot holes. On one of the cedar chest I did, I had to fill them. Once sanded you couldn't tell it wasn't part of the know. Again I would find a sample knot and try it to make use you get the look you are after. I put an oil finish on the cedar and the knot was not shinny, but Mike it correct, it will be and can be. I think maybe the coffee grinds took out the shine.

 

There is nothing wrong with leaving them for character. The ones I had went all the way through and I didn't want to leave an opening in the chest.

Hey thanks Rob, sorry for so many questions, can you point me in the right direction, where to buy them? I did a few google searches with no luck, but looks like the flooring guys use this product. So try there?

rob durfos said:

Looks like tinted hot melt glue sticks - yes .The physical properties of the material itself are quite different though . No finishing issues. It is really fast -literally a few seconds .

Mike Frank said:

try here  : http://www.rangate.com/specialtyproducts/knotfiller.php

Mike Frank said:

Hey thanks Rob, sorry for so many questions, can you point me in the right direction, where to buy them? I did a few google searches with no luck, but looks like the flooring guys use this product. So try there?
rob durfos said:

Thanks man...already sent them my e-mail...wonder if I can just buy the sticks only, and use a standard glue gun? I'm sure they though of that and are using an oversize stick or something so you have to buy the gun too?

I see your using a heat gun to help it in those cracks, so it must set-up fast?

rob durfos said:

try here  : http://www.rangate.com/specialtyproducts/knotfiller.php


Mike Frank said:

I own two of their systems and find the gun supplied to be high quality. The heat gun is is used in winter months when shop temps are near freezing. Set up time is 1 second pressed with a cold steel block .

Mike Frank said:

Thanks man...already sent them my e-mail...wonder if I can just buy the sticks only, and use a standard glue gun? I'm sure they though of that and are using an oversize stick or something so you have to buy the gun too?

I see your using a heat gun to help it in those cracks, so it must set-up fast?

rob durfos said:

If they realy stand out, make them decortive. Fill the hole with fine stone powder (like turquoise) and CA glue. Do it in layers and once filled then sand and finish. You can also get various colored powder from craft stores that sell embossing powder. http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/category.jsp?CATID=cat2905The embosing powder comes in many different colors and would be the cheaper way to go.

 

 I buy pen kits and some turning supplies from these folks http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/Crushed_Stone.htm

 

Hope this helps, good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Good tip on where to buy crushed stone - thanks.

John Michael Dillen said:

If they realy stand out, make them decortive. Fill the hole with fine stone powder (like turquoise) and CA glue. Do it in layers and once filled then sand and finish. You can also get various colored powder from craft stores that sell embossing powder. http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/category.jsp?CATID=cat2905The embosing powder comes in many different colors and would be the cheaper way to go.

 

 I buy pen kits and some turning supplies from these folks http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/Crushed_Stone.htm

 

Hope this helps, good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Thanks all for the great feedback! Thanks thanks thanks!

 While  I'm not sure WHERE your knots are, sometimes just a little router work would do.     IF it is in the center area of a board, an inlay can cover some items.    OR, if you have some scrap with a matching grain, just "Dutchman" the spot.   I've used Dutchmans to cover old, black bolt holes in redwood before.     IF the grain matches, the patch will be hidden.   

On the head rest Steve, plain site. There isn't a patch in the world that would work, I am not trying to hide it, just make it smooth to the touch, I love the knots, but as the other guys say, leaving them open would look good too, and I think I'll go that rout. Thanks Steve for your input.

 Bear in mind, though, that knots move differently than the surrounding wood.    On those oak end tables of mine, one top has a nice big knot.    Wood has moved around a bit over the twenty years since it was made.    The area around the knots is now a depression, with the knot standing proud.    Knot has also split a bit over time, the result of the surrounding wood pulling on it.   Sure, white oak does move alot, but so does some of the over "knotty" woods.     The knots will act like a stone, with the wood moving around it.     Makes a bit of stress for the area involved.   Just a "heads up" about things "knotty".

Well that is a good point, what is the risk of the knot coming loose in the future then?

 That depends on both the knot, and what the wood is.     There is a "super-glue" that turners use, you might soak the knot in some of that, just to keep things together.   Mr. Mooody might be able to tell wich brand to get.