Filling in inclusions in walnut

[Mark Rios]

What would be a durable way to fill in inclusions like the ones in this piece of walnut. I don't own this piece but I have some smaller walnut slabs that I'd like to use for a living room coffee table that has similar inclusions.

I haven't decided on a finish for the table top so, if filling them in was part of finishing the top that wouldn't be a bad thing. (Actually, I haven't even given any thought to finishing the top so suggestions would be welcome as well.)

Thanks very much.

[Ed Peters]

From what I can see, you are actually referring to VOIDS. The adsence of material. Any of the clear epoxy fillers will work great to fill them. I use it all the time with great results. My preference is for the materials designed as a Pour On. They tend to handle deep pours successfully. With regard to finishing, my "Go To" for table tops is always oil based polyurethane.

Ed

[Jim Becker]

Consider epoxy resin and coffee grounds. Really. Many turners have been using coffee grounds for some time for this purpose.

Of course, many purests would not fill these areas and that's a perfectly valid option, too!

[Larry Rasmussen]

I think that if you filled the big inclusions the table top would look just like one of those 70s burl table tops or clocks. Method was to just pour until you had the holes filled and an 1/8 of resin on the top too. Consider leaving the big inclusions as they are. For the grain I like a dark or black wood filler for the walnut although it is labor intensive. I did some split pieces of wood with and without the filler and it was hard to tell which was filled but I did like that absolutely smooth surface of the filled side in a semi gloss or flat. I use General Finishes wipe on poly-oil finish from Rockler.

My money will go where my mouth is as the next project is a walnut double desk top that will be terrible to fill if I stay with my usual method.

Luck,
Larry R
Seattle

[Jason Whelehon]

Depends on what look you're going for. David Marks used epoxy on his "Fixes" episode. He varied the color to swirl in the epoxy to make it look more natural.

The other alternative is a patch. You inlay the wood and after it dries, fill in the back with epoxy for strength.

Another thing you could do is stabilize it with CA glue and leave it as a design.

One man's mistake is another man's design.


"No honey, I did that gouge in the bowl on purpose!"

[Jason Whelehon]

BTW, that piece is SCREAMING to be made into a table top...

[mark page]

I vote to leave it as it is, it add's to the character of the wood. Don't try to fill it. I'd love to have that piece as a winter project in my shop for my own personal behalf.

[Jason Whelehon]

I agree with Mark, you can't fix it, it's firewood. Give it to me so I can heat my house with it...

[julie Graf]

those look pretty big. but for smaller voids - that are still too large for wood filler - i use the burn in shellac sticks.
if you really want it to "pop" try turquoise or some other decorative stone that can be easily sanded.

[Tony Bilello]

If it were mine, I would leave the inclusion and rough up the smooth cut edges and burn them slightly. But since we all have a different eye for beauty consider the following:

If the inclusions were small, I would consider filling them. However, in your case, one looks pretty big. Whether you fill it or not, everyones eyes will be drawn to the 'anomaly'. If you can live with the inclusion, I think it would be really a cool natural look. Most filling techniques would look like filler. The other option, I always leave open is, as I always say " if you cant hide, accent it". maybe a fill of a gem stone like turquoise?

Tony B


Julie: I think we were typing at the same time, just I am a slower thinker. GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE

[Frank Drew]

I've never made natural-edge furniture so might have a different feeling about the issue; to me, those voids are flaws that I wouldn't include in a piece of furniture. And if there was no way around it, I'd patch rather than fill.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Inlay mother of pearl in a sea of tinted epoxy (contrasting color). I've seem this done and it can be stunning.

If you can't hide it - decorate it!!!
.

[Chris Padilla]

Mark,

I think you about got all the ideas you need. I look at these areas like this:

Will it impact the structural integrity of my work? Usually, this is "no." and I move on and explore the aesthetics of the area to figure out what I (or the customer) will like.

For this piece, it is a toss-up.

I have some 4/4 pieces of figured/spalted/punky-in-places maple boards that one day, I will saturate with some thinned, warmed epoxy in order to stabilize the boards. I'd then like to slice some veneers off the boards and use them.

[Brian Peters]

I would just epoxy the top with something like Mirror coat. If you're going to go with a live edge but prepped/sanded, I think keeping it natural wouldn't hurt. Guys are right here, that MOP stuff (pictured blue up top) looks nuts, it really pops I love it. But it depends on the application. You could go either way, a natural looking piece like that will look good regardless, as long as the top coat of the piece is done well. I can just imagine, epoxy those voids, and then shooting MLC Krystal on the top, 2-3 coats.

[Mark Rios]

A lot of great info and a great big thanks to all.

However, I need to clarify a couple of things,

1) As I stated in my OP, as much as I wish that I did, I DO NOT OWN THE ABOVE SLAB. I have a couple of slabs that are smaller and not quite as nice. They do have similar voids/inclusions though. My smaller slabs are in storage and I couldn't get a pic of them.

2) I apologize that I wasn't more clear on this next point. I'm not wanting to hide them or patch them (but thanks very much to those who offered advice about that). I want and like the natural look of them. I am wanting to fill them with something to make them solid so that if/when something is spilled it doesn't go down the hole. Again, I'm wanting to make a living room coffee table.

I want a clear finish of some sort on the table to bring out the wonderful grain of natural, air dried walnut. So I'm looking for something to fill the voids/inclusions that is either clear or black, I don't really care. A clear epoxy would be great and fine and, the more I think about it, preferred. Is there a preferred epoxy for this application? Is there a finish that would be compatible with an epoxy or vice versa?

I am of the same mind as some of you, in wood this nice I like the idea of not changing what nature put inside. Accentuating the imperfections is much nicer than hiding them. Actually, I think the piece above is beyond my pay grade and would be more appropriate in the hands of someone like Mark Singer.

Thanks very much again for your help and advice.