cherry wood filler

[Bob Slater]

finishing a cherry table and I have to fill a couple of spots that have voids. Would mixing the sawdust with some glue be the best way to proceed? I suppose it would have to dry clear. ANy other suggestions or approaches? WHich glue would work best?

[Al Wasser]

The sanding dust and glue will work and may be the best. The problem to avoid is the use of premade fillers. Your cherry will darken over time and the commercial fillers will not. In time the patched area will stick out like the famous sore thumb.

[Rob Cunningham]

I've had good luck using sawdust mixed with shellac also. Mix it to a paste consistency, fill the void and allow to dry.

[Jim Becker]

Use cherry wood slivers if you can. Saw dust and glue will never be the same as wood; nor will any commercial filler. Only wood actually looks like wood and "disappears" like wood with careful grain matching.

[Bob Slater]

Use cherry wood slivers if you can. Saw dust and glue will never be the same as wood; nor will any commercial filler. Only wood actually looks like wood and "disappears" like wood with careful grain matching.

Yes, that makes sense.

[Bob Slater]

Use cherry wood slivers if you can. Saw dust and glue will never be the same as wood; nor will any commercial filler. Only wood actually looks like wood and "disappears" like wood with careful grain matching.

That worked great, you cannot tell there was a void now.
Slivers FTW.