Ash Body -- Grain Filler?...

[Strat Avenger]

Okay, so if I decide to build a Tele with an ash body that I want to paint a solid color, what should I use for a grain filler?

 

[Cagey]

That's a good question. Fortunately for you, ash doesn't need as much filling as some species do - you could almost just use a sand & fill primer to get the job done if you're going to put an opaque finish on the piece. But, the only filler I have experience with is the Colortone stuff from Stewart-MacDonald, and it's not very impressive. In fact, It's unlikely I'll ever use it again, at least not on a guitar body. I put 4 coats of it on a walnut cabinet last year, sanding between each one, and the end result was still disappointing. It just doesn't seem to fill, or at least does so very slowly. I probably would have had to do another three or four coats to get it to do what it should have. That's just too damn much work, which is what the stuff is supposed to be saving you from. I could have probably gotten a flatter finish in less coats by simply reapplying the end finish several times with interim sanding.

edit: Follow the link above and read the user comments on the stuff. I'm not alone in my experience.

 

[Mor Paul]

Cagey, are you thinking of alder instead of Ash? Ash has some deep pores, really needs fills.

 

[Cagey]

Cagey, are you thinking of alder instead of Ash? Ash has some deep pores, really needs fills.

Yes, I am. Sorry about that.

To make up for it, while I was wondering how this can be helped, I went looking around for more info on this stuff and found a video I dearly wish I'd seen before my last project. Apparently, Behlen makes the Right Stuff...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHVoXZk-PF0​

The Colortone stuff was nothing like the Behlen product. It's very thin, relatively speaking - about the consistency of latex interior paint - whereas the Behlen stuff clearly has a lot of solids in it. Makes sense that it would fill much better. I'm gonna try that for the next project.

 

[Watershed]

That's a good question. Fortunately for you, ash doesn't need as much filling as some species do - you could almost just use a sand & fill primer to get the job done if you're going to put an opaque finish on the piece. But, the only filler I have experience with is the Colortone stuff from Stewart-MacDonald, and it's not very impressive. In fact, It's unlikely I'll ever use it again, at least not on a guitar body. I put 4 coats of it on a walnut cabinet last year, sanding between each one, and the end result was still disappointing. It just doesn't seem to fill, or at least does so very slowly. I probably would have had to do another three or four coats to get it to do what it should have. That's just too damn much work, which is what the stuff is supposed to be saving you from. I could have probably gotten a flatter finish in less coats by simply reapplying the end finish several times with interim sanding.

edit: Follow the link above and read the user comments on the stuff. I'm not alone in my experience.

I'm really not fond of that stuff either.
Never again.

For an opaque finish, I would use Z-Poxy.
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Filler&NameProdHeader=Z-poxy
I just massage it into the pores, and then scrape it off with a bondo scraper.
By using a bondo scraper, you can't get it out of the pores.
I'd sand it back and then do it again, and perhaps a third time depending on how quickly things progressed.

If it were a clear finish with the goal of a colored grainfill, I use the McFadden stuff first:
http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Filler&NameProdHeader=Seagrave+%28McFadden%29+Pore+Filler
You can mix in an opaque pigment to achieve any color you like.
I would do one coat of that, just for the color.  Then, Z-Poxy over that.

The drawback with the McFadden stuff is that it takes forever and a day to dry, and then still shrinks over time.
One coat of the McFadden filler under Z-Poxy hasn't shrunk on me yet.

James

 

[Watershed]

Here's one in the works.
This will still get a sand back and wipe down before it's ready to spray.

 

[Cagey]

That looks good. What is that finish?

I just ordered some potassium dichromate, the Behlen Pour-O-Pac filler and Master Gel Top Coat stuff for my mahogany Strat body. First time using that, so I hope it works out.

 

[Watershed]

That looks good. What is that finish?

I just ordered some potassium dichromate, the Behlen Pour-O-Pac filler and Master Gel Top Coat stuff for my mahogany Strat body. First time using that, so I hope it works out.

No finish yet, that's the natural color, with the black accent of course.
I was trying to detract from that knot on the forearm by using the black grainfill.
It's scheduled for a forest green transparent color.

Curious to see how the Behlen stuff works out.

 

[Cagey]

Yeah, me too. I gotta take the router after the little bugger before I get started on finishing, though. Need to open up the bridge pickup cavity to accommodate a humbucker, and lower the floor of the neck pocket .050" or so.

 

[-CB-]

Okay, so if I decide to build a Tele with an ash body that I want to paint a solid color, what should I use for a grain filler?

I got quick and easy results with super glue - in the little half ounce triangle bottle from Lowes.  Wiped it on with my finger, let is set up a couple of days, and sanded everything flush.  Its stinky but was the quickest fill going - in my experience (limited as it is).  Even so, ash is like "canyon wood" with deep deep grain, so I had to go back and hit some places again.  However, when it was done, and sanded out to 600 grit, the wood was great, with no other finish, it actually began to shine all on its own.

Some time, I may try to do the finish it self, totally from superglue... its doable.