Filling the Void and Finish

One of favorite types of wood to work with is a hardwood that has spalted.  Through the natural processes of breaking down the tree, fungi create lines and different textures with the wood.

One of the challenges is when a piece comes out due to the fragile nature of this wood.  Once the finish layers have been added, they are stable.  We of course, if there is a problem would replace a pen that had trouble later.

The section highlighted in the oval is where some of the wood came out.  In order to make a stable repair, we need to fill the void.  I prefer a water based filler like Wunderfill which you can get through Rockler's catalog.

This fill like many others comes in predetermined wood colors.  I have never had one that really matched well with whatever I was working on and end up modifying them in some way.  With this fill material, one can add water to make a slurry or a consistency like really thick gravy.  Once it is sloppy I had pigments to adjust the color to most closely resemble the area adjacent to it.

I work in the pigment and then press into the area that needs it.  Pigments are available from many different sources.  I get mine through a fine art supply company that way you have the most control over the color.

You can see on the right is a color called "Vine Black"  and on the left is an "Ivory Black".  Some where in the middle of these two blacks is the color with which to fill.  I am balancing the darkest color of the spalt lines with the color of the surrounding wood which is a nice brown beige. 

Now comes the waiting for the fill to dry.  You can figure on 24 hours before being ready to sand down.  It the patch feels cool in your hand then get it some more time. If you sand too early you will make mud on the sandpaper and have to re-do it.  The patch also will dry faster in a low humidity environment.  During a hot and humid summer it may take longer. 

In the end, I enjoy working on having a great finish.  A lot of people find it tedious and boring and try to get through it as quickly as possible.  There are even those who finish their pens with CA glue as the finish.  Which is fine for them but I prefer to finish  like a piece of fine furniture one that will both wear well and last long.