application of epoxy as filler

[tippie53]

if you are talking regular epoxy , we don't use that ,we use the Zpoxy . I use a credit card and smoosh it onto the grain. I don't use that anymore and went back to pore o paq . Still there are people that like this method so use what you like and find the technique that works best for you.

[Darryl Young]

Todd Stock has a series of 3 videos on YouTube that show how he pore fills using zpoxy. I think it is under the name MDLUTHIER if you want to search for videos under that name.

[JJDonohue]

I've been using Zpoxy for years and love how it pops the grain.

+1 on Todd's YouTube tutorial.

[Freeman]

Another vote for Zpoxy - brief instructions at LMI. I squeegie it on with a piece of plastic trying to get as much off the surface as possible (harder than it seems it should be). I had some left on and had to sand back to the surface. You can dilute a second coat with denatured alcohol to get it to flow a little better.

It was by far the hardest to apply of the three materials that I tried (StewMac paste, CA and Zpoxy) but gave the best results on highly figured wood.

Two cautions - I've heard that it can cause some cedars to get kind of muddy appearing and I've heard that shellacs do not bond well (either under or over the zpoxy).

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproduc ... r=Z%2Dpoxy

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I have used regular devcon type two part clear epoxy 30 min. set on 3 guitars with great results. I spread it with a credit card, squeeging as much off as possible. Two applications has "almost" been enough. IN the future I will do at least 3 apps to make sure every pore is completely filled.
I don't know what the main difference is between this economy epoxy and Zpoxy, but what I have used seems to have worked just fine. I am using Deft sealer and nitro lacquer over it, and with two years on two guitars with no ill effects yet.
You can pore fill at least 3 or 4 guitars on a $4 pack of epoxy.

Kevin

[Darryl Young]

Two cautions - I've heard that it can cause some cedars to get kind of muddy appearing and I've heard that shellacs do not bond well (either under or over the zpoxy).

I didn't realize shellac won't bond to zpoxy. So what do you use between the zpoxy and a water base finish? If you don't use anything, seems you would be forced to put a thin coat of zpoxy on all the wood (as opposed to sanding back to wood and leaving zpoxy in the pores only) for an even appearance. I have no idea if you can spray WB right over zpoxy and get good adhesion. Can you spray a vinyl sealer between zpoxy and WB finish? Can a vinyl sealer be sprayed between CA pore filler and WB finish?

[Freeman]

Two cautions - I've heard that it can cause some cedars to get kind of muddy appearing and I've heard that shellacs do not bond well (either under or over the zpoxy).

I didn't realize shellac won't bond to zpoxy. So what do you use between the zpoxy and a water base finish? If you don't use anything, seems you would be forced to put a thin coat of zpoxy on all the wood (as opposed to sanding back to wood and leaving zpoxy in the pores only) for an even appearance. I have no idea if you can spray WB right over zpoxy and get good adhesion. Can you spray a vinyl sealer between zpoxy and WB finish? Can a vinyl sealer be sprayed between CA pore filler and WB finish?

I got that from either the Mike Doolin article or LMI about their system 3 epoxy. As I said "I heard" it - no personal experience. There was some discussion at the finishing forum at MIMF about this.

When I did my 3 part test strip (paste, CA, zpoxy) someone at MIMF asked me to do an adhesion test - I put a strip of masking tape across all three sections to see if the finish would separate from the filler (as suggested at MIMF). All held very well.

As far as the actual application of KTM-9, as I recall I shot two or three coats diluted 1:1 over the epoxy, sanded to 320 or so (so it still had a pretty good tooth) and then shot the full strength stuff. I don't remember doing the alcohol mist on the first coat, but it wouldn't hurt.

My experience, limited as it is, was very good.

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[John S]

Todd Stock's videos are first rate. He uses a 6" squeegee to work the Z-poxy into the pores, and he shows that you don't have to use a huge amount of resin to get the job done. Instead of the 6" squeegee I've been using 2" X 3" X 1/4" black rubber spreaders made by 3M that I found in the finishing dept of a local auto parts store. They work essentially the same, but are easier for me to control, and I much prefer them to used credit cards. Shellac adheres to Z-poxy just fine.

John

[Darryl Young]

John, do you have a pic of your black rubber spreader so we can see what you are referring to?

[kencierp]

http://www.3m.com/product/information/w ... eegee.html
Great tool!! We have several