Z-Poxy Pore Filler Questions

[Darryl Young]

I guess I will use zpoxy for pore filling on my first build but I have a couple of questions.

First, does freshness matter? Our local hobby shop has a box of zpoxy finishing resin; however, I don't know how long it's been setting there. There's on box there now and there was one box there 6 months ago (first time I went into the store). I guess I could ask the employees how old it is buy I'm leary I may not get an honest answer. If I go online, who has a good price on zpoxy?

Second, is zpoxy appropriate for a 5 piece, mahogany neck with a rosewood/maple/rosewood center stripe? I had previously considered using a different pore filler and adding stain to it so the pores of the neck are a darker color. Now that I've thought about it, I'm afraid I will stain the maple center stripe which is probably 1/4" wide. Any thoughts about staining the mahogany so it's a closer match to the rosewood back/sides? Will the zpoxy work ok as a filler for the neck?

Since I wont use a pore filler on the top, I guess I should use shellac as a sealer on the top before applying a waterbourne finish (KTM-SV). Sound correct? If I use the Zinnser Seal Coat Sanding Sealer, how much will the color of the top change due to the amber tint? There is nice silking on this top......will the amber emphasize this or tend to cover the silking figure?

Thanks!

[johnnparchem]

Darryl, I am right behind you. I just ordered the zpoxy and the KTM-SV and I plan to FP my top.

I plan to seal the top and the maple bindings with shellac before I do anything to the sides and back. After I fill with zpoxy on bare wood I was planning on putting 2 coats of shellac over the zpoxy before I attempt to brush on the spar varish.

I am going to french polish the top after I finish the sides and back, I will probably sand off the sealer I have on the top at that time to make sure I start clean.

I am not sure anything I am doing is the right way. It is my attempt to put together all the bits of advice in the forums.

[Freeman]

I guess I will use zpoxy for pore filling on my first build but I have a couple of questions.

First, does freshness matter? Our local hobby shop has a box of zpoxy finishing resin; however, I don't know how long it's been setting there. There's on box there now and there was one box there 6 months ago (first time I went into the store). I guess I could ask the employees how old it is buy I'm leary I may not get an honest answer. If I go online, who has a good price on zpoxy?

Second, is zpoxy appropriate for a 5 piece, mahogany neck with a rosewood/maple/rosewood center stripe? I had previously considered using a different pore filler and adding stain to it so the pores of the neck are a darker color. Now that I've thought about it, I'm afraid I will stain the maple center stripe which is probably 1/4" wide. Any thoughts about staining the mahogany so it's a closer match to the rosewood back/sides? Will the zpoxy work ok as a filler for the neck?

Since I wont use a pore filler on the top, I guess I should use shellac as a sealer on the top before applying a waterbourne finish (KTM-SV). Sound correct? If I use the Zinnser Seal Coat Sanding Sealer, how much will the color of the top change due to the amber tint? There is nice silking on this top......will the amber emphasize this or tend to cover the silking figure?

Thanks!

Since I seem to be the big proponet of Zpoxy, I'll jump in with a couple of comments.

As far as age is concerned, as long as the tubes haven't been opened there shouldn't be any problem. As you know, you need to mix the resin and catalyst to get it to set like any other epoxy. The only potential problem might be slight darkening of the resin if exposed to sunlight - it has a very slight amber tint. I'm sure you can just google it to find the best price - I bought mine from LMI. If you can find smaller bottles you might want to get them - this is a lot of filler

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

Secondly, it worked really well on my five piece neck and the light contrasting maple that I used with my koa. However I did not stain anything on this guitar. On other guitars that I have built with mahogany necks and rosewood bodies I have always stained the neck with red/brown to more or less match the rosewood (Martin does this). On several I have put a thin piece of light wood (birch) between the neck and headstock plate and it has been very difficult to keep the stain out of the birch (I tried masking it but the stain wicks into the light wood). I decided that next time I do this I will stain the neck before gluing the headplate and brich on. It is also possible that you could paint some shellac on the wood that you don't want to stain with a very small artists brush but in your case I don't think I would try to stain your laminated neck.

As far as the top, I would shoot a coat or two of shellac or your KTM (at maybe 1:1) before starting the pore filling just to protect it. I'm not sure what the SV means, I used KTM-9 (also from LMI). They do caution to use it over flake shellac (not the premixed hardware store kind).

I have no experience with your sanding sealer so I can't say. On one guitar with a lot of bear claw in the spruce I put a drop of amber stain in the finish (nitro) and I think it helped bring out the figure. On my mandolin with highly flamed maple I actually stained the wood to bring it out - in many cases the figure will absorb the stain at different rates. I would sure experiment on scrap before shooting the instrument itself.

Hope this helps - remember that I have very limited experience with these products but have been extremely happy with both Zpoxy and KTM-9 (btw - don't forget to shoot the alcohol mist between coats of KTM)

[Freeman]

OK, a couple of pictures. Here is my 5 piece neck (mahogany, with a maple center stripe and thin rosewood lines), KTM-9 over Zpoxy with no stains



Here is the bearclaw top. The first three coats were nitro diluted 1:1 with one drop of amber in about 3 oz (whatever fits in a detail gun cup)



Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the neck where the stain wicked into the light colored trim.

[johnnparchem]

I am a Z-poxy believer. I found it less hard to work with than I thought (thanks to Todd Stock's videos.) I really like the quality of the surface when the pore fill is complete. The 2 photos below show the back and part of the sides of my D28 build with just a padded on coat of wax free shellac. I mixed it yeaterday. The top currently has a brushed on coat of shellac and 3 padded on coats of Qualasol.

I plan to brush on KTM-SV to the back and sides and neck this week .

I did have one slight mess I pore filled the back of the head stock (already drilled) and did not notice the large drips of z-poxy flowing down my already filled head stock veneer.

[Darryl Young]

Looking good John!

[rgogo65]

A bit off topic, but to reduce any confusion:

"As far as the top, I would shoot a coat or two of shellac or your KTM (at maybe 1:1) before starting the pore filling just to protect it. I'm not sure what the SV means, I used KTM-9 (also from LMI). They do caution to use it over flake shellac (not the premixed hardware store kind)."

SV= "Spar Varnish" not to be confused with KTM-9 these are 2 entirely different finishes.

http://www.newenglandluthiers.org/conte ... inish.html

[johnnparchem]

A bit off topic, but to reduce any confusion:

"As far as the top, I would shoot a coat or two of shellac or your KTM (at maybe 1:1) before starting the pore filling just to protect it. I'm not sure what the SV means, I used KTM-9 (also from LMI). They do caution to use it over flake shellac (not the premixed hardware store kind)."

SV= "Spar Varnish" not to be confused with KTM-9 these are 2 entirely different finishes.

http://www.newenglandluthiers.org/conte ... inish.html

Thanks,

I did put two coats of flake shellac on top before the fill and I have 2 coats of flake shellac on top of my Z-Poxy fill on the back and sides awaiting the spar varnish. I am going to french polich the top.

[rgogo65]

You should be good to go John, it looks beautiful by the way.. Gorgeous stuff!