The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
To do this use a panel of the same wood to be used in the major job, and after staining by the accepted ethods, and after twenty-four hours of drying under good conditions, use a sample of the filler of the right color. Apply the filler and when hard dry, a good coating of lacquer—two coats will give a better test. If the lacquer dries within two hours and the surface is not cloudy, it is reasonably safe to use the filler for the job at hand.
FILLER AS STAIN
Wood fillers are commonly used for staining as well as filling the pores, and especially is this true in regard to walnut. The wood is dark and requires only a little stain to give the desired shade. Filler is employed also in two-tone finishes by using a transparent or natural filler, with just a little color for the light shade, the darker portion to be filled with a dark filler. Oil soluble aniline can be added to the filler to darken it. Usually brown or black.
Fillers are to be had in the following shades: natural, golden oak. light mahogany, dark mahogany, walnut, ebony and white. With the addition of pigments ground in oil or japan, any desired shade of filler can be made. Factory-prepared fillers are always standard in color and consistency, and the use of these prepared fillers is recommended. It would be bad practice for one to prepare his own fillers from the raw materials. It would be poor reasoning to suppose that a novice, or even an experienced finisher, could economically prepare his own filler with the same degree of accuracy as the manufacturer. It is only necessary that the finisher have a knowledge of what makes up a good filler, and how it is to be tested and used.
CRACK FILLER
There are times when a filler is needed for cracks and frequently it cannot be obtained readily. The following formula, to be used for a water mixture, made into a putty, can be put into cracks with a putty knife:
Mix thoroughly one pound of dextrine, one-fourth pound silex and one ounce of powdered glue. Keep this powder handy and when ready to use, add water stain to enough of the powder to fill the job. This filler will dry hard in a few hours and will serve well for small fillings. A good crack filler and also water putty can be purchased from most any supply house.
In the use of walnut, oak or mahogany fillers, about all the change that must be made is to add a little color in oil, usually burnt umber or vandyke brown, or for a considerably darker color, drop black or lampblack, to the filler to obtain the desired shade, mixing well before using. Oil aniline can be added also to tone up the filler.
