Official Luthiers Forum!

Can I do my epoxy pre fill (walnut, rosewood, hog) over target waterbase sanding sealer or should I fill the raw wood first.

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Mike McNerney

I recommend filling the raw wood first

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-Marcus
http://www.bailieguitars.com
Instagram | YouTube

Raw wood pore fill with epoxy for me too.

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

After which is there any purpose to sanding sealer?

Do you mean vinyl sealer? I still do it even though I'm not sure it's necessary.

I was talking about the water based sealer he mentioned. Seems superfluous after epoxy…

The two professional guitar finishers that I know both use epoxy to pore fill and then shoot finish. Seems to work fine for $35K guitars and others.

That is how this "non-professional" finisher likes to do it also. I think sanding sealers and vinyl sealers affect the clarity and the adhesion of the top coat in a negative way.

I've never tried the vinyl sealer with Mohawk Instrument laquer, just with Deft as I had good success without so still not sure if it would be beneficial or not. It didn't seem to make much of a difference with Deft. On the fence.

Hi Darrel,
Here is a page from the wood web discussing vinyl sealers that might help you decide what side of the fence to be on, although you really don't have to make a choice - there may be projects were you prefer to use it and some you don't.
https://woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Is_V ... %20surface.

For epoxy pore filled wood on musical instruments I don't use sealers, and for soundboards I self seal with top coat (and try to keep it thin). We picks our poison and takes our chances.