Official Luthiers Forum!

Opinions wanted. Wormholes, not the cosmological type, filled em or leave em? I'm inclined to leave em for character.

I fill them. If they are tiny I use dust and glue , if they are larger I will inlay a piece onto them

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I'm with fill them. On some ambrosia maple, I filled them with abalone side marker dots. It looked nice.
just my .02cents.
MK

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I'm outside looking in, just farther from the window than most.

Howdy Zach,

I usually fill them one of three ways.

1. A drop of HHG or CA in the hole and lightly sand the surrounding area drawing like colored dust into the glue.
This method is quick and simple for small holes. Often times on certain woods (ie Brazillian RW) the area surounding
the hole is much darker than the wood in the surounding area. Not much you can do about that short of wood bleach
and that's pretty iffy.

2. Make a sliver (ie. toothpick like) out of the same piece of wood, jam it into the hole tightly, then flood with thin CA.
trim the wood flush and sand. Worse case appears like a tiny stable pin knot.

3. Fill the hole with a drop of Epoxy to leave the character you're talking about but eliminating a finishing nightmare.

I hope for success for you in whatever method you choose.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Fill them....CA and dust.

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David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

Leave em. Check the link you'll see where Ervin Somogyi left them in brazilian.

http://www.alliedlutherie.com/filling_a_hole.htm

Bill, I never though about putting in a drop of clear epoxy. That’s a good idea.

Marc, the pics on Allied is what made me think of leaving them. Like tiny sound ports.

The one I’m working on right now with the holes is Black Limba. There are two holes in each of the sides and a matched set in the back. Each hole is probably less than 2mm dia. and clean. I was planning on filling the massive pores with Z-poxy, so that may work for this as well. Or is Z-poxy not meant for a hole that big? I just have to do the holes before I put the top on this weekend. I don’t think I could get tape on the back side through the soundhole.

Fill them, you are not Ervin. I imagine most normal people seeing the holes will think bad vibes about your skill.

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Build log

Zach I actually was thinking colored epoxy NOT clear! As a builder of fine wood furniture, I've always thought it better for it
to appear as a pin knot, rather than looking like a piece of barnwood with nail holes IMO. Sorry for not clarifying that.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!