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Anyone tried LMI's Aqua Coat pore filler and have any opinions?

I got some Aqua Coat pore filler on my last trip to Woodcraft Supply. Haven't had a chance to use it on a project yet. I have tried a few test samples of walnut, rosewood, and African Mahogany. The walnut and rw filled fairly well after 2 coats and AM required more. The instructions says to wipe on in a circuler motion but it seemed to pull it out of the pores. I found that if I wiped it on in an excess and then squeegeeing it off seemed to work much better. I would say it holds a promise!

Thanks Wayne. Have you used other pore fillers that you could compare it to? By the way, Robbie O'Brien has a demo video on the LMI site and he makes it look really easy applying with a rag in a circular motion.

The video looks good. Robbie knows his stuff. Having tried pretty much everything out there and not being totally happy with any of them, I'll have to give this a try next time round.

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Wendy, the only pore fillers I have had much experience with is the Stew Mac water based in clear and brown. It would take several coats to fill the pores and after finishing with nitro cell lacquer some of the pores were not completely filled. So I never have been satisfied with it. I don't think it is offered in StewMac's catalog any longer.
This Aqua Coat dries in 30 to 45 minutes, then a quick sanding and another coat if needed. Looking forward to using it in finishing my next guitar.

In the video it looks as though Robbie is just scuff sanding. I wonder if it is supposed to be sanded back to bare wood so it's left just in the pores, or is there a film of the filler left on the surface?

I had asked Robbie that very question. He is leaving a film, but he said it is fine to sand back to bare wood which is the way I like to do it. I have been using Crystylac with good results but got some Aqua Coat for my current build,
Mike

You can sand it back to bare wood or leave a film just like you would with other types of fillers. By the way, this filler also works great for porous rosettes.

I was just about to ask you that very question as I am at that stage, and aqua coat looks a little simpler than ca for filling the rosette (although the ca works just fine),
Mike

Thanks Robbie, that's great to know about the rosettes!
Wendy

I gave Aqua Coat a try last weekend on some very open pored Honduras Mahogany and after 3 coats I'm not seeing a whole lot of difference in the pores. I think I am having the same experience as Wayne had with wiping it on and off in a circular motion and it must be pulling it back out of the pores. I am going to try using a squeegee this weekend and see if that works better for me. After watching Robbie's video I thought there was finally an easy pore fill but I guess no pore fill is going to be easy!

Robbie,
Will leaving a film with dyed drywall compound show up as cloudiness or blotches under lacquer?
I would like to stop sanding now if I can.

Yes it will so keep sanding. You will be glad you did.

Tried it didn't like it. Got about 5 coats on a scrap of Mad rose. Still not filled to my satisfaction .I want every single pore filled before I start spraying finish.CA is the fastest and best for me.Still takes 3 coats but I can do it in 1 day.

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

I have been getting good results with z-poxy and it seems I have the technique down. I like the fact that the Aqua Coat drys so quickly. Anything that shortens finishing time is appealing to me. I wonder if Aqua Coat pops the grain like z-poxy does...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

4th coat squeegeed (is that a word!) on this weekend on that porous mahogany and still not filled. FRUSTRATED!!!!!! as I always am with pore filling. I think it is just me. Can't get the technique right no matter what I try.

Wendy I thought the same thing until I tried CA.In my opinion Aqua coat just doesn't get it done on some woods.

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

James, I know I saw a tutorial somewhere on using CA to pore fill but I can't remember where? I use it for drop filling and for binding. My only problem with it is the fumes, even with a good mask and working outside. What kind of CA are you using and is it med or thin? Do you seal with shellac first? I'm ready for something easy, even if the fumes kill me!!!

Here is a video I did recently and have yet to release it but I thought you might find it interesting. In it I talk about an odorless version of CA glue that you might find useful if you use CA glue for pore filling.

Your use of the word squeegee makes me wonder if you are bridging the pore fillers over the pores. Most of the pore fillers will trap air in the pores, so you really need to be thinking of pushing the filler into the pores. A plastic credit card might be useful to push\smoosh the product into the pores. Use the squeegee to remove the excess. When I use zpoxy or CA I like to see the tiny bubbles popping through the while I am applying it. I stop after I stop seeing the bubbles, but I do want to see them first as the air does need to come out. If the filler just bridges over the pore a light sanding opens them right up.

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Wendy the video Robbie just posted is an excellent reference . Pretty much what I do.Seal with shellac and then fill.I use the stuff stew Mac sells medium.I think I'll try the UFO Robbie talks about next time .It costs more, but might be worth it cause of the fumes.I usually spread it on with a nirile glove, no special technique needed. I let it dry and then spread another coat right over it. Then I sand both coats just back to the wood.Then there will probably be a few pores left.Put a little on these areas and sand while it is still wet.Perfect job and pretty darned easy and fast.

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Robbie, thanks for the video! I will try the CA I have on hand on a scrap this weekend and, if it seems promising, I will probably order the odorless that you use.

John, I did try to mash the filler down into the pores before using the squeegee to remove the excess. What I meant was that I removed the excess with a squeegee as opposed to rubbing with a paper towel in a circular motion or toweling across the grain. I have to admit though that I am not seeing bubbles coming out of the pores, so you are probably right about me trapping air in the pores.

James, thanks for the instructions, I was thinking spreading with a glove too. What grit are you sanding back with? Seems like CA would be a lot harder to sand than Aqua Coat.

Geez, all this just to avoid pumice, which is what I have used on the last 3 and hated. I hate pore filling more than I hate plumbing...and that's pretty bad!

Any grit will work.220 or sometimes 180 if it's piled on a little thick.Sands real easy with a pad sander.Once It's close to being completely sanded I'll work back to the grit I had finish sanded with.Usually 320.Now re-seal with shellac and move to the finish process.

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee