Grain filler that does not shrink

[Ronn W]

Check this product out.  I have been looking for a filler that doaes not shrink much and dries clear.  This one fits the bill.

https://www.solarez.com/product/i-cant-believe-its-not-lacquer-g-copy/

This is a one part resin that is 100% solids.  No shrinkage.  Just a few drops will easily cover one square foot.  Spread it around with squeegee or credit card.  A little goes and very long way. ( will vary with depth of grain) It cures with UV light.  You can buy a special flashlight for indoor work or just your piece in direct sunlight.  Full cure takes less than 5 minutes.  Really a time saver. On a cloudly day it took 40 minutes to cure.  Sands wonderfully.  If you go with 2 or 3 applications it's a piece of cake to get a dead flat surface.  It is not a final finish but really gives you a nice surface for finishing.  Shellac can be used under or on top if desired.  I use shellac to pop the grain and then used this to fill the grain.

[drzaius]

I generally like to not end up with a perfectly flat surface when filling grain, leaving the pores mostly filled, but not quite flush with the surface. Can this stuff be applied in such a fashion?

[Ronn W]

In my limited experience, Solarez is thin enough that it will tend to level itself.  Since your applicator will be riding on the higher parts of the wood surface, I think that the resin will fill up to that level.  So I don't think that it will do what you are asking.  I will be using it mostly for boxes or wall hangings with high gloss finish and for deks top to get smooth writing surface.  Tree slayer posted a pic of the spiral veneer project that I made - it has one coat of Solarez sanded to 400 grit.

[Mark J]

A very interesting product.  Sounds like it acts like both a pore filler and a sanding sealer.  If it's pretty self leveling I wonder how much sanding it needs between coats? 

Sounds like it could be a final finish, but you mention that it is not.  Where is it lacking? and what would you use as a top coat?

Any thoughts on whether this could work on a turned piece?

[Ronn W]

On 6/20/2022 at 10:41 AM, Mark J said:

A very interesting product.  Sounds like it acts like both a pore filler and a sanding sealer.  If it's pretty self leveling I wonder how much sanding it needs between coats? 

Sounds like it could be a final finish, but you mention that it is not.  Where is it lacking? and what would you use as a top coat?

Any thoughts on whether this could work on a turned piece?

Yes it acts like both a pore filler and sanding sealer.  I applies it after a coat os shellac as sealer so I do't know how well it acutually penetrates pores. Very little sanding between coats - I used 400 grit.  It sands like butter and the fine white dust can clog your sandpaper - keep shop vac handy.

It does not level as well as and epoxy so you will have little ridges hear and there from your spreader.  It cures with UV rays so if you are using a rag on a turned piece it will not harden on the lathe and I am not sure what the result would look like.  Have the impression that the filler is not really hard enough to protect the wood from abuse and because it sands so easily I don't think that it is very abrasion resistant.     Keep in mind that I have only used it once - on apple wood veneer. 

I know that shellac can be used as a finish and I have heard that products like ARS will work.  For sure you could use shellac and then ARS. 

Solarez has other products that can be used as finishes but I have no experience with them