Water Based Wood Putty (Filler)

[Tim Eastman]

Hi gang.

I was reading through Vaclav's website http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/Shop9.htm and found a surprizing reference to waterbased putty for filling cracks stapleholes and ugly buttjoints. (do not however attempt to use on buttcracks)

It's an extremely interesting read. It's a three part mix that just about all of us have handy. It's made from Durham Water putty, WS110-phenolic microballoons, & wood dust. I can't find "WS110" phenolic microballoons anywhere but have to assume something very similar is readily available.

I'm a little confused as to the phenolic microballoons as they usually are a brownish red color (right?) and his photo of the mix being applied does not seem red-brown at all but real close to a true pine which he's applying it to. Unless maybe the red-brown of the phenolic microballoons offsets the extreme color lightness of the Durham's Water Putty to the point that you can use your wood flour to get a closer match?

Anyone have a try at this??

[Glen Smith]

Typos and mis-information creep up everywhere!
West System don't seem to have any product with the number 110. They do have a product called 410 and they state that it is easier to work with than phenolic-microballoons so I guess they aren't micro-balloons. My container mentions a "thermoplastic product".

"410 MicrolightTM is the ideal low-density filler for creating a light, easily-worked fairing compound especially suited for fairing large areas. Microlight mixes with greater ease than 407 Low-Density filler or microballoons and is approximately 30% easier to sand. It feathers to a fine edge and is also more economical for large fairing jobs. Not recommended under dark paint or other surfaces subject to high temperatures. Cures to a tan color."

This product is what Ted recommends for mixing with epoxy and wood dust for filling gaps. The 410 Microlight and wood dust are added in sufficient quantities to obtain the desired consistency and color. I have never tried it mixed with Durhams Water Putty.

[Dell Littlefield]

I mixed sanding dust with the wood putty to get as close a match as I could to the wood in my canoes. It took a little experimentation but eventually I ended up using 3 parts putty to one part wood dust. I built using eastern white cedar

[Juneaudave]

I tried the water putty mix on one of my boats and had a real hard time with matching colors. It most certainly can be done, but I find thickened epoxy to be much easier to use....Juneaudave

[Tim Eastman]

Yup - good point.

Thing is though - I've heard very valid arguments from both camps - from people who do this on a professional basis - for and against.

We'll be doing color tests first - yeah man.

I tried the water putty mix on one of my boats and had a real hard time with matching colors. It most certainly can be done, but I find thickened epoxy to be much easier to use....Juneaudave

[artistwood]

i used the durhams with wood flour and got an excellent match. the durhams is really light but the wood flour is really dark, like varnished end grain. i mix the wood flour with water first, like a thick paste then slowly add this to the durhams. when wet out with epoxy, the match is almost invisable. sands about the same as wrc!

[Denis]

I'm just curious as to whether or not anyone else has had this experience. I built two kayaks out of white cedar and used the recommended method to fill any gaps using whitecedar sanding dust etc. Colour match was pretty close and I was happy with it. After a few years now my boats have ambered and the cedar is a very mellow colour now. The patching shows up very noticeably as much lighter in colour. I havnt revarnished yet as the varnish still looks ok and my boats are stored for the most part out of the sun. I suspect that even sanding and revarnishing is not going to hide the patching.

I would appreciate any pointers as I have some red cedar for my next boat and if I need to do any patching would like to make it blend in better as time passes on.

Thank you for any comments and I must say this is an interesting forum to peruse for the variety of questions whether one is building now or not.

Denis from Lakefield Ontario

[Bassbug]

I used Durham's water-based putty on the kayak I made and found it difficult to match colors and can see the putty easily. . I completed it early this summer, so not enough time to see differences in aging. I used epoxy putty on the first boat we built (redbird out of redwood) and matched the color easily. After one plus season, I can't see the filler.

I'll stick with epoxy and not use Durham's again.