Wood filler with osmo oil?

[Picalilli]

Hi all,
I’m restoring an old oak desk and would like to fill a couple of the gaps that have appeared in some of the joints. I’d like to use some of the sawdust from sanding for this to get as good a match as possible, but I know mixing sawdust and glue can mean the finish won’t penetrate.
I’ve seen some YouTube videos that recommend mixing the sawdust with the actual finish that you’re going to use to get perfect match.
planning On using osmo oil to finish though - just wondering if this will work? Will osmo oil mixed with the sawdust dry solid? Anyone tried this before or got any advice?
thanks

 

[profchris]

From experience, sanding dust mixed with glue or finish looks nothing like a match. It's a lot darker, and is effectively all end grain which has darkened by absorbing the binder, so it reflects the light totally differently.

Pictures might suggest a better way of filling gaps.

 

[GarF]

I would have thought wax repair sticks is the way to go. Various kits available so you should be able to get a close match, or blend to suit.

 

[Picalilli]

Thanks, to be honest there’s nothing really that awful - I’d be tempted to just leave them as I think they give it more character, but my girlfriend is less a fan of the ‘rustic’ look

it’s mostly this split at the side I’d like to fill. Tried to photograph it and attached

 

[Picalilli]

I would have thought wax repair sticks is the way to go. Various kits available so you should be able to get a close match, or blend to suit.

I’ve not seen this wax sticks before - thanks, that looks like it could be a good solution

 

[profchris]

It looks like the finish has been sanded off, or been worn away by time. I'd be tempted to refinish the table and then look at the split again. Once the whole thing has a sheen, that split might look perfectly acceptable. A sign of its age, not a defect.

The nicest repair would be a splint - cut out the crack to a V profile, find a matching piece of oak in looks, carve to to profile, glue in, plane and scrape down to the surface. But that oak has faded in the sun, so matching the appearance is v hard.

Second best is wax stick, which is removable if it looks bad. You'd have a better idea of colour match if the table were refinished first.

Glue and sawdust will give you a dark stripe with irregular edges, dont do that!

 

[JoeS]

Just remember that the wax stick should be done after the Osmo... otherwise the Osmo won’t soak in around the repair.

 

[Picalilli]

Thanks all - I might just see how it looks after I finish sanding and finish with the oil. I think it looks okay, and maybe my girlfriend will be less bothered once it’s finished nicely! Good advice on the wax sticks though if I do decide to try and fill it - not used them before but they look good

 

[Daniel.l]

I have filled gaps with osmo before mixed with sawdust a whole lot better looking than glue you wouldn't notice it if you didn't look. Where I used it was around joints on a jewelry box and little chips here and there it's a mushy consistency and takes a long time to dry and I wouldn't say its hard-wearing either if there was something else like maybe epoxy to add to make it harden more it would be good

 

[Ollie78]

I would leave it alone.
If you fill it then it will likely move in exactly the same place again, producing an uglier crack.

Ollie

 

[Picalilli]

Thanks all. I decided to leave it but am now furious with myself as I went a bit overzealous with the sanding and have worn the veneer away. Kicking myself because I knew it was a risk and kept telling myself to be careful.

probably not much I can do about it now - guess I could try to stain the exposed veneer so it’s not as obvious? Photo attached with some white spirit on it which shows how obvious it’s going to be...any genius fixes for this I’ve not heard about before?

Cant believe I did that!

 

[Daniel.l]

Probably stain and maybe draw on the grain lines. Other option is the repair wax but I have no experience with it

 

[JoeSheffer]

We've all been there and done it. Don't beat yourself up about it. My first marquetry project, the same thing happened. Had taken weeks of work.

 

[GarF]

If you're not bothered about bringing the hollow up to the flat surface then staining to match the background and then add grain with black ink. Otherwise you could build the level back up with wax including the grain, probably blending shades to match. You'll need a heat source like a spirit burner or blow torch (a bunsen would be best if you happen to have a gas tap!) and a set of PK Thomas waxing instruments. It's quite forgiving as mistakes can be deleted by scraping or reheating.

 

[Picalilli]

Thanks - it’s not actually a hollow - it’s flush with the rest of the wood, I guess it must have swollen a bit at that point which is why I ended up going through to it, so I can’t fill it (don’t need to). Just need to see if I can stain that specific spot. Didn’t want to use any stain as a finish so not ideal, was just going to use the osmo but think it’ll show up a mile away right now.
might try some homemade stains tomorrow and see how I go, thinking tea, coffee, rusty vinegar?

 

[GarF]

Iron salts will turn oak black. A brown stain would be the thing

 

[Bm101]

Osmo do some coloured fillers. Not saying they're what you need for this but worth pointing out in general. You can colour match with oil paints *I have read*, not tried. On my floor the filler has stood up well for the last few years against 2 young kids.

ed. Any acid will turn oak black. Be careful!

 

[Picalilli]

Thanks for the heads up on the vinegar - think I might try some light oak wood dye in that case, seen some liberon stuff at screwfix I’ll try. Hard to test it out somewhere as there’s no exposed veneer elsewhere on the desk.