Wood filler, grain filler, wood putty – what’s it all mean? Judging by the raft of questions we field on the subject, filling wood is a source of general confusion.  Here’s a little clarification.

Wood filling can be devided into two basic tasks: filling voids – such as nail holes, chips and dents – and filling the pores of “open grained” woods, like oak and mahogany.  Fillers designed strictly for filling voids are thicker, and for one reason or another may not work well for filling grain pores – they may contain particles too large to work into miniscule grain openings, or may not be easily thinned down to a viscosity suitable for the task. Fillers designed strictly for filling grain are thinner, with a consistency often compared to pancake batter. They simply lack the “body” to fill larger voids. Some fillers can be used for both - they are thick enough to span a void, and can be thinned to fill grain pores in an entire wood surface.

For filling voids, many woodworkers swear by fillers composed of a nitrocellulose lacquer binder and wood flour (very fine wood particles). Famowood is an example – and a product that truly lives up to its name. It dries quickly, shrinks minimally, comes in a variety common wood species, and earns customer reviews like this:

“There is no substitute when it comes to the best of the best. That’s what Famo is all about. You simply will not find a better wood filler. Its ability to basically become invisible is what sets it apart from everything on the market. Nail holes vanish, slight imperfections in a mitered joint seam together...”

Wunderfil, another favorite, is a dual purpose filler. It comes in putty form, suitable for filling voids, and can be thinned with water to a consistency that works well for filling grain. It cleans up easily with water and is available in a number of colors, which can be mixed together or custom tinted to produce a perfect color match. Wunderfil is also heartily endorsed in our customer reviews:

"The absolute best filler I have used. I have only used this for damage repair so far but will be starting a project soon and using it as a grain filler. Have confidence it will work well. Nearly undetectable after being stained."

"I recently build a desk for my wife using 5/4 oak for the top. I've never used a woodgrain filler before and couldn't find any on the store shelves. Got it from Rockler, followed the directions and was very happy with the results. Showed it at my woodworkers club, Woodworkers of El Paso and was highly praised for it...thanks Rockler."

"Unquestionably the easiest filler to apply and sand I have ever used. "

(etc.)

Products designed strictly for filling grain come in two varieties: oil/varnish based and water based. Bartley Paste Wood Filler is a classic oil based grain filler, and a top choice for filling grain under oil based wood finishes. It comes in three shades and when used as correctly, will produce the perfectly flat surface necessary for a “glass-smooth” finished product. Crystalac is a water-borne grain filler, cleans up easily, works under any type of film finish, and has a unique and often desirable property: it dries water-clear.

Filling grain requires something of a “knack”, and seems to be the source of the most wood-filling confusion. But it’s not beyond the reach of anyone with average woodworking skills. As with any advanced finishing technique, a little knowledge and a practice run or two can go a long way. If you’ve never filled grain, advice from a pro – such as that found in a wood finishing book or DVD - can really flatten out the learning curve. Bob Flexner’s Understanding Wood Finishing, for example, contains a thorough discussion of various grain filling techniques that can help you choose the best method, and apply it successfully on your first try.

By now, we’re guessing most of you have heard about a certain remarkable tree and the unique, exceptionally figured Bubinga lumber it’s yielded to the benefit of a few lucky woodworkers. We’re making that guess, in part, because the interest in this rare lumber-buying opportunity has been so widespread that we ran through our supply of 4/4 stock available by the board foot at lightening speed, and as of this posting, are only offering Curly Waterfall Bubinga lumber in the form of sensational, if slightly more cost-intensive, large-dimension slabs. For the general woodworking population, that may not be the most happy news. To you, we can say this: stay tuned. We’re not promising anything – but you never know.

If your tool of choice happens to be a lathe, on the other hand, luck is on your side. While the stock lasts, Rockler is offering truly unique Bubinga Bowl Turning Blanks in a variety of sizes – all cut from the very same tree that’s been causing all the stir.

Of course we couldn’t leave turners out of the loop - it’s such an obvious application for the material. Despite its hardness (heavier and harder than maple) Bubinga is a prized turning species. It has a fine texture, machines well, and polishes unaided to an almost glossy surface. In terms of color, even an “everyday” hunk of Bubinga has plenty to offer: namely, a subtle range of rich reddish brown tones punctuated with darker grain striping. On top of that, this particular Bubinga offers a striking grain pattern - uncommon for the species - and comes from a tree of uncommon proportions and notoriety.

Right now, blanks are available for everything from small decorative pieces on up to show-stopping bowls and platters. You’ll also find a few larger dimension chunks, any of which would make a great set, or could represent one-of-a-kind opportunity for oval turners. Whichever way you might decide to go, we’ll offer the same advice that we did when the board-foot lumber hit the market: if you’re interested, don’t procrastinate. We don’t expect these unique blanks to last long, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Are the good old-fashioned tape measure, protractor and try square on their way out? Probably not just yet, but new, frighteningly accurate digital alternatives are rolling in all the time. Just this week we’ve added a couple of new electronic marvels from Wixey, one of the top names in digital measuring. The 3” Digital Protractor and 8” Digital Protractor offer the same dead-on accuracy as the popular Wixey Digital Angle Gauge (a dedicated tool set up device), and expand on it, to cover a range of angle measuring tasks. 

The Wixey Protractors work by electronically comparing a reference angle of zero degrees with any other angle over the tool’s 180 degree range. But instead of using the fixed plane of a tool surface as a reference – as is the case with the Digital Angle Gauge - the digital protractors take their reading based on the location of a positionable blade. This, of course, adds tremendous versatility: you can take angle readings with an accuracy of +/- .1 degrees in any plane, in any orientation – anywhere. Both models have a blade lock-down mechanism for holding angle settings. And both have strong magnetic strips on all blade edges, making them perfect for setting table saw bevels, band saw table angles, jointer fences and any other set up task on tools with ferrous metal surfaces.

The 3” protractor is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket, and works great for quick, accurate tool set ups, marking angles on small parts, and reading angles in tight spaces. The longer blades of the 8” model give you the added reference surface length required for larger projects, like reading the true angle of wall intersections for trim work, laying out cabinet parts, etc. Either one will give you something all woodworkers need – precise angle measurements.

We think they're both very useful additions to a wave of woodworking-oriented electronic measuring devices that already includes decimal digital calipers, fractional digital calipers, Rockler's own highly rated digital height gauge, digital planer readouts, and moisture meters. And since the Wixey protractors simply haven’t been on the shelves long enough to accrue the customer accolades they deserve, we’ll leave you with a sample of the more than 50 reviews of another favorite, and their nearest relative: the afore-mentioned and extremely well-received Digital Angle Gauge:

"Wow! This is one of those products that you just gotta have. Form table saw blade angles to jointer fence settings, it's really improved setup accuracy."

Ted Prinz, from Webberville, MI

"A must-have for the shop. Consider it a must for the table saw and jointer. Worth every penny."

Matt R, from Lake City, AR

"VERY HANDY!!! This little guy gives great confidence to set ups up real fast. It is so quick and easy you don't mind checking angles frequently - resulting in better looking projects."

John, from NEW YORK

"Constructing a gazebo. Hexagonal. 10 feet per side. Used the gauge on the table saw to make the outside wall foundation pillar posts. When the outside wall forms, 22 inches high, were secured, the hexagon was 1/8" off fit. Pretty darn good for 60 feet of wall. Great tool and darn accurate. Thanks."

John Marks, from Pine Grove, CA

"From the moment I unpacked this product, it has proved it's worth time and time again. It has made precise setup effortless. I recently needed to cut some dovetail splines for a shadow box project I was making. The splines needed to be cut at a precise 14 degree angle to match the dovetail slots. With the Digital Angle Gauge, it was effortless to set my table saw blade to a precise 76 degrees and rip my splines. They were 100% accurate. I would recommend this product to anyone who needs precise angles; and let's face it, who doesn't?"

Mark Andrews, from Kokomo, IN