"Bored Borg" wrote in message
.com...
Just finished a project made with reclaimed pine. - high benchtop rack for
slo-cooker, microwave, toasters/breadmaker and all those rarely-used but
space-occupying things - pasta folders, thermos flasks, tinned anchovy
puree
with chives etc.

Leaving it unvarnished (it's quite "antique pine" dark anyway) for a while
until I'm sure I don't need to alter or add anything but put into
temporary
service but thought I ought to do something about the old screw holes,
knife
marks and stuff even though I had no good quality filler to hand.

Took scoop from tub of brilliant white cellulose filler (poundland !!) and
added a few granules of nescafe. Result - extremely close match, no
mixing-in
problems or unwanted dilution and the left-over makes a delicious and
filling
snack spread on a piece of cardboard.

I've used wrung-out tea bags and/or wood stain in the past, but it tends
to
make the mix a bit too wet if I'm trying to darken the filler appreciably.
The coffee keeps it stiff (!) and the granules dissolve completely and
almost
immediately

I doubt the colour will fade, but I wondered if anyone else had
experienced
problems with their own beveragely-enhanced projects? (how about THAT for
a
feeder line?)

I know unvarnished pine tends to darken but I have no idea if this is an
ongoing process once it has obviously changed. Experience?


er... don't try the snack thing.



I have found that the best filler you can use is the sawdust from the wood
you are filling
mixed with PVA glue into a paste
costs almost nothing and dries to the original colour of the wood