Hi. I've just finished putting 3 coats of spar varnish on my cedar
mailbox. (It's only taken me about five months to get this far, so I'm
really cooking with gas now!) I planned not to worry about a few holes here
and there, since I made it out of wood reclaimed from the windows I replaced
last fall. But after seeing how nice the varnish makes the wood look, the
nail holes seem a little out of place. Can you suggest the best way for me
to fill them? It's going to be exposed to at least +/- 30 degC temperatures
plus every kind of precipitation. The wood is only 3/8" thick so it
wouldn't be very easy to make plugs.

I'm mostly worried that water will get in them, rust the nails and stain
the wood from the inside. (I didn't happen to have stainless steel nails at
the time.) Should I be concerned, or will slopping a little more spar
varnish over them do the trick?

- Owen -

Bondo, the auto botty repair material makes a great hole filler in wood and
the tan color helps it match wood projects. It's also quite weather proof
and easy to obtain and use. You should have used stainless nails, as any
moisture in the wood at all will cause steel nails to rust and it will leave
stains down the outside of the wood. The bondo should help minimize water
ingress and prolong it's life though. You will need to varnish over it, and
then apply several more coats every year or so to keep it weatherized as
spar varnish doesn't last forever either. How well sealed are the joints
between the boards?

--
Charley

"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...
Hi. I've just finished putting 3 coats of spar varnish on my cedar
mailbox. (It's only taken me about five months to get this far, so I'm
really cooking with gas now!) I planned not to worry about a few holes
here
and there, since I made it out of wood reclaimed from the windows I
replaced
last fall. But after seeing how nice the varnish makes the wood look, the
nail holes seem a little out of place. Can you suggest the best way for
me
to fill them? It's going to be exposed to at least +/- 30 degC
temperatures
plus every kind of precipitation. The wood is only 3/8" thick so it
wouldn't be very easy to make plugs.

I'm mostly worried that water will get in them, rust the nails and
stain
the wood from the inside. (I didn't happen to have stainless steel nails
at
the time.) Should I be concerned, or will slopping a little more spar
varnish over them do the trick?

- Owen -

Owen Lawrence wrote:

I'm mostly worried that water will get in them, rust the nails
and stain
the wood from the inside. (I didn't happen to have stainless steel
nails at
the time.) Should I be concerned, or will slopping a little more spar
varnish over them do the trick?

I'll put my money on the nails rusting whether the heads are plugged
or not.

Spot putty would seal, but it is red and look like ugly on an ape on
cedar.

My choice would be epoxy thickened with micro-balloons.

Nail will probably still rust, it will just take longer.

It is white so you will have to play with tints to get a color you like.

Lew

O
I'll put my money on the nails rusting whether the heads are plugged
or not.

My choice would be epoxy thickened with micro-balloons.

Nail will probably still rust, it will just take longer.


Lew


Agreement on the epoxy only because it will flow and bind with the
wood better than Bondo and has a bit more flex for
expansion/contraction. The nails will still rust because that's what
iron nails do reguardless where they are.

Pete

I'll put my money on the nails rusting whether the heads are plugged
or not.

My choice would be epoxy thickened with micro-balloons.

Nail will probably still rust, it will just take longer.


Lew


Agreement on the epoxy only because it will flow and bind with the
wood better than Bondo and has a bit more flex for
expansion/contraction. The nails will still rust because that's what
iron nails do reguardless where they are.

Pete

I never expected this mailbox to last forever, so if it starts looking bad
I'll build another. I'm replacing a store-bought one that didn't last
forever either. Epoxy it is. Thanks.

- Owen -

The ultimate involves plugging the holes with the same cedar. Get
yrself a plug cutter, cut a few plugs out of some left over cedar
pieces, drill the holes, tap the plugs in, saw flush and finish. (Use
a dab of that varnish - as a glue - in the hole before the plug goes
in. ) Nice project, and really, really nice results.

AS

"ashore" wrote in message
oups.com...
The ultimate involves plugging the holes with the same cedar. Get
yrself a plug cutter, cut a few plugs out of some left over cedar
pieces, drill the holes, tap the plugs in, saw flush and finish. (Use
a dab of that varnish - as a glue - in the hole before the plug goes
in. ) Nice project, and really, really nice results.


I have a plug cutter and have done this on other projects. I didn't bother
with this one because a) the wood is too thin and b) I never cared enough
about it until the last minute. I don't plan to stay in this house for many
more years; the ultimate mailbox will get built once I know where I'm going
to end up. I'm hoping it's a place with acres of hardwood forest.

Well I'm off to visit a friend whose building his log house in just such a
forest. I'm very excited because he tells me trees are mine for the asking,
and there are burls everywhere. We're mapping the place today for a Managed
Forest grant. Woohoo!

- Owen -

You mean the kind of logs that have two equal parallel vertical sides, and
heights, and a locking joint between them (and a gasket), and at the
corners, possibly with rods running top to bottom?

"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...
"ashore" wrote in message
oups.com...
The ultimate involves plugging the holes with the same cedar. Get
yrself a plug cutter, cut a few plugs out of some left over cedar
pieces, drill the holes, tap the plugs in, saw flush and finish. (Use
a dab of that varnish - as a glue - in the hole before the plug goes
in. ) Nice project, and really, really nice results.


I have a plug cutter and have done this on other projects. I didn't
bother with this one because a) the wood is too thin and b) I never cared
enough about it until the last minute. I don't plan to stay in this house
for many more years; the ultimate mailbox will get built once I know where
I'm going to end up. I'm hoping it's a place with acres of hardwood
forest.

Well I'm off to visit a friend whose building his log house in just such a
forest. I'm very excited because he tells me trees are mine for the
asking, and there are burls everywhere. We're mapping the place today for
a Managed Forest grant. Woohoo!

- Owen -





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or the traditional round logs, or are they growing post beams up there?

"bent" wrote in message
...
You mean the kind of logs that have two equal parallel vertical sides, and
heights, and a locking joint between them (and a gasket), and at the
corners, possibly with rods running top to bottom?

"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...
"ashore" wrote in message
oups.com...
The ultimate involves plugging the holes with the same cedar. Get
yrself a plug cutter, cut a few plugs out of some left over cedar
pieces, drill the holes, tap the plugs in, saw flush and finish. (Use
a dab of that varnish - as a glue - in the hole before the plug goes
in. ) Nice project, and really, really nice results.


I have a plug cutter and have done this on other projects. I didn't
bother with this one because a) the wood is too thin and b) I never cared
enough about it until the last minute. I don't plan to stay in this
house for many more years; the ultimate mailbox will get built once I
know where I'm going to end up. I'm hoping it's a place with acres of
hardwood forest.

Well I'm off to visit a friend whose building his log house in just such
a forest. I'm very excited because he tells me trees are mine for the
asking, and there are burls everywhere. We're mapping the place today
for a Managed Forest grant. Woohoo!

- Owen -





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"bent" wrote in message
...
or the traditional round logs, or are they growing post beams up there?

"bent" wrote in message
...
You mean the kind of logs that have two equal parallel vertical sides,
and heights, and a locking joint between them (and a gasket), and at the
corners, possibly with rods running top to bottom?

Well he's not happy about this, but they're the kind of logs that start out
as trees and get milled to be uniformly shaped like "logs". His wife
insists that it be this way. He complains bitterly saying he doesn't see
the point, but he has had to give in; he'll get over it. I have no clue
about rods. So far there's only a foundation poured.

- Owen -


"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...
"ashore" wrote in message
oups.com...
The ultimate involves plugging the holes with the same cedar. Get
yrself a plug cutter, cut a few plugs out of some left over cedar
pieces, drill the holes, tap the plugs in, saw flush and finish. (Use
a dab of that varnish - as a glue - in the hole before the plug goes
in. ) Nice project, and really, really nice results.


I have a plug cutter and have done this on other projects. I didn't
bother with this one because a) the wood is too thin and b) I never
cared enough about it until the last minute. I don't plan to stay in
this house for many more years; the ultimate mailbox will get built once
I know where I'm going to end up. I'm hoping it's a place with acres of
hardwood forest.

Well I'm off to visit a friend who's building his log house in just such
a forest. I'm very excited because he tells me trees are mine for the
asking, and there are burls everywhere. We're mapping the place today
for a Managed Forest grant. Woohoo!

- Owen -





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I saw these guys at the boat show I think.
http://www.truenorthloghomes.com/new...+II&model= Go
you're gonna have to click to enlarge to see the logs profile.

Then there is traditional. Timbersmith is one in Canada, just outside
Toronto, I'll see if I can find a wwwsite. nope.

But here is a picture of a mix, with round logs, but they are very similar
in size.
http://theloghomeconnection.com/stockplan_A.php?Pinetop

A third category is post and beam, with white plaster in between. If
spending the money, you have to decide. The engineered beam with its
gaskets, rods and perfect seal is beautiful in and out, and gives the
impression of quality and safety for a lifetime, and perfect building
techniques. Theres a bunch of these to research, with different techniques.
Post and beam isn't a full log home. Trandidtional has all kind of options,
pro workman who do each log, some giant, there are size and artistic
options. Dollar for dollar I don't know what I'd do. I don't know which I'd
attempt if I had to opportunity, either.


"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...

"bent" wrote in message
...
or the traditional round logs, or are they growing post beams up there?

"bent" wrote in message
...
You mean the kind of logs that have two equal parallel vertical sides,
and heights, and a locking joint between them (and a gasket), and at the
corners, possibly with rods running top to bottom?

Well he's not happy about this, but they're the kind of logs that start
out as trees and get milled to be uniformly shaped like "logs". His wife
insists that it be this way. He complains bitterly saying he doesn't see
the point, but he has had to give in; he'll get over it. I have no clue
about rods. So far there's only a foundation poured.

- Owen -


"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...
"ashore" wrote in message
oups.com...
The ultimate involves plugging the holes with the same cedar. Get
yrself a plug cutter, cut a few plugs out of some left over cedar
pieces, drill the holes, tap the plugs in, saw flush and finish. (Use
a dab of that varnish - as a glue - in the hole before the plug goes
in. ) Nice project, and really, really nice results.


I have a plug cutter and have done this on other projects. I didn't
bother with this one because a) the wood is too thin and b) I never
cared enough about it until the last minute. I don't plan to stay in
this house for many more years; the ultimate mailbox will get built
once I know where I'm going to end up. I'm hoping it's a place with
acres of hardwood forest.

Well I'm off to visit a friend who's building his log house in just
such a forest. I'm very excited because he tells me trees are mine for
the asking, and there are burls everywhere. We're mapping the place
today for a Managed Forest grant. Woohoo!

- Owen -





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I don't know who had rods, but the logs were drilled vertically in the
center and rods threaded top and bottom, or something, and were inserted,
and I think bolted with a spring, to align and compress walls and especially
breaks for doors, windows. The thing would be getting the equipment for
sawing the logs straight and equal, like creating the lego pieces.



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