This is going to sound really dumb but my question is this. I have
been countersinking screws into soft wood - when I go to cover the
screw head up with wood putty I can't seem to get it to go on smooth
and complete. I kind of glob it in the hole and then use a putty knife
to push across it. Doing it like this - the putty starts coming apart
and up from the opposite side of the hole. When I try it the other
way, it then does the same thing on the other side. I wind up wetting
my thumb and going across it like that, but I know there must be a
better way. Can anyone give me a litte advise on this? Thanks very
much.

In article f28357d1-02c2-4976-9893-
,
says...
This is going to sound really dumb but my question is this. I have
been countersinking screws into soft wood - when I go to cover the
screw head up with wood putty I can't seem to get it to go on smooth
and complete. I kind of glob it in the hole and then use a putty knife
to push across it. Doing it like this - the putty starts coming apart
and up from the opposite side of the hole. When I try it the other
way, it then does the same thing on the other side. I wind up wetting
my thumb and going across it like that, but I know there must be a
better way. Can anyone give me a litte advise on this? Thanks very
much.


How about dowels and a little glue? I think it's
less time-consuming than putty.

S.

"Cardinal" wrote in message
...
This is going to sound really dumb but my question is this. I have
been countersinking screws into soft wood - when I go to cover the
screw head up with wood putty I can't seem to get it to go on smooth
and complete. I kind of glob it in the hole and then use a putty knife
to push across it. Doing it like this - the putty starts coming apart
and up from the opposite side of the hole. When I try it the other
way, it then does the same thing on the other side. I wind up wetting
my thumb and going across it like that, but I know there must be a
better way. Can anyone give me a litte advise on this? Thanks very
much.

I make a 3/8" counterbore, drive the screw, then either glue in a piece of
dowel or cut a plug from a scrap of wood and glue that in place. You can
buy plug cutters and a trimming saw (flex blade) from Lee Valley.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...28&cat=1,42884
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,180,42288

When you make a plug and orient the grain, they become just about invisible
once sanded.

You can even buy a kit with the proper drills or just use a brad point bit
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...=3,41306,41330

"Cardinal" wrote in message
and complete. I kind of glob it in the hole and then use a putty knife
to push across it. Doing it like this - the putty starts coming apart
and up from the opposite side of the hole. When I try it the other
way, it then does the same thing on the other side. I wind up wetting
my thumb and going across it like that, but I know there must be a
better way. Can anyone give me a litte advise on this? Thanks very
much.

Much depends on the particular situation where you're using the putty. What
brand is it? How big are these holes to fill? How new or moist is the putty?

Those questions aside, since I feel that all wood putty shrinks a bit upon
drying, I put on a blob of putty that is more than necessary and then come
back when it's dry and sand it flush with the wood. Depending on the size of
the hole to be filled, I sometimes have to putty twice, letting it dry in
between applications.

I suppose I take more time than many with my putty jobs, but it irks me no
end to build some nice project and have an obviously visible putty job be
noticeable after finishing.

"Cardinal" wrote in message
...
This is going to sound really dumb but my question is this. I have
been countersinking screws into soft wood - when I go to cover the
screw head up with wood putty I can't seem to get it to go on smooth
and complete. I kind of glob it in the hole and then use a putty knife
to push across it. Doing it like this - the putty starts coming apart
and up from the opposite side of the hole. When I try it the other
way, it then does the same thing on the other side. I wind up wetting
my thumb and going across it like that, but I know there must be a
better way. Can anyone give me a litte advise on this? Thanks very
much.

Over fill, let it dry, and sand when it cures. Don't use the kind that
stays soft.

I had the same problem on some of my projects. Last week I finally
got a plug cutter from Rockler and just finished giving it a try. I
was able to sink the screw head 1/4 inch below the surface, then
jammed a plug in, matching the grain, and after it dried, used a
chisel to pare it off smooth. Actually 2 chisels, the first to get it
close, a very sharp one to do the last cut or two. Sandpaper to
finish, and it looks great. Since this was my first try, it went a
little slow, but after 40 or so holes, I'm getting the hang of it.
What I liked was the ability to use the same wood (scraps) rather than
a hardwood dowell which I think would be hard to smooth off (end
grain).

Anyway, I wish I'd gotten one of these years ago! Hope this
helps.....

"rich" wrote:
Last week I finally
got a plug cutter from Rockler and just finished giving it a try.

An old boat builder's trick to make bungs.

Use a piece of 3/4" stock to make bungs.

Cut bungs 1/2-5/8 deep.

Apply masking tape to face of bung surface.

Use band saw to cut off back side of 3/4 stock to separate bungs from
waste.

You can now carefully punch out bungs far enough to break tape bond
with waste around bungs.

Lay tape and bungs on a flat surface, tape side down.

Bungs now stand up like little toy solders with grain aligned waiting
to be plucked and used.

Lew

I too, am a big fan of using plugs, but here are a few tips to their use:

1. Get a *tapered* plug cutter. They are a more expensive, but give a much
better fit.
2. After you "drill" the plugs but before you liberate them from the scrap
board (with table or band saw), draw a line, with the grain, on the face of
the plugs. The will help make it much easier to tell which is the narrow end
of the plug as well as the grain orientation. Hint: the line goes on the
inside ;-).
3. Trim the plug across the grain, i.e., the edge of your chisel should be
parallel to the grain. If the grain is "diving" and you trim with the grain
you can end up with an unsightly divot.

Regards,

Steve







"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
...
"rich" wrote:
Last week I finally
got a plug cutter from Rockler and just finished giving it a try.

An old boat builder's trick to make bungs.

Use a piece of 3/4" stock to make bungs.

Cut bungs 1/2-5/8 deep.

Apply masking tape to face of bung surface.

Use band saw to cut off back side of 3/4 stock to separate bungs from
waste.

You can now carefully punch out bungs far enough to break tape bond
with waste around bungs.

Lay tape and bungs on a flat surface, tape side down.

Bungs now stand up like little toy solders with grain aligned waiting
to be plucked and used.

Lew

On Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:40:31 +0100, rich wrote
(in article
):

snippy

Actually 2 chisels, the first to get it
close, a very sharp one to do the last cut or two. Sandpaper to
finish, and it looks great.

snipp

Just improved on this with a backless flush-cut pull saw wot I got.

Looks like a Gent's Saw (breadknife handle) and cuts like a razor.
Some might find it easier than the chisels.. ??

Looks really out of place, though.. no power cord. 8-(

hmmm-

8-3 = new emoticon for Norm?