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I've read a ton of posts on Zpoxy Pore Filler -- Finishing Coat not regular glue. I have a ton of West System 105 Epoxy and 206 Catalyst, will this work for pore filling as good as the Zpoxy? Just 'cause I have it doesn't mean I have to use it if it's harder to work with.

What are the benefits of using epoxy instead of traditional paste wood filler? I suspect it's easier to apply as you know exactly when it's going to start to cure as opposed to paste which seems to start to set almost immediately.

Thanks, I'm trying to get away from regular wood filler as we've had some hot days lately and it makes it impossible to fill without leaving a ton of residue on.

Sure West Systems epoxy will work great for you. At least two pro finishers that I know use it as well.

Benefits are that it is way easier to use than anything else that I have tried. It also, if you leave a very thin film on the wood, pops the figure and color beautifully. So much so that some have wanted to use it as a finish.

West sands back nicely too so you can just leave it in the pores if you want or as a final coat, to even out the color, mix it 50/50 with denatured alcohol and wipe it on the guitar lint free cloth.

The only "possible" down side that I know of, and I say possible because this is not a downside to me, is that epoxy can add a very slight amber tint to the guitar not unlike how nitro ages but not to this degree IMHO. I find the slight amber tint pleasing to look at and it adds some vintage charm.

I squeegee it on using a credit card type card mashing it into the pores. I move the card in all directions but 45 degrees to the grain is the best direction for filling the pores. Initially use the squeegee to "mash" it down into the pores and then follow-up with the card acting as a squeegee to remove the excess. It goes a very long way with perhaps just a table spoon able to do more than a back.

It usually takes me two coats and the wiped on, thinned coat to complete a guitar.

Also, since you may ask this, shellac sticks fine to epoxy so it can be used after pore filling with epoxy. But epoxy does not stick well to shellac so pore fill prior to using shellac if you have shellac in your finishing schedule.

Great stuff and not only can you use it for many of us it would be a first choice!

Z-Poxy and System III are excellent too but are epoxy based finishing resins and not intended to be glues.

Experience with your materials is more important that which material you choose to use. I have lots of experience with WEST, so that's what I use.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
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I prefer the 207 Special Coatings Hardener for the 105 West epoxy. I think it is a bit slower than the 206. West claims it as being "water white" but the 207 itself will amber up over time. When using epoxy in such a thin application the wetting you get from it is very similar to the wetting you will see from naptha, alcohol, vinyl sealer etc. West is rumored to introduce a new hardener that it claims again to be "water white" and it may already be available for all I know?

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jw ( o)===:::

I also have had good luck with West System epoxy. On dark woods like EIR, at first it looked as though it would darken all the grain more than shellac, but once sanded out and FP'd the grain comes back out. For the final wipe coat I have used acetone. If going to 50/50 be patient as the setting will take a while.

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GEO
perpetual beginner

Thanks for all the help I've got 3 guitars to do right now and I just hate working with the regular pore fillers.