Mahogany- to fill or not to fill

[Dan of SC]

Rookie question: Do you usually fill the pores of an instrument made from Honduran mahogany? Would filling the pores affect the tone substantially? Any help? Thanks, Danny Gray

[David Newton]

Mahogany is normally filled on a good finish.
Filling will not affect the tone any more than the finish itself.

[Marty Jacobson]

While the pores are normally filled to present a flat surface on professionally-made instruments, if you want the easy way out, an oil varnish finish like Waterlox or Tru-Oil over mahogany can look and feel very nice, and is far less work. Anything very glossy like many coats of varnish, or shellac or lacquer, will draw attention to the pores and look sloppy unless the pores are filled. Commercial instruments with satin finishes, like lower end Taylor or Weber instruments, sometimes have unfilled pores, and they sell just fine.

Whatever you fill with, it needs to be something that will shrink minimally over time. Pumice mixed with some binder (shellac, etc.) works fine, but is almost as hard as sandpaper grit, so it's hard to sand smooth.
Easiest stuff to work with is Timber-Mate, which is kind of like really fine drywall compound.

[multidon]

The low end Taylor instruments (Weber does not use mahogany any more to my knowledge) Marty refers to look nice to my eye. They look like wood. Not Taylor but some imports that use this finish hype it as an "open pore" finish that "allows the wood to breathe". Poppycock. But it does look nice I think and keeps production simple and cheap for them. To duplicate that look just buy a good quality wipe on satin poly. The gel type like Behlens Master Gel is good and easy to do. Two or three thin coats with a light scuff sand between and you are done.

I have to disagree with Marty about Tru Oil. I think its too glossy to use without filling the pores. I did a mahogany instrument with Tru Oil and didn't bother filling the pores. Just lazy. Wish I had. In this case the pores are not a good look. I think the "open pore" finish should only be done with matte or satin.

[Bill Snyder]

The low end Taylor instruments (Weber does not use mahogany any more to my knowledge) Marty refers to look nic...

FWIW Don, the 2014 Weber Catalog lists some of the octave mandolins and mandocellos as having mahogany backs and sides.

[David Newton]

90% of my instruments are Mahogany, I love the wood.
Pore filling, with silex based paste wood filler & dark stain added in, is simple and "fun" one of my favorite steps of the finish.
I do it every chance I get.

[pfox14]

Mahogany is a very porous wood, so I always do pore filling followed by sealer, followed by more pore filling. It's the only way to get a flat surface for the clear coat. Personally, I don't like the look of non-filled mahogany instruments, though I've seen plenty.

[Les Corley]

The easy way is to use drywall mud with your choice of stain to color it ,quick, easy & cheap. Works as good as any filler

[Dan of SC]

Thanks Les, I just watched a youtube of Robert O'brien using that very thing.

[Kerry Krishna]

Dan, just a small warning. I also watched that vid. What Robert does NOT say ( and it totally screwed up my project) was that the pore filler has to be applied and sanded off probably at least 3 times. I did it once, and was a whole three weeks trying to backtrack and fill the deep grain pockets with lacquer. Don't make the same mistake I made my friend...

[Dan of SC]

Dan, just a small warning. I also watched that vid. What Robert does NOT say ( and it totally screwed up my project) was that the pore filler has to be applied and sanded off probably at least 3 times. I did it once, and was a whole three weeks trying to backtrack and fill the deep grain pockets with lacquer. Don't make the same mistake I made my friend...

Thanks Kerry, I believe I remember Robert saying you may have to do this two or even three times, but now I'm wondering: what if instead of using a rag to apply you used a plastic putty knife and trowel it on across the grain, fairly heavy. What do you think?

[Marty Jacobson]

There's no way to get them all in one go, with any method of pore filling. Some pores will have air in them which won't get "burped" and will need to be re-filled, and some will get mysteriously missed entirely, who knows why. With practice, you get better at getting more and more of them, but there's always a few strays...

[ides1056]

I use tung oil applied with fibre-tex, wiped between coats. The light sanding of the applicator makes a slurry that fills the pores, and leaves a beautiful, hand-rubbed finish.