Worm holes

[MPVic]

This blank is from an apricot tree my boss tore down. Before rough turning it looked like it had potential. After rough turning, these worm holes appeared. Any suggestions on what to fill them with to salvage this beautifully figured blank?? Or any other suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[1080Wayne]

That blank didn`t really need any additional features . My choice would be clear cast , if I wanted to emphasize the wood grain as the most important feature . If you want the holes as a secondary feature . I think the best choices would be casting in black , turquoise , or ruby red . The type of finish you apply will also affect the impact of whichever you choose .

 

[jttheclockman]

Highlight them. Use a colored stone dust.

 

[Drewby108]

There's epoxy, stone, or metal dust for easy options.

 

[leehljp]

Find a small bug or two to put in them (facing outward) and epoxy or thick CA over it and see how it turns out.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Here's my two cents. If they are already tubed I'd put them on the lathe and sand the blank to get enough dust to fill the holes. Then pack the dust into the holes and seal the dust with thin CA. Don't use any excellent to avoid foaming. As you turn and/if more holes appear just fill with the dust and keep going. They will still be visible and should flow with the rest of the blank.

 

[howsitwork]

black resin under pressure maybe ?

 

[jcm71]

Ground turquoise is a winner for me.

 

[monophoto]

It's hard for me to judge the state of the wormholes from the pictures.

If the edges are clean and no darker than the surrounding wood, then I would agree with Kenny and use sanding dust mixed with CA or epoxy. Frankly, my experience has been better using epoxy for filling voids compared with CA, but others may have different experiences.

But my experience is also that holes like that are often also discolored a bit, and using sanding dust can creates donut-like circles. So in those cases, I prefer coffee grounds and epoxy. A light-colored infill will only accentuate any discoloration that may exist, while the discoloration won't be noticeable next to something really dark like coffee grounds.

 

[JohnU]

I would probably make it look as natural as I could and use sanding dust from the same wood to fill them then drip some thin CA over it to secure it. I think it would make it look like the worm hole that it is. When a worm goes through it he leaves a trail of debris in the hole. It will be noticeable but it's a worm hole.

 

[sorcerertd]

Find a small bug or two to put in them (facing outward) and epoxy or thick CA over it and see how it turns out.

Haha, this also occurred to me. that or make it look like a worm is actually poking out (decal next to the hole?).

I'd say it really does depend if you want to try to blend or contrast with the wood color. My experience is that CA will darken the filler (dust or shavings). Think wet sawdust. Contrast gives you a lot of options, though. Colored epoxy, maybe add some mica or other sparkly stuff and call it a "feature".

 

[gimpy]

I'd wouldn't do any thing
It adds character

 

[Tim R]

I agree and wouldn't do anything.

 

[MPVic]

Thank you all for your responses - much appreciated.

 

[Ray-CA]

Maybe try some sanding sealer then fill the holes with black CA glue?

Ray

 

[sorcerertd]

Here's one that didn't turn out like I expected. Filled with sawdust and then CA. Obviously, the wormholes in your blank are different and may look better, but getting it to match the surrounding wood is going to be tough.

 

[leehljp]

Todd,
IMHO - Rarely does sanding dust of any specific wood combined in CA or Epoxy look close to the same color as the blank.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I like simply dropping some medium ca into the holes just before the last pass with the gouge then sand and finish. The clear fill kinda magnifies the inside a bit and looks pretty good.

 

[Weymouta]

This blank is from an apricot tree my boss tore down. Before rough turning it looked like it had potential. After rough turning, these worm holes appeared. Any suggestions on what to fill them with to salvage this beautifully figured blank?? Or any other suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

View attachment 343126View attachment 343125View attachment 343124

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