plywood - filling nail holes

[Howie French]

I need to build a quick set of bookcases, I will be using 3/4 maply ply, faced with solid maple, I will probably be using some 16 gauge nails to aid in glue up

how do you guys handle filling the nail holes ?
This is not fine furniture, yet I would still like to make the holes
as invisible as possible.


thanks, Howie

[Jim Becker]

Filler stick of the right color...slightly darker than the piece...right before the last coat of finish. The reason you use slightly darker (with most, but not all woods) is that the wood will naturally darken over time. This brings the filler into sync once that happens. (Walnut is one of the exceptions...it gets lighter over time) This method means you can stain/dye/color to your hearts content without making unsightly filler marks all over...they NEVER take stain/dye the same as real wood. Any gaps are best filled with slivers of real wood (maple in this case), too, including matching the grain orientation. These also "disappear" once the finish is applied.

[Mark Rios]

I will start with the disclaimer of my amateur status. ok. NOw...are you going to paint the shelf unit? If so, why not putty. If it (they) are to be stained, what about colored or tinted putty. My 1-1/2 cents.

[Steve Clardy]

I use famowood solvent base filler. Comes in different colors.
Get it in place, get the sander right on it and the dust mixes with it.

[Richard Neel]

Any way to just avoid the nails completely and just use the glue? If you're clamp-poor like me, that may not be an option.

[Rick Thom]

Howie, if you have a biscuit joiner that does a nice (hidden) job on attaching face frames and for shelves etc if they are in dados, you can glue and toe-nail them from the inside. Makes a nice neat job. I've done several this way.

[Howie French]

yeah, I will be using biscuits... was thinking I might pin with nails to avoid clamping. I just have never had good luck filling holes.

thanks for all the suggestions

Howie

[Paul Campolieta]

I have used the sanding dust from the project mix with a little glue and rub it in this works well

[tod evans]

famowood works well and quickly. apply before sanding....02 tod

[Byron Trantham]

Howie, I'm a wax filler proponent. I use 15ga nails which puts a pretty good hole in the wood. After I put on my top coat I use the wax filler and soft cloth to polish the finish. Another thing I do, which may seem annal, is not to put the nails in any symmetrical pattern. My reasoning is a more random application of th nails "tricks" the eye into seeing them as part of the wood structure rather than construction effort.:D

[Matt Tawes]

Since you are going to use biscuits if you have a pocket screw jig why not just use a couple screws under each shelf end to hold it togther while the glue dries.

[Howie French]

I have never heard of famowood, do the borgs carry this ?
looks like it comes in waterbased or solvent based, which is perferred ?
does it depend on the type of finish you will be using ?

does it take stain ok ?

[tod evans]

howie, i use the solvent based stuff, get the thinner too. and yes it takes stain but it looks like filler, you gotta paint grain if you`re a perfectionist. i use it to fill nail holes in trim, if you get a fine point brown sharpie fron the office supply store and use it after stain but before finish it`ll help break up the plugged look........02, tod

[Steve Clardy]

I also use the solvent base. Dries QUICK. And as tod suggests, get the solvent with it. Or you can use lacquer thinner. It will dry up in the can, but solvent will loosen it back up.
I buy mine from my lumber, cabinet material supplier.
Don't know if the borgs carry it.