Replies

1. 
   Jim_T. | Mar 17, 1999 04:45pm | #1

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   I've used woodepox a few years back. Worked great. It's REAL expensive, though. Might want to consider alternative sources for epoxy resins due to the high cost.

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   Guest_ | Mar 17, 1999 05:28pm | #2

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   You go to Wal-Mart and buy a can of Bondo auto body filler.

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   Guest_ | Mar 17, 1999 05:50pm | #3

   *I used a good bit of it last summer, restoring three gothic windows for a church/museum. If it was just holes, bondo will do as good a job i think (though i haven't used it for big holes outside and seen how it stands up). The nice thing about the Abatron (Part A) is if you have rotted, or degraded wood, or splits like you describe, it 'wicks' in and consolidates it, which bondo and thicker epoxies like West system can't do. To fill it afterwards, it's your call. I like Abatrons putty, and I have also used West epoxy with fillers where I wanted more structural reinforcement.i ended up underestimating, and going through too many of the small kits. It is cheaper, if you have a big job, to buy in quantity directly from Abatron. Good product if the job calls for it.

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   david_sorg | Mar 17, 1999 10:43pm | #4

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   I've used both products- the Bondo is cheaper and fine for wholesale filling of holes etc.,it cures much faster which can be a bonus or a frustration (a big pile of the stuff on your palette,unused but cured, removes much of the economy) but the WoodEpox is much better for building up missing details and unlike the Bondo, has similiar sanding and carving qualities as wood.

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   Guest_ | Mar 17, 1999 10:57pm | #5

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   Minwax Wood Hardener and PPG Permanizer Plus have worked well around my house for rotted or damaged wood consolidation.

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   Guest_ | Mar 18, 1999 05:00am | #6

   *I've been using the Minwax epoxy too. Sanded & painted it blends in perfectly. I caught my breath when i saw the price on a bottle of the Abatron at the lumberyard, then very gently put it back on the shelf. It certainly has its place in restoration work and I'd like to try it.

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   Guest_ | Mar 18, 1999 07:41am | #7

   *Ive used the abatron & love it. The advantage it has over bondo is it penetrates the wood & sets up in the rotten wood. If you have an application with a lot of rotten wood it's the way to go. I've hear (unconfirmed) of bondo failing in a similar situation.

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   Guest_ | Mar 18, 1999 08:16am | #8

   *If it is something I care about, That Minwax hardener is available by itself and works with the Bondo as well as with the Minwax brand of "bondo". Next time you are repairing something, do a comparison....you have to be pretty sharp to find much difference between Minwax and Bondo other than price and the words on the can. I've patched baseball holes in a Masonite garage door with Bondo, and it has lasted for years.

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   Katie_Hill | Mar 19, 1999 07:48pm | #9

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   The advantage of Abatron is that it better matches the expansion and contraction of wood than Bondo, which I've seen contract so much it leaves gaps around the places you've filled in just a few months. A new product from Advanced Repair Technology seems to match the movement of wood even better than Abatron. It's also not cheap, but neither is water rotting your wood trim. To find out more/order call John Stahl @ 201-659-6754.

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   Steve_Kasower | Mar 20, 1999 07:28am | #10

   *I have used a great product line from Smith & Co. on our 1899 Victorian home. Smith has a cohesive line of epoxy products originally invented for the wooden boat hull crowd. I've used gallons of their stuff over the past 8 years keeping this place from becoming urban humus. They have a liguid penetrant (sealer), epoxy laminating resins, and best of all, an epoxy filler product called "Fill-it" that is non-sag, tenacious as hell, and works beautifully after setting up. Smith can be reached at (800) 234-0330. They are great folks and I enjoy challenging them with questions.

6. 
   Guest_ | Mar 20, 1999 07:50am | #11

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   Are we all remembering that the man was asking about filling a woodpecker hole and a crack. Jesus. Maybe he could just stuff the hole full of money.

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   Guest_ | Mar 20, 1999 08:01am | #12

   *Good point. Wood pecker hole, use any filler, epoxy is the toughest but may be overkill.For the splits along the trim grain, filling the splits isn't going to help a whole lot. Sounds like water damage. Carefully remove the trim with a good pry bar, maybe a putty knife, check that the substrate is OK. If water is getting behind the trim, stop it. Glue/clamp the splits back together, prime/seal with oil & then paint. Unless you want to be dinking around with this the next time it splits.A hackier approach might be to glue the splits closed in place, clamp, and drive decent sized (#8) galv. screws across the splits. Predrill to be safe. And prime/paint.Comments from "the guys"? This is just IMHO of course!

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   Guest_ | Mar 20, 1999 08:32pm | #13

   *How about maybe plowing out the splits a little larger so there is something to fill? Or maybe doing like with a wood floor, cutting the crack into a triangular trench and then driving a triangle shaped strip of wood in with a big hammer ana lot of glue?

7. 
   Will_Stanton | Mar 21, 1999 08:35pm | #14

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   I do a lot of epoxy repair in my business, and use Abatron with good success. I can not compare to other epoxies nor bondo because I frankly do not have the time to try them. The WoodEpox and LiquidWood can be mixed to different thicknesses for different uses. For filling large holes, use some type of backing, such as pieces of wood, or you can mix the consolident with sawdust or wood filler.
   The cost is lower if you buy direct from Abatron, in larger quantities. Finally, the cost of epoxy repair should be less than the total cost of replacement.

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   Bob_Rozett | Mar 29, 1999 09:54am | #15

   *I have been using the Smith and Co. epoxies(penetrating, fillers, liniear polyurathane and polysulfide) for years, started 20 years ago building boats with it and it stands the test of time and UV exposure, can't say enough good things about the support they give their products.

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   rwoods | Mar 29, 1999 09:54am | #16

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   Has anybody used either of these products for repairing holes in exterior trim? I have to repair 1) a hole made by an eager woodpecker in a trim board, and 2) a 2x6 trim piece which has thin lengthwise splits. This piece would be hard to replace, so I want to slow/stop the splitting.