Plastic wood x

[MrSnappyTurtles]

I bought some plastic wood x to cover up the spirals and was wondering what's the best approach to using this stuff?
Rocket is a loc 4 inch BBX

 

[wonderboy]

I have no experience with the product you mention, but it looks similar to the Elmer's Carpenters Wood Filler (CWF). There are tons of threads if you search on that product. I use CWF a lot and found that I get just as good of results (filling), but have an even easier time sanding if I thin the material a bit with water (doesn't take much) before applying. I like to put a masking tape line on each side of the spiral (within an 1/8" or smaller if you can) and then apply with an old credit card/hotel room key/etc.

Note I've used a version of CWF that was labeled as "Stainable" just like the Plastic Wood X is labeled as. I found that the stainable version had fibers in it that made it much harder to use in the thin layers we need on body tubes. I just put that stuff aside for woodworking use and got the stuff that isn't labeled as "Stainable" and it works much better.

 

[MrSnappyTurtles]

I have no experience with the product you mention, but it looks similar to the Elmer's Carpenters Wood Filler (CWF). There are tons of threads if you search on that product. I use CWF a lot and found that I get just as good of results (filling), but have an even easier time sanding if I thin the material a bit with water (doesn't take much) before applying. I like to put a masking tape line on each side of the spiral (within an 1/8" or smaller if you can) and then apply with an old credit card/hotel room key/etc.

Note I've used a version of CWF that was labeled as "Stainable" just like the Plastic Wood X is labeled as. I found that the stainable version had fibers in it that made it much harder to use in the thin layers we need on body tubes. I just put that stuff aside for woodworking use and got the stuff that isn't labeled as "Stainable" and it works much better.

So I was just thinking of covering the whole tube with a thin coating of filler

 

[Titan II]

Recommend just the groves using this method.

 

[wonderboy]

Yeah, my recommendation is: don't cover the entire tube. While it does sand pretty easy, it will create a lot more work and you are much more likely to "fuzzify" the paper tube (if you sand too much on the paper, it gets fuzzy and becomes something else that you have to address with more primers/fillers/sanding).

I prefer to be very careful with the application of the filler so as not to create too much other work...

But you know what? There are tons of different ways to do it, so you could definitely give it a try and see what you like. If you do, post back up here with your findings to add to the collective knowledge pool.

 

[wonderboy]

@Titan II : Is the version of filler you are using the "stainable" version? I'm curious if the Plastic Wood line of filler uses the fibers in their stainable version like the CWF does. I found that the stainable CWF was much more difficult to work with, and I make sure to buy the non-stainable kind which is a very smooth consistency.

 

[Titan II]

@Titan II : Is the version of filler you are using the "stainable" version?

Sorry. That is not my picture. I just used it to illustrate putting it in the groves with your finger. Nothing fancy like tape, gloves and putty knives. I have used a different brand before, but prefer glazing & spot putty.