"2. Which of the following materials would you consider using to gap fill wooden objects? Adhesives are listed first, followed by fillers",,,,,,,
"Table shows order in which materials were listed in the survey, this allows comparision to Question 3",,96 responses,,,Table gives data in descending order,,
,,,,,,,
,Response,Response,,,,Response,Response
,Percent,Count,,,,Percent,Count
Epoxy resin,31.3%,30,,,Acrylic resin (e.g. Paraloid/Acryloid B72),75.0%,72
Acrylic resin (e.g. Paraloid/Acryloid B72),75.0%,72,,,Glass microballoons,67.7%,65
"Acrylic resin emulsion (e.g. Primal B60A, Lascaux 98HV)",36.5%,35,,,Balsa wood,59.4%,57
Hydroxypropyl cellulose (e.g. Klucel G),41.7%,40,,,Paper pulp,49.0%,47
Methyl cellulose (e.g. Methocel),36.5%,35,,,A mixture of fillers (e.g. microballoons and paper pulp),45.8%,44
Ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (e.g. Ethulose),8.3%,8,,,Hydroxypropyl cellulose (e.g. Klucel G),41.7%,40
Polyvinyl Acetate (e.g. Mowilith),22.9%,22,,,Waxes,41.7%,40
Polyvinyl Acetate emulsion (e.g. Vinamul),19.8%,19,,,Sawdust,38.5%,37
Polyvinyl Butyral (e.g. Butvar B98),25.0%,24,,,Animal glue,37.5%,36
Cellulose nitrate,7.3%,7,,,Long fibre tissue,37.5%,36
Starch paste,16.7%,16,,,"Acrylic resin emulsion (e.g. Primal B60A, Lascaux 98HV)",36.5%,35
Silicone rubber,5.2%,5,,,Methyl cellulose (e.g. Methocel),36.5%,35
Animal glue,37.5%,36,,,Wood flour,35.4%,34
Urushi (Japanese lacquer),10.4%,10,,,Epoxy resin,31.3%,30
Waxes,41.7%,40,,,Phenolic microballoons,29.2%,28
Linseed oil,3.1%,3,,,Paper mache,27.1%,26
Plaster,10.4%,10,,,Polyvinyl Butyral (e.g. Butvar B98),25.0%,24
Paper mache,27.1%,26,,,Polyvinyl Acetate (e.g. Mowilith),22.9%,22
"AJK / BJK dough (mix of thermoplastic resin, jute fibres and china clay powder)",6.3%,6,,,Commercial wood fillers,22.9%,22
Chalk/gypsum (whiting),21.9%,21,,,Chalk/gypsum (whiting),21.9%,21
Clay powder (e.g. kaolin),8.3%,8,,,Polyvinyl Acetate emulsion (e.g. Vinamul),19.8%,19
Paper pulp,49.0%,47,,,Cork granules,18.8%,18
Glass microballoons,67.7%,65,,,Fumed silica,18.8%,18
Phenolic microballoons,29.2%,28,,,Starch paste,16.7%,16
Wood flour,35.4%,34,,,Urushi (Japanese lacquer),10.4%,10
Sawdust,38.5%,37,,,Plaster,10.4%,10
Cork granules,18.8%,18,,,Ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (e.g. Ethulose),8.3%,8
Fumed silica,18.8%,18,,,Clay powder (e.g. kaolin),8.3%,8
A mixture of fillers (e.g. microballoons and paper pulp),45.8%,44,,,Cellulose nitrate,7.3%,7
Long fibre tissue,37.5%,36,,,"AJK / BJK dough (mix of thermoplastic resin, jute fibres and china clay powder)",6.3%,6
Balsa wood,59.4%,57,,,Silicone rubber,5.2%,5
Commercial wood fillers,22.9%,22,,,Linseed oil,3.1%,3
,,,,,,,
"27 respondents also left comments (open text, optional)",,,,,,,
Flugger for skimming surface of long-fibre tissue fills,,,,,,,
flugger. The choice of filller would totaly depend on the object - for instance urushi or whiting would only be used in very specifc circumstances to match an original surface.,,,,,,,
Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (Culminal 20000),,,,,,,
"cellulose powder, mixture of cellulose powder and microballoons",,,,,,,
The choice of filler composition does depend greatly on what you are filling; its requirements and condition - there should be no single standard treatment - the filler should be made up for each specific use. For example in the past I have used carved Plastazote foam inserts (archival quality polyethylene foam) for gap fills on very fragile wood. Whereas on some structural objects this weak fill would not be at all appropriate,,,,,,,
"Animal Glue and Polyvinyl acetate have been used in the past, usually mixed with sawdust or joining balsa wood chips inside cracks. Epoxy resins and commercial wood fillers were used for big reconstructions in the 80's.",,,,,,,
"I would not use epoxy as the adhesive, but rather as the filler.",,,,,,,
"Your question does not inidicate whether the fills are structural or cosmetic in nature. That is a very important part of how one approaches the problem and what is used. I have also used ethafoam strips, wedges, etc in combination with any othe ones I have checked above.",,,,,,,
polyester resins - again with a suitable barrier layer Polyfilla (with a barrier layer of Paraloid B72) Milliput epoxy putty (with a barrier layer of Paraloid B72) Ethafoam and Plastazote polythene foams,,,,,,,
Japanese paper,,,,,,,
Plastazote,,,,,,,
The only bulked adhesive fill I have used is Araldite 1252 epoxy adhered only to a hide glue barrier -- never directly to the wood itself. I use pigmented wax for small fills If you are looking for materials I would use as a consolidant -- I've mainly used acrylic resins.,,,,,,,
there were other traditional mixtures used as gap or grain fillers and they were animal glue with brick dust or sawdust. PVA was also mixed with binders to use as a filler.,,,,,,,
"Replacement wood of the same type as the object when appropriate for practical and sometimes cultural reasons. For example, red cedar when repairing totem poles belonging to a tribes own collections.",,,,,,,
"Although I did tick 'animal glue' I am using isinglass that does not shrink or discolour in the same dramatic way than scotch, rabbit or fish glues. My approach to gap filling has always been as basic and simple and reversible as possible. In some instances I have even used painted plastazote adhered with cellulose nitrate.",,,,,,,
some of the above are mediums to which we would add a filler - depending on the size of gap,,,,,,,
"Arbocel, cellulose fibre",,,,,,,
Pastazote,,,,,,,
Coconut shell flour,,,,,,,
"Polyester resin,",,,,,,,
See question 1,,,,,,,
brick dust,,,,,,,
wood of the same species as what was in the gap,,,,,,,
"Types of fillers used dependant on the requirements demanded from the filler- aesthetic, structural etc. I have used a comercial wood filler that has been tested and is passed to be used on museum objects, this was used where a removable fill was required. TIP: Try (within reason) not to rule out materials and limit your choice, chances are there will always be an occasion where you will find an appropriate use for most materials.",,,,,,,
plasterzote,,,,,,,
semi-synthetic cellulose fibers (Rayon),,,,,,,
"Although not ideal due to messy fibres and difficulty with removal, working on site or in museums in Egypt, cotton wool is often used as a bulking material by Egyptian conservators. It is more freely available and much cheaper than Japanese tissue. I would consider using cotton in certain circumstances but might consider lining the void with Jap tissue or spider tissue before inserting the cotton wool fill. Another material used by some Egyptian conservators is a solid carve-able foam (uncertain about composition) which they sometimes insert into large voids (rather than using balsa wood for ex.) and then cover with microballoon or cotton fills. Usually Egyptians finish with microballoons for the final surface. Egyptians also often use wood powder/fine sawdust which they mix with microballoons and colour. This they do to make the microballoons go further and keep costs down.",,,,,,,