# Behlen Water Base Grain Filler (Mahogany)... Its PINK!



## RogerBean

Spaids,
Did you by any chance contact Behlen and ask their logic as to the color …or if it is some kind of mfg error? 
Roger


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## spaids

I sanded a test board after applying the behlens but did not bother finishing it any further due to the color. I have contacted Behlen but was asked to leave my contact information and am waiting for a reply. I plan to return to woodcraft in St. Louis on the way home and see what they are willing to do about this. As active as lumberjocks is I hope that some one who has used this exact product before might chime in with their experience.


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## AaronK

also, are you supposed to sand this down so that it fills just the pores?


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## AaronK

oops sorry, looks like you did that. well - maybe you should continue sanding it?


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## spaids

Maybe I should just keep sanding until its all gone.


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## CiscoKid

Spaids,
Sounds like you got some of their new formula grain filler. I just did some research and have found others complaining of the new salmon color. Here's a link at TDPRI (a Telecaster forum) where they are discussing it. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-219863.html
I've got about 1/3 of an old can that I've had for years. It used to be darker. A buddy of mine recently dyed his grain filler dark brown before applying it. Looked like an unholy mess when he was working with it but the finished product turned out fantastic. I'll try to dig up the photographs he took of the process.

In any case, I would take a scrap of mahogany and apply it, let it dry, and sand it back to see the results. If it still looks bad take the sample in to Woodcraft and show them why you aren't happy. They should refund your money if they wish to keep a valued customer. In this economy you have to treat your customers right.

I would recommend Bartley's grain filler but I hear the company that made it has gone out of business. : (


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## spaids

Wow its that color on PURPOSE? I thought surely any second someone would say "oh that happened to me once and it was a defect". Well there's $20 out the window.


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## HokieMojo

I'm with Barry. I don't think you can give a final judgement until you sand and apply a finish. It might be one of those "magical" final steps. That being said, I have "dark brown" finish that I bought for use on walnut. I never made it to the wood filling phase because I decided not to try and use wood filler on a curved surface project, but I did notice that when dried, it looked like dry mud on a truck after offroading. Hardly the "dark" color I was expecting.

I wish I had better advice than to say try it before reaching a final conclusion.


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## lanwater

I have never used it. I am certainly interested in that magical moment after the full finish.
I don't think a clear finish would change the color much.


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## DerekL

lanwater, you've never seen how things change color when wet?


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## lanwater

When wet sure but not that dramatic. Definitely not from mahagony to pink.


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## MedicKen

I agree with Barry on trying the full finish. Just as an example most ceiling paints are tinted pink so you can see where you have painted and then it dries white. This filler may do the same after applying a top coat.


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## spaids

Follow up with Behlen:

If you contact Behlen with a usage question about a product you will be directed to a man named Phillip. He is a nice guy and also open and honest which I greatly appreciate. He told me "yea they are all kind of a milky pastel color. I don't know who picked that color but I guess its supposed to blend in with raw mahogany."

Ok well the product isn't defective then. Ideally Philip would have reassured me about the products use despite the odd color but that's a bit of a stretch to say on the phone I guess. I told told him I planned to return it to the store and he said to let him know if I have any trouble with that. He is a nice guy but giving me an education on the use of the product wasn't what he was there for so I'm on my own whether to use this stuff or not.

On the merit of Barry's logic I'm gonna go through with testing this stuff. I do not believe there is a time limit on editing a review so if it works out I will revise. Part of my concern is the time crunch I've got myself in for finishing this project and trying a finish that I've never attempted before. I realize this is my own fault but man, if the stuff would have just been brown. 

I think they should consider something on the label to prepare you for the shock of the pink color.


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## jayman7

I'm so glad someone found this out also! I built a red oak desk using this very grain filler since the guy at Woodcraft recommended it.

Red oak desk

I was highly disappointed in the pink color as well. I applied it with a bondo plastic spreader and sanded it flat after it dried (creates a lot of nasty fine pink dust). I applied shellac, a GF espresso stain, and then GF java stain and there wasn't much pink left after that. If the light hits the finish at the right angle, some areas do have a pink haze which I'm kinda disappointed in. I should've used a different filler after a couple test boards but I was tight on time and it didn't turn out too badly. I didn't try a plain varnish on top though. I can't imagine it looking good.


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## Brit

Hey Spaids, been there, done that. 

I used that as a grain filler on a mahogany interior bay window sill and on the panels of a an exterior Sapele side gate I made recently which you can view in my projects. Look at the last picture and you'll see that the panel isn't pink. I agree it is a bit disconcerting when you see it in the can and even more so when you put it on the wood, but as CessnaPilotBarry says, complete your finishing process on a test piece and I think you'll find it works out fine. It did for me.


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## Brit

One more thing. It's a messy process so cover up anything you don't want filled and put some newspaper down. Leave it to completely dry before attempting to sand it. I know the tin says 2 hours, but if you can leave it overnight that would be preferable. Two pieces of advice:

1) A little goes a long way, so pour on a small amount and quickly spread it out working across the grain and at 45 degrees to the grain in both directions. It starts to become unspreadable pretty quick, so concentrate your efforts on a piece about 1 ft x 1 ft and try to get it evenly spread out, then move on to the next area trying not to overlap the first area as you will double the thickness of it and then the sanding takes longer. I used the rubber squeegee thing that Behlen sell.

2) I hand sanded it starting with P80, then P120, then P240. It is a fine line between removing the filler from the surrounding wood leaving it only in the pores and over-sanding it thus exposing new pores that have not been filled. If you are doing a piece of furniture and are going for a glass-like finish, you might want to fill it twice. A raking light can help see any areas that might need attention.


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## vicrider

Hello, spaids,

You might like to try Crystalac grain filler. I have posted a review here.

It really is the best filler I have found.


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## lashing

Dont use Behlen. Some think they have good products. I dont. Local suppliers will do you better every time. I like to buy such things from the business tha makes it and survives on customer support.


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