# patching and then finishing MDF



## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

so im making speaker cabinets with MDF
im smart, so i forgot to mirror the tweeter ports.
i didnt realize it until i started routing the port. i only made one pass with the router, maybe 1/8" deep or so.
so, i would lose a lot of progress if i have to cut a new board and route all the speaker holes again.

question:
can i simply fill the groove with some putty/filler sand it down and forget it happened?
of course i can, but my question is more about what will happen if i did that and started to finish it? i was planning to paint the cabinets. im assuming if i sand, paint, sand, paint, etc, nobody will know and it wont be noticeable.
am i correct?


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## mickit (Oct 5, 2009)

gnojham said:


> so im making speaker cabinets with MDF
> im smart, so i forgot to mirror the tweeter ports.
> i didnt realize it until i started routing the port. i only made one pass with the router, maybe 1/8" deep or so.
> so, i would lose a lot of progress if i have to cut a new board and route all the speaker holes again.
> ...


Are the cabinets assembled(glued) yet? If the lower ports are in the center, I'd flip the front piece over. Then the tweeter port would be mirrored.


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## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

Flipping is not an option unfortunately.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You can use Bondo. Works very well. The home centers sell it in the paint dept.












 







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## carpenter174 (Mar 23, 2011)

I use bondo auto body filler it works great and it won't shrink or crack. It dries real hard and once painted you won't see it


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## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

carpenter174 said:


> I use bondo auto body filler it works great and it won't shrink or crack. It dries real hard and once painted you won't see it


yuck, what if i already filled it with that standard wood putty/filler stuff assuming it was either that or start over?
did i screw up?
damn
or, maybe this bondo stuff is the same thing as putty/filler that i used?
damn


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## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

oh, if this bondo stuff is way better than the filler stuff, then i guess i could just cut out the filler and replace it with the bondo.
unless you all think the filler is fine
im paranoid, so i will probably just cut out the filler now anyway, but feel free to try and persuade me not to do it.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

gnojham said:


> oh, if this bondo stuff is way better than the filler stuff, then i guess i could just cut out the filler and replace it with the bondo.
> unless you all think the filler is fine
> im paranoid, so i will probably just cut out the filler now anyway, but feel free to try and persuade me not to do it.


If I thought the wood filler/putty was better I would have suggested it. I would dig it out and use Bondo.












 







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## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> If I thought the wood filler/putty was better I would have suggested it. I would dig it out and use Bondo.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


ok, its settled then
thanks all!


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## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

this is what i need??


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

gnojham said:


> http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
> 
> this is what i need??


No, that's a fiberglass product. The can looks like this:
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## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> No, that's a fiberglass product.


yeah, i saw that, but it said it works with wood, and i dont know any better.
:smile:


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## Dan K (Jan 3, 2011)

Bondo is great stuff for use on wood that is to be painted. adheres well and very workable.


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## eccentrictinkerer (Feb 18, 2009)

Min-wax makes a 'Bondo' clone 2-part wood filler. I use a couple of cans a month in my handyman business.

Like Bondo it doesn't shrink and it sands beautifully in only 10-15 minutes (depends on temperature/humidity).

I once filled over 300 screw holes in a kitchen cabinet update and was 100% successful first pass. 

Mix only what you can use in 5 minutes! When it kicks over, you're done. Period. BTW, it's perfect for MDF.

Home Depot stocks it in the paint department with all the other Min-Wax stains and stuff.

Good luck!


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## gnojham (Apr 7, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> No, that's a fiberglass product. The can looks like this:
> .
> 
> 
> ...


i used this. seems to have works wonderfully
i like the short wait time
thanks again all


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

gnojham said:


> i used this. seems to have works wonderfully
> i like the short wait time
> thanks again all


Sometimes we get it right.:laughing:












 







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## stevenh (Oct 9, 2009)

IMO There is no need to fill it with drywall mud, bondo, whatever.
Unless the edge need to be smoothed out.
But the rest ,Its extra work. Paint will seal it.

Use oil base primer and then top coat with any paint.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

You could patch it with a Dutchman inlay with a router pretty easily, then just fill the seam and paint it. If you're going to cover it with a grill, it won't show, so you might not need to do anything to it.


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