Repairing beetle holes in flame box elder (Woodworking doesn't always go as planned)

I wanted to make some beetle holes disappear from the front of a cabinet frame, but my first attempt was a little more noticeable than I wanted. The second attempt didn't look too great either. Eight attempts later, the area being patched was much bigger than when it started, but I think that the final outcome was about as good as it's going to get for this round.

[@oldschoolsmart]

Great video! Much appreciated.

[@owennanagy283]

Just the right mix of skill and patience. The results are stunning.

[@richragan4810]

Thank you. Nice tip for Box elder which I use occasionally.

[@matthewharvey8755]

In the poplar trim I bought about 8 different wood fillers, and mixed to match each staple/screw hole.

[@TheSnekkerShow]

That's a good way to do it with trim. Even for larger holes, sometimes a grain pen can be used to trick the mind by continuing the grain lines through the putty.

[@matthewharvey8755]

@@TheSnekkerShow yes sir, 100%

[@davidshaper5146]

Just my opinion, but if you don't like the "damage", choose another hardwood. Nice overall effort.

[@TheSnekkerShow]

Agreed. If this wasn't just a prototype, I would have been more selective when choosing boards.

[@davidshaper5146]

@@TheSnekkerShow I mainly turn the stuff. If it's a bowl for food, I fill the holes with dyed black epoxy.

[@TheSnekkerShow]

@@davidshaper5146 Black filler can be a nice detail. Ordinarily I'd view the holes as character, but maybe just because it's a frame, the concentration and location of the holes looked more like a flaw. I maybe could have balanced it out by drilling two or three holes on the other side.

[@davidshaper5146]

@@TheSnekkerShow I normally don't fill them, and tell people not to use them for food because you'll never get food debris out of the holes. It's also a pain filling concave and convex surfaces with a liquid. Plus, I have to be turned to near final thickness because the epoxy might nut fully penetrate, and I might open up new holes as I approach final thickness. All said, it's a lot easier saying "don't use this for food".

[@matthewharvey8755]

@@davidshaper5146 lol same here. I have tried making putty dams to help save on resin, but typically call it artisanal wormwood.