Hi guys, I'm not a member of this group and this is my first post. Forgive me if I've posted incorrectly.
I have a question that I hope someone can help me with. I am restoring an old pinball machine and I need to refinish the plywood cabinet. It has a slightly rough texture with some very fine cracks in it. I've been able to sand it smooth while prepping it for latex painting, but the tiny cracks are still there. There are purely cosmetic minor cracks in the wood and it is not delaminating or loose. I need some way to fill them so that when I paint the cabinet, it will look as slick and smooth as it did when it came from the factory.
I have been looking at the following options:
- Paint on an epoxy sealer. Allow it to fill the cracks and bind for two days. Sand smooth. OR
- Find a thick primer (automotive high build primer?) that I can paint on that will fill the cracks. Allow it to dry. Sand smooth.
Is there another easier option? I've been consulting with someone who does wood boat refinishing and he says I need to do both 1 AND 2! I think that's overkill since the pinball machine doesn't need to be water tight and I don't plan to try to float it in a lake. Any advice would be great. I really just need to fill in these very minor cracks to make the cabinet look smooth. Wood fillers or putties are not an option because the cracks are very very shallow. Possibly half a mm. Plus, they run about 3-4 feet long in some cases. I need an easier paint on method.