Andyjr1515

Great tip (and a reminder for use of a correctly-spec'd respirator and very good ventilation )

So, in summary: - With finishes such as nitro, each coating layer that is applied 'melts' into the previous coats. As such, you end up with a single, thick coating layer which can be sanded and buffed to a shine. - The types of polyurethane products available to the DIY-er don't work the same. Here, each coat remains as an individual whisper-thin layer on top of the previous ones. - Once you have built up enough layers of thickness to start flattening, then you will be sanding through multiple layers as you remove the dints, dips and dust buggies. Where you cut through to a previously flattened layer, that will show as matt. Where you cut through into a layer that wasn't previously flattened, it will show as gloss. - exactly the same will happen if you use a buffing wheel. Here, the heat will tend to melt the varnish layers but you will still get the same contour line effect So, with DIY polyurethane varnishes, I have found (but others may have other ways of doing it) that the trick is to: 1. Understand that the finished gloss is the final two or three coats you apply, unflattened and unbuffed (initially - see step 8 for more info) 2. Flatten the 'final' multi-layered coating, exactly as you have done, until it is perfectly smooth, dint and dust-bug free. I do this final stage with c 3000 grit emery, or something like 8000 micro-web, used wet. 3. Wipe clean of all sanding residue and let fully dry 4. Apply your 'final coat' of gloss 5. Let it dry fully. Any flattening matt marks showing through? If yes, then apply another gloss coat over the first one. It might need a third. 6. If there are other aberrations you are not happy with, no worry - just treat these two or three as extra pre-gloss coats. Simply repeat steps 2-5 7. Once you are happy with the dried gloss finish, STOP. Then leave it for at least 2 weeks to fully harden. 8. Once it's fully hardened you can use a good quality auto polish (I use Meguiar's Ultimate Compound) to hand buff it up using a clean non-lint cloth. You can repeat that hand buffing from time-to-time throughout the instrument's life - it may be a very thin final gloss coat, but it IS tough. Don't use an auto powered buffer - this will generate too much heat and will soften that top gloss layer. If this happens, then you would need to to start again at step 2! These are a couple of examples done this way:

Just had a quick look - yes, I did cover it. See 'Stage 3' in this short Tutorial:

Is the actual surface lumpy...or is it that you have a pretty flat surface but that you have areas that are matt finish, other areas that are glossy and contour lines between them? I'll post at more length when I get a moment to explain why and how, but with standard polyurethane finishes, you cannot sand or buff down to a gloss finish as you would with, say, nitro. I think this issue is covered in my Topic on wipe-on poly finishes in the 'Tutorial' section but no-matter - I'll explain fully in any case when I get a moment Oh - and don't worry...you won't have done ANY harm doing what you have already done...

And there's nothing wrong with that! Happily for me, the guy who asked me to refinish it didn't - otherwise he'd be REALLY p****d about what I did to it

Ah - we maybe at crossed purposes. When you say 'white mahogany stain', do you mean this? If so, then no - that was the 'before'. It was a finish that Gibson produced for a while - a bit like chalk-paint in the way it looked and behaved but, as far as I know, was actually a nitro finish. Happily, the owner hated the above (the photo is, actually, flattering. In real life, I had to agree with him..it was a bit naff) which is why he asked me to strip it all off. This is the tru-oil slurry and buffed chestnut stain mix on top of the light mahogany neck that was under the chalk paint: So, is the change an Andyjr1515 triumph or an Andyjr1515 act of vandalism, we're all wondering

Thanks, Ash The whole job was a bit of a mix of stains and thinners. I'm pretty sure that all of the stains I used were from the Chestnut Spirit Stains 'sampler pack' - things like light mahogany/light oak/teak/etc, with, I think I remember, a teeny bit of yellow from their poster-colour sampler pack. The only problem with doing it this way is that if you run out of the mixed quantity mid-application... That said, I'm actually not a huge fan of those particular stains - they seem to leave a glossy skin in some applications. But their sampler sets have such a variety of colours that, in this kind of application, they are very useful. For non-wood colours, I still favour pen inks - although admittedly you have to either stick to 'permanent' and calligraphy inks, or do a bit of research to choose the colours and brands that are less prone to fade. Luckily, there are loads of 'fountain pen enthusiast' forums around with just that kind of info. This below is all fountain pen ink: This was recently retired after around 10 years faithful service - and it still looked the same colour

I'm a bit late to the party on this one. Although I can't remember ever staining and oiling a fretboard, the answer ref the neck is yes. This is a mahogany LPJ that I did a few years ago in red calligraphy ink and finished in Tru-oil. The body was brought to a light gloss but the neck was done in a modified version of the Tru-oil 'slurry and buff method'. It was an experiment on one of my own guitars as I'd always been told that 'slurry and buff' with a stained finish was no good as it would just sand/slurry the stain off. And, just done the normal way, yes that is right. But to my surprise, done in a modified way, there was no sign of the stain wearing off or 'red left thumb' in sight! And I was left with a silky-smooth, very organic-feeling stained neck. That said, at the time I wasn't an exceptionally regular gigger. However, the following year - with due warnings and disclaimers - I refinished a Gibson LP Studio in stains and inks for a VERY regular and heavy gigger. He was happy for me to give his Gibson the same treatment and so that's what I did. It went from this: ...to this... As you can see, pretty heavy staining! And - and I specifically asked him for feedback - no wear or staining of his fretting thumb either!! The modified method is simple, but there are some important steps that need to be incorporated. Shout if you want any more detail.

Oh, my! It's going to be another stunner

Quite agree. I love my Mirka and the abranet pad system, but serious removal (wood or hard finish) isn't, in my experience, one of their strengths

I love the back of that headstock, by the way. Some proper craftsmanship going on there

With reference to the bridge position, it will usually to be around 1mm longer than scale for the top string and then progressively up to 5mm longer than the scale for the bottom string. It will never be shorter than the scale length. What I do is: - Never do anything until I have the actual bridge in my posession - I then check the full movement of the saddles. Does it have at least 6mm between fully forwards to fully back? If yes, then the bridge can be set square to the guitar centre line. If not, then the bridge will have to be angled to allow that extra distance added to scale length to be able to intonate the bottom strings properly. - I then wind the top string saddle 1mm short of fully forwards - I position the bridge so that the top string saddle is at scale length. That 1mm is a safety factor for the vagaries of measuring, accuracy of hole drilling and also wood not always behaving as we humans would wish

Setting in the plates like that makes such a difference. Great stuff

Well, following the rules that it is OK to resubmit an entry - and last month, as soon as @ADFinlayson posted his magnificent single cut, I knew the game was over - I present to you my 'Baby Swift' It is a mini 6-string acoustic guitar that I have designed and built for my two grandchildren so that it is there, as they grow up, for them to mess about with and make any noises they like with it, or to learn to play it if they have an interest, or to just use as a convenient cricket or table tennis bat if they don't It has some similarities to some of the increasing number of very small guitars starting to appear on the market - a similar scale to some of them; a body size based on a tenor ukulele - but also some differences to satisfy my 'what if..?' and 'I wonder if...' interests. And at least one personal challenge - other than could I build it at all - and that is: can I make it in a way that it sounds more like a classical guitar than a ukulele? I've been modding and building guitars and basses for over ten years, making and mending stuff for my own use, fellow band members, family and friends and the occasional commissioned build. The 'Baby Swift' specs are: - 17" scale 6-string nylon strung acoustic guitar - Spruce top; mahogany back and sides; purpleheart fretboard and details; mahogany neck; ebony binding and details; abalone rosette with offset purfling detail - X-braced, tap-tuned top - through pin bridge with solid ebony bridge-pins - tenor-ukulele body shape; 3" (76mm) body depth - presently tuned 2 semitones higher than standard with Savarez mixed tension strings (bass high tension, treble normal tension). The recording below was with different strings at 3 semitones higher than standard. - 1lb 15oz weight (yes, I know ) Here are some pictures: Here's the build thread: And here's a short sound clip with various styles of playing recorded directly into my little Zoom H2n recorder. As always with these things, it's best heard through headphones or decent speakers. I'll leave you to decide whether I met my objective of it sounding more like a guitar than a ukulele... Little Swift Soundfiles 2 MP3.mp3 Thanks for looking (again!)

Congrats on your GOTM win, Ash A well deserved win with a simply beautiful guitar

Looks great

Love it !

I think there's a few but Ovangkol is definitely one of them...

I'm a great fan of Tonerider - always have been since I upgraded my genuine and decent spec Gibson Les Paul by popping a pair of their Alnico IV Classics in - a pair of pickups that were less than half the street price of the originals I took out...

Oh...that didn't go how I had expected/hoped...

Well, that's really all that matters! I can't quite envisage what the arrangement you are using is. Do you have a photo?

And that's reminded me of a job I keep forgetting to do!

That said, that last one looks much better than the previous ones and, to my eye, looks like there's a logical flow there

No. I can't see it even when I have been told it is there. A splendid, and invisible, repair. Great thinking about the wedge. That's a LOT of weight coming off and yet you are left with a full depth control chamber and front visuals that don't give the little secret away! I like the thinking and the result.

Looks and sounds great! Great job