Natural Finish

[Hotrock]

Alright guys here's the problem.

I've got a 4A quilted top and I want to really enhance the quilt. I'm trying to achieve a naturalish look that looks like I haven't fiddled with the colour too much. Anyone got any tips on colours (yellow and brown I think are most likely)

The other problem is that the axe is for all intents and purposes is a neck through with 3 laminates (2 maple and 1 zebra wood) and I also want to enhance these but the finger board is made form the same laminates and I want that to match too. But I've been told that the finger board shouln't really be clear coated.

Unfortunately no pics yet but I'll post some when I can

[terrax]

you could stain orange, then sand back down to where the light points are back to natural, that would make it pop.

dave

[Hotrock]

Bumpedy bump.

Any more suggestions. (Not saying that I'm not listening to terrax, but I like nore than one opinion).

[skibum5545]

Here's the results of the search feature: I knew Drak would have some insight on deep finishes!

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...ic=4203&hl=deep

[edit]Scroll down for bes results

Edited September 14, 2004 by skibum5545

[Hotrock]

Nice one dudes. I never really thought of shellac, I was thinking more of staining it to enance the grain but that's a damn good idea.

Is it suitable for a neck though? Or a fingerboard for that matter?

[MzI]

id suggest amber dye, using a really dilluted wash coat should give you a lite tint to the wood, you can always sand back do the same thing again with the same dilluted mix and itll make the figure stand out quite nicely

MzI

Edited September 14, 2004 by MzI

[Setch]

You could treat the body and fretboard with thinned epoxy. It sets up very hard, and if thinned a little with alcohol it really penetrates and pops figure. It's used to toughen fretless fingerboards, so I'd imagine it'd wear well.

It can also be cleared over if you want a glossy body, and rubbed with 0000 steel wool to give a satin finish to the fretboard.

[Dugz Ink]

Tung Oil and Boiled Linseed Oil are the best for bringing out the figure in your wood, and give a "natural" finish. But it isn't very hard. However, I have heard of people using Tung Oil as a grain filler, then topping it with a Urethane. Never tried it, but it could create the look that you need.

One furniture company has some articles on-line about how they apply an oil/urethane mixture to their furniture. This technique might work, too.

D~s

[skibum5545]

Drak mentioned Abralon pads to sand the wood to mirror shine before finishing; here they are:

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=928-165

I'm probably going to go for micromesh pads myself, and pick up some higher grits as well for polishing my finish.

[skibum5545]

Okay, I have one last question here:

My woods are curly maple, quilted maple, pau ferro, and lacewood. None are particularly open grained. If I use tru oil as a base coat, do I also need to grainfill? If so, will the tru oil stick if I use epoxy as a grain filler?

After that, I leave it a few weeks to completely dry, lay a couple coats of shellac, and then lacquer. Can I use acrylic lacquer(eg Duplicolor Truck/SUV clear)? What about 2-part poly (as in car shop paints it for me)? Then buff out as usual.

That whole process sound about right?

[edit] sorry for the double post. I didn't realize I had posted the post before this one. Could one of the mods combine them if deemed necessary?[/edit]

Edited September 16, 2004 by skibum5545