I Need A Little Help

[rradams]

Hi there,

I am finishing a neck and am using Minwax polyurethane. The neck is cherry with a rosewood cap on the headstock. After 3 days of drying time the finish on the rosewood is gummy. The rest of the neck is great. Why is this happening and what can I do to fix it. I have always used ebony on my headstocks... this is the first time using rosewood. Help! :-)

Thanks in advance,

Rubin

[Brian]

I know Rosewood as well as Ebony and other darker woods can have and hold a lot of natural oils in them and some more then others. The Minwax might have drawn some of it out causing a chemical reaction.

[rradams]

Thanks Brian,

Any suggestions as to what I can do to get a finish on this thing. I have covered it with CA and sanded that down... the finish remianed gummy and scraped right off. Used Stew Mac water based grain filler and it stayed gummy... and scraped right off. My latest trial is wiping all if it down with denatured alcohol... and re spraying. I checked it this morning and it looks better but I'll have to see this evening. I would go with Tru-oil but I have an inlay on the headstock and would like to get a finish over that.

Thanks again,

Rubin

[thedoctor]

Minwax has never been real good at seperating their products out according to what they are to be used for. You may have got some of that trim and final-coat stuff that the lumberyards seem to have in abundance. 3-4 days to handle and dust specks up the wazoo. Never trust a lumberyard dude under 50.