Wet Sanding Problems.

[stoo]

So how the @#^& do you wet sand a maple top and keep the water from getting into the wood around the pot and post(bridge) holes. On the head it got into the maple veneer and I got a small crack in the clear coat. I think the top nut on the tuner will cover it OK. On one of the bridge holes the wood swelled and I got a few ripples in the clear extending 1/4" out! Man...I never expected so many problems....what next :-(

[Southpa]

Before wetsanding I make sure the finish is intact. There should not be any cracks for water to collect and expand the wood. I don't plug or cover predrilled holes when applying clearcoat. Surface wood edge grain at the holes get coated too. Any buildup can easily be cleared by turning the right sized drill bit in the hole with the fingers afterwards.

While wetsanding you have to mop excess water with paper towels regularly. This ensures that water doesn't have time to seep in anywhere and is necessary to monitor sanding progress. It would be a good idea to insert paper towel plugs into the larger holes (bridge, stop tailpiece) while wetsanding and keep replacing every now and then.

Edited February 1, 2005 by Southpa

[erikbojerik]

Too much water.

[strummer2k]

Too much water.

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Here are a couple of ways to get around the problem.

1) You could use plumber's putty to plug the holes, and yes, as has been mentioned, reduce the amount of water you are using.

2) If you are spraying nitro, I use mineral spirits(wear gloves) for wet sanding. It works great and doesn't cause any swelling.