Daniel Sorbera Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 So the first guitar I made I finished about 2 months ago. Now I cant smell the nitro at all but is still scratchs REALLY easily. Should nitro scratch easily or am I doing something wrong? What finish (preferably out of a can) is more durable than nitro? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 I don't know what to say Godin. I have used DEFT nitro, Duplicolor, Krylon, Rustoleum, Minwax, Olympic, and so far the DEFT nitro has been the fastest curing and harder finish of them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Does it pass the fingernail test? i.e. can you dent the finish with your fingernail? Two months is still a pretty young nitro finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 When I press down into it with my fingernail (as hard as I can) nothing happens. But when I press down and try to scratch it it just eats completly through the finish and it looks real ugly. It doesn't do this on any of my "factory" guitars. Mabye I'm not putting enough finish on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 How many coats did you spray? That shouldn't happen.. Did you grain fill? A thin coat + grain impressions would give your fingernail something to grab onto making easier to mar the finish.. It should be fairly abrasion resistant though if thick enough and cured the right way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 I grain filled and than sprayed like two coats of sanding sealer too see if I grain filled good enough. So it looked good (nice even smooth surface) So I than sprayed about 6 coats of stewmacs nitro from the can. It's been drying for like 2 months now and it hasn't gotton and more scratch resistent than the day after I sprayed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanatic1 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 I Hate nitro, its very difficult to work with it. I have the same trouble, but my trouble was that i didnt wait at least 2 months, and when i let the bass in my car, the seats marks the nitro . Now i need to do the work again, it was my first time with nitro, and really dry faster, but its not like poli, and the scrtches are normal, its a low protection, i prefer oil finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Wait a minute....this is the bubinga-topped monster with the mahogany back and cocobolo neck, right? Any chance the finish on the mahogany is OK but not on the bubinga or coco? The latter two can be a bit oily, especially the coco; this would cause the nitro to cure...maybe...never. Drak has some good stories about trying to shoot nitro over cocobolo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Yes it's the coco bubinga mahogany monster The finish acts the same on all the diffrent woods so thats not the problem. I auccually have these HUGE (and really ugly) scratchs on the back of the mahogany They probally get there when I was showing it off too my friends as I never wear a belt of anything with buttons so I don't scratch my guitars. I'm auccually making a new neck for that guitar (fret job wasn't good enough for me) and refinishing the body. THAN that guitar guitar will be awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Try deft.. Maiden seems to have no issues with it, and if you want to seriously bake it, build the little 250 watt IR lamp setup like Myka was experimenting with. Bake that puppy till it's hard as glass. I was looking at Setch's tuts on the LP and he used some 2-pack poly that they sell over there in a little kit for hobby type stuff.. Can't get it around here apparently, which stinks, i'd like to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Where do you buy deft? I will try some experiments with some heat lamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Lowe's sells it, WoodCraft sells it. It's a common clearcoat product. People debate as to whether or not it's "real" nitro. From what I've read it is real nitro, but maybe they have altered it somehow. Look through Maiden's prs 7 string thread, he talks about it a lot in there. I don't know what stores you have down there. Look for a Woodcraft or Rockler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Where do you buy deft? I will try some experiments with some heat lamps. ← Wal-Mart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 The rattlecan stuff is what's good for spraying. If you use a compressor/spray gun set-up, the deft probably isn't for you. I've tried spraying the Deft that comes in quarts (even though it specificly says not to spray it on the can), and it really is pretty aweful stuff for spraying. I think they add retarder to help the finish flow out, so it takes forever to dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Yes, use the one in spray cans. I haven't used the quart one because I don't have a spray gun set. And like I said before I colorsanded and polished 3 days after the last coat was sprayed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Both of the Defts. rattlecan and gallon can are modified nitrocellulose lacquer. The gallon can kind has lots of retarder because it's a brushing grade lacquer and this lets it self level. No nitro type finish is going to be as hard as a catalyzed finish whether you're talking poly or Butyl lacquer. On the other hand nitro is less brittle and if you're doing a hollow body or acoustic it is better for tone, according to a whole bunch of folks. Try using the rattlecans and follow the light bulb oven suggestion. I've got a twenty five year old refinish on an Epiphone that has held up really well, and turned a really great "old nitro" gold color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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