javacody Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Drak, way OT, but any idea what wood bleach would do to walnut? I've got some curly walnut that is pretty dark and I want to bring out the curl and lighten up the center a bit. Any idears? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Wood Bleach works great on Walnut. One of my GOTM wins was a Walnut topped guitar that had the same problem, waaay too dark, so I bleached it, then redyed it with some red, came out good enough to win a GOTM. I mean, it won't go white, but it significantly lightens up the natural color to an acceptable level, then the dye helped bring the figure out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Drak, if you dye the veneer even the slightest bit pink, isn't there the possibility that the green will take on a brownish cast? I don't know about dyes and shader coats, but I know what happens with other paints. I'd hate for this one to get the WOD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 No, because the 2 colors will be separated by lacquer, the pinkish will be sealed under the lac. OK, all done now, plenty of pics forthcoming. I've bleached the wood, dyed it, and sanded back. This is the most 'delicate' sand back job I've ever done, wait till you see it. I'm now going out to shoot it clear, then I'll upload some pics. BTW, the dye I used wound up being more yellow than red in the end. You'll see shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Can't wait to see this Drak. I'm sure it's going to turn out awesome. The anticipation is killing me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 So dye is used to enhance the figure...then you seal everything with lacquer. Lock the figure in so to say....and then use tained laqquer to bring in the greenish/brownish edge part. Is that the process you're using?? Bring'm on Drak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Yes, that's it exactly. OK, first 2 coats on now, I think I nailed it as close as could be expected for a first attempt, it looks as much like the inside of an apple as I can get it. I'll let those dry and upload some pics now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 To quote Dr. Frank-N-Furter, can't you see me "shiver with anticipation"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Here's a pic of the Wood Bleach, mixed equal parts A and B in my little mixing cup and ready to apply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Here is the rear, now dyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Here is a pic of the guitar drying in the sun before the sandback. The shade really alters the colors of the pics, this helps equalize the view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Back in the shade again ( ) here is a pic of the back sanded back, and the back cover for reference of what it looked like before the sandback. You have been updated once again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TenderSurrender Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Shes looking beutifal Drak Keep up the great work, cant wait to see how cool this is gonna be when its done! ~~ Slain Angel ~~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeiscosRock Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 B-E-A-U-tiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Wow, the waves of quilt look like they are going to come out of the guitar and wash over me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsilver Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 I love the color of that alder after you applied the CA, and the way it is visible at the edges of the top due to the roundover paring back the quilt a bit. Oh well, I guess that alder color will be a "casualty" to the burst. But, that's cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 I think that edge is the purpleheart you are seeing. Wonder if Drak is planning on doing a faux binding. Not sure if it would match the color scheme though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoofnagle Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 When will you route for the neck pup - or did I miss that you are not doing a neck pup? Looks great so far. I really like the way the tummy carve looks on the back. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 OK, I've got about 8 coats of clear on it now, the finish is finally starting to build. Time to play with the green dyes. Hopefully, it will be dry enough to give it a gentle flat-sanding in about 2-3 hours, then I should have my green figured out and ready to go. Trying to get all the colors on today, the rest of the clearcoats on tomorrow, then it's dry time for a few weeks. My black edge burst color will be started with a basecoat of green, then black added until it looks pretty much black, but will really be a -very- dark green, then it's ready to shoot. You'll see. Wish me luck, this next step is the make-or-break step for the whole job, everything I've done up to now is poot if the green burst doesn't come off right. WOD AWAITS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!!METAL MATT!! Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Good luck Drak! I hope WOD can go a few more days with out food !!METAL MATT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gun Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Sorry but I lost the last updates. Why did you use a bleach? Gian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Sorry but I lost the last updates. Why did you use a bleach? Gian ← go back one page and read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 OK, I did the burst on the back first in case I goobered it too bad, or got the color wrong, etc... I think we have a winner! Only suck thing, I did it on my workbench IN THE SHADE and ALL the pics SUCK!!!!!! I'm letting it dry now, I think I can get the front done by tonight, I'll have to wait until it's dry enough to touch to take it out in the sun for a few pics, probably tomorrow. So far, so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavnerGuitarWorks Posted September 4, 2005 Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 Now, that's my kinda' Tele! Only thing that would make it better is if it had two Rio Grande hums with a single in the middle and was shaped like a Strat! Obviously, I'm not too much of a Tele man, but I like this one alot! I'm getting ready to do a Tele "inspired" guitar myself... Hopefully!!! Good luck with the sourburst. If the WOD eats this one, I might have to kick the WOD in the nads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2005 The way the guitar looks now, it bears little to no resemblance to the previous pics. It's really beautiful now. Even tho pics will have to wait, I will go into some detail how I did the burst. 1. Bleached wood 2. Dyed wood a -very- light orange-yellow. 3. Sanded back 4. Clear Coats to level 5. First coat, I kept the green pretty light, and 'misted' a coat over the whole guitar to get it leaning to green. 6. Added much more green, and shot the burst. 7. Added black to the green, and shot the outer burst and sides. 8. Started with a new batch of clear, and added a smidgen of green to it, a true 'toner' coat. The difference is almost imperceptable, but it made the transition from the center to the outer bands smooooother. 9. Clear coat. A few notes. Although I really like it, Frank Falbo was right, quilted Maple veneer is a lot different in how it acts than the real wood. What happens is this: the glue seeps up into the pores of the veneer, and the pores (the grain) is EVERYTHING to the quilt. I noticed the 'wave' quality is nowhere NEAR what a real piece of quilt would be. It's OK for this guitar, but as good as this looks, I know I can do far better with a piece of real quilt. I've worked with veneer for years, and when I read Frank's post, I didn't really agree with him, because no veneer I had used before had done that to me. Frank said it was because the thickness of the veneer wasn't deep enough to allow the dye to do it's job, and I disagreed with that because I had done lots of veneers that I had sanded back numerous times to where the dye was completely gone and I could just start over, but really, he's right in a way, because the GLUE seeps into the QUILT itself, thus inhibiting the figure in the end. You'll still like it, but a real piece of quilt would have looked just like the mockup pic. This one comes as close as I can get it, I think most will like it, but you know, life is a constantly learning experience, so I learned something about quilted maple veneer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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