Anyone Tried This?

[bugman96]

I just ordered some black limba from Gilmer Wood and spoke with Marc (their instrument-wood guy) and he recommended using a 1:1:1 mixture of linseed oil, turpentine, and polyurethane.

Has anyone tried this? It sounds like what's going on in this thread

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...3&hl=turpentine

but is maybe a little harder/offers more protection?

And would ever have to reapply something like this down the road?

[unclej]

I just ordered some black limba from Gilmer Wood and spoke with Marc (their instrument-wood guy) and he recommended using a 1:1:1 mixture of linseed oil, turpentine, and polyurethane.

Has anyone tried this?  It sounds like what's going on in this thread

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...3&hl=turpentine

but is maybe a little harder/offers more protection?

And would ever have to reapply something like this down the road?

←

you'll see in that thread that i usually use an older version..equal parts of linseed oil, turpentine and varnish. you can substiture poly for the varnish and even paint thinner for the turpentine. whatever mix you use mix it up the night before you use it and let it blend overnight. get yourself a stick that you can screw into the neck pocket with a hole in the other end so that you can hang it from the ceiling or a pole. totally flood the surface and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. wipe it down well and then apply another coat. another fifteen minutes and wipe it down again.

after the first two coats add additional coats the same way but let them sit overnight between coats. you can wet sand with 400-600 grit wet/dry paper between the first two or three coats. after that you're defeating your purpose.

just keep adding coats until you get the feel and patina that you're looking for. after it has cured for a few days you can apply a good paste wax intended for floors..not cars.

it gives a nice medium sheen that allows the feel of the wood come through and can be renewed if needed with anther coat of wax.

good luck.

[bugman96]

you'll see in that thread that i usually use an older version..equal parts of linseed oil, turpentine and varnish.  you can substiture poly for the varnish and even paint thinner for the turpentine.  whatever mix you use mix it up the night before you use it and let it blend overnight.  get yourself a stick that you can screw into the neck pocket with a hole in the other end so that you can hang it from the ceiling or a pole.  totally flood the surface and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.  wipe it down well and then apply another coat.  another fifteen minutes and wipe it down again.

after the first two coats add additional coats the same way but let them sit overnight between coats.  you can wet sand with 400-600 grit wet/dry paper between the first two or three coats.  after that you're defeating your purpose. 

just keep adding coats until you get the feel and patina that you're looking for.  after it has cured for a few days you can apply a good paste wax intended for floors..not cars.

it gives a nice medium sheen that allows the feel of the wood come through and can be renewed if needed with anther coat of wax.

good luck.

←

Thanks. I would've thought the initial soaking of the wood would take longer than that. I'm guessing if I finish it with this method I won't need grain filler b/c the oil mixture totally soaks in and the urethane polymerizes to seal it?

[unclej]

you definitely don't want to use a sealer. if you do that the oil won't soak in which is the secret to the finish. now, it doesn't sink in a lot..probably no more than an eighth of an inch..mabe as much as a quarter inch if the wood is pourous. and it only takes fifteen to twenty minutes for it to soak that far. at that point it starts curing from the inside out and filling the pores. that's the purpose of the wet sanding during the first couple of coats. the slurry created by the sanding helps fill the pores.

what you're doing is building up the finish so that when the pores are more or less filled it starts building on the surface. it won't be a completely smooth finish like a sprayed on one. you'll still be able to feel the grain of the wood. and it won't create a high shine like lacquer or high gloss poly. but that's why i like it. it creates a more natural looking and feeling finish.

here's an example of one i did that way.

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1060875

you'll see that the grain really shows through and the colors on all of the woods i used on the inlay are very true. it does darken the colors just a bit like almost any finish but doesn't hide them.

here's another that may show the true sheen a little better.

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1141114

if i can help any more let me know.

good luck.

[bugman96]

Those look really nice. I'm considering this finish partly because I don't have the equipment to spray a nice lacquer finish and partly because it looks nice.

And I do have some more questions

Since the oil is soaking in do I have to worry about it building up in the neck pocket (if that did happen I could just sand it out, right)? Do I need to protect pickup and control cavities...like will the oil finish in the control cavity interfere with shielding tape sticking to the wood?

Wet sanding is dampening the wood (which would be better in this case - water or a solvent) then sanding with the grain, then wipe the slurry across the grain?

Can you give me an estimate of about how much of the mixture I'll need to submerge the guitar?

Thanks for your help.

Edited October 13, 2005 by bugman96

[unclej]

Those look really nice. I'm considering this finish partly because I don't have the equipment to spray a nice lacquer finish and partly because it looks nice.

And I do have some more questions

Since the oil is soaking in do I have to worry about it building up in the neck pocket (if that did happen I could just sand it out, right)? Do I need to protect pickup and control cavities...like will the oil finish in the control cavity interfere with shielding tape sticking to the wood?

THE FINISH DOESN'T BUILD UP THAT MUCH. IN FACT IT'S QUITE THIN SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE NECK POCKET OR THE CONTROL CAVITIES. IT WON'T INTERFERE WITH YOUR SHIELDING TAPE.

Wet sanding is dampening the wood (which would be better in this case - water or a solvent) then sanding with the grain, then wipe the slurry across the grain?

WHAT I MEAN BY WET SANDING IS WHEN YOU FLOOD THE BODY WITH THE OIL FINISH SAND IT WHILE IT'S STILL WET. NO WATER OR SOLVENT. LET IT SIT FOR THE 15-20 MINUTES AND THEN YES, WIPE ACCROSS THE GRAIN.

Can you give me an estimate of about how much of the mixture I'll need to submerge the guitar?

NO NEED TO SUBMERGE THE GUITAR. JUST BUY A PINT OF EACH PART OF THE MIXTURE AND AN ADDITIONAL EMPTY CAN TO MIX IT IN. A HALF A CUP OF EACH MAKES MORE THAN ENOUGH TO DO A GUITAR. GET SOME DISPOSABLE BRUSHES AND A BUNCH OF OLD T-SHIRTS OR OTHER SOFT RAGS TO WIPE IT DOWN WITH. BRUSH THE MIXTURE ON LIBERALLY AND LET IT SOAK.

BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU DO WITH THE RAGS WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED WITH THEM! TAKE THEM OUTSIDE AND HANG THEM ON A TREE BRANCH OR SOMETHING UNTIL THEY DRY OUT. IF YOU THROW THEM INTO A TRASH CONTAINER WHILE THEY'RE STILL WET OR THROW THEM ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR SHOP THEY CAN AND WILL SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITE.

Thanks for your help.

YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME. ANY TIME.

[RobSm]

NO NEED TO SUBMERGE THE GUITAR. JUST BUY A PINT OF EACH PART OF THE MIXTURE AND AN ADDITIONAL EMPTY CAN TO MIX IT IN. A HALF A CUP OF EACH MAKES MORE THAN ENOUGH TO DO A GUITAR. GET SOME DISPOSABLE BRUSHES AND A BUNCH OF OLD T-SHIRTS OR OTHER SOFT RAGS TO WIPE IT DOWN WITH. BRUSH THE MIXTURE ON LIBERALLY AND LET IT SOAK.

BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU DO WITH THE RAGS WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED WITH THEM! TAKE THEM OUTSIDE AND HANG THEM ON A TREE BRANCH OR SOMETHING UNTIL THEY DRY OUT. IF YOU THROW THEM INTO A TRASH CONTAINER WHILE THEY'RE STILL WET OR THROW THEM ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR SHOP THEY CAN AND WILL SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITE.

Thanks for your help.

YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME. ANY TIME.

←