Mr. Preston Swift Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 greetings experienced guitar luthiers, i am building my first guitar project but i am strapped for cash my guitar is made out of a pine body and walnut neck in a les paul shape because i have little money and access to power tools only at my grandpa's place i needed to dumb everything down to the basics such as.... carving the top and comfort contours with a hand belt-sander (surprisingly went well) carving the neck with an extremly rough file ect... don't want to continue boring you anyway the big question is that i need to paint the guitar but don't have a spray gun or air compressor i don't have enough money to buy enough spray cans for a good paint job so i need to do a semi gloss or gloss finish by brush (doing a walnut stain) big questions... what kinds of finish should i use? (brands, types, ect) how do i do a good finish without messing it up? (brush stroke marks) i also have some tung oil for the neck and was wondering how many coats and what else should be applied with it i need a close to detailed explanation on how to do these things thanks guys (and gals) Andrew S. ps: i bought a copy of Hiscock's book, very helpful for noobs like me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCGoatMan Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 I've only done one guitar so please don't consider me an expert.. and if I'm wrong someone with more expirience please correct me. I used Forby's Glossy Tung oil on my guitar and it came out quite well, I tinted the oil with Bing Cherry from Woodburst (as you are on a tight budget you might not want to take that route) using Bounty papertowels and old T-shirts to apply the coats of oil. Initially I sanded with 220 grit between coats but once I got close to the color I wanted I switched to 0000 steel wool. here's the link to my post showing the end result: my kit guitar I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The royal consort Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Ive been using spray cans but everyone round here recommends RUSTINS PLASTIC COATING.... I'm using it for my next one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 As soft as Pine is, don't you think it's kinda dangerous to put a TOM on it, I'm betting the bridge posts will start leaning forward in a few months at best. Just a thought, not a sermon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 I've only done one guitar so please don't consider me an expert.. and if I'm wrong someone with more expirience please correct me. I used Forby's Glossy Tung oil on my guitar and it came out quite well, I tinted the oil with Bing Cherry from Woodburst (as you are on a tight budget you might not want to take that route) using Bounty papertowels and old T-shirts to apply the coats of oil. Initially I sanded with 220 grit between coats but once I got close to the color I wanted I switched to 0000 steel wool. here's the link to my post showing the end result: my kit guitar I hope this helps. thanks, that's kinda what i was leaning twords exept i was going to do a natural neck and a walnut stained body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 As soft as Pine is, don't you think it's kinda dangerous to put a TOM on it, I'm betting the bridge posts will start leaning forward in a few months at best. Just a thought, not a sermon. The only reason i'm using pine and walnut is because i got them for free from my grandpa (and this is also an experiment) i am using a hardtail bridge instead of a post bridge also i was planning on doing a gloss or semi gloss finish (idk which yet) on the pine body and a tung oil based finish on the walnut neck since i'm new to the trade i'm assuming that TOM is refering to Tung oil something (i'm not good w/ abbreviations ) but why do you consider it dangorous to use the TOM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGuy Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Im with Drak. Unless you do pine with a walnut cap. My Pine explorer has a plywood top that takes the strain of the TOM posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Can pine be strengthened a little by wicking CA into the grain where the post bushings are installed? Surely even one extra mm of hardened material around the posts being pushed into the softer surrounding wood will be better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted December 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOM= Tune-O-Matic! i get it now but i am not using a "TOM" I am using a hardtail bridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 not trying to cut you down but................. buy a book before you buy anything else do a search for melvin hiscock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitefly SA Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 but i am not using a "TOM" I am using a hardtail bridge Heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 I heartily recommend Tru-Oil. You can get it at just about any Wal-mart, and can build a very good shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 For hand application I would suggest using a foam applicator rather than a brush. Finishes like polyurethane DO tend to settle out but some brush marks will still have to be sanded out. The foam applicator leaves no trail but they have to be used properly. Pressing too hard makes bubbles. The finish also has to be applied slowwwwly. The applicator should also be left soaking in your container of finish so it's surface won't dry out, otherwise you wind up with the applicator plowing the stuff around and making striations rather than spreading it around evenly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 Pine is so soft and porous, I bet you'd have to use 15 coats of Tru-Oil before it even started to show up on the surface. Super soft wood and a soft finish...unless it was never going to leave the house...no thanks. That is no way to approach building any kind of decent guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted January 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 For hand application I would suggest using a foam applicator rather than a brush. Finishes like polyurethane DO tend to settle out but some brush marks will still have to be sanded out. The foam applicator leaves no trail but they have to be used properly. Pressing too hard makes bubbles. The finish also has to be applied slowwwwly. The applicator should also be left soaking in your container of finish so it's surface won't dry out, otherwise you wind up with the applicator plowing the stuff around and making striations rather than spreading it around evenly. thanks man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted January 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 Pine is so soft and porous, I bet you'd have to use 15 coats of Tru-Oil before it even started to show up on the surface. Super soft wood and a soft finish...unless it was never going to leave the house...no thanks. That is no way to approach building any kind of decent guitar. it's an experimental project helping me get the basics down before going into the real thing but i read that some sort of grain filler helps the finish to be applicated w/out soaking into the wood too much I'm not sure if it would work on pine being that it's so porous, what are your thoughts on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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