Any Favorite Recipes/techniques For Koa?

[TonyDanza4Ever]

I'd like to put a clear finish a koa tele body. I hear it's a dificult wood to work with. So any tips or advice before I begin would be much appreciated. I'd rather use lacquer or KTM-9 than oil, unless I hear that I'd be making a mistake. Anybody? Thanks.

[Prostheta]

It will need grain filling. I did my Koa Telecaster with black CA, wire wooled and finally Tru-oiled it. Once it's settled down, I might protect it with some Rustin's plastic coating. I think just a grainfill and you'll be good to go. For what it's worth, Koa seems to like being sanded up to high grits and wooled to a shine.

[TonyDanza4Ever]

It will need grain filling. I did my Koa Telecaster with black CA, wire wooled and finally Tru-oiled it. Once it's settled down, I might protect it with some Rustin's plastic coating. I think just a grainfill and you'll be good to go. For what it's worth, Koa seems to like being sanded up to high grits and wooled to a shine.

Sorry, but what does "CA" stand for? I'm guessing it's something I haven't used...

[pmarlin]

Cyanoacrylate (aka super glue)

[TonyDanza4Ever]

Thank you. I'll look into it.

[Drak]

No way would I grainfill Koa (with a standard grainfiller anyway), and whoever told you it was a difficult wood to work with was talking out of their DLR-approved asspants, there's nothing hard about Koa at all, it's a very straightforward wood to work with if you know how to work with wood.

What kind of finish you put on it is completely up to you and has nothing to do with the Koa itself, Koa will accept pretty much anything you want to put on it.

[Prostheta]

I had good results with the flamed Koa after I grainfilled it black Drak (heh). Once i'd sanded it flat again and wire wooled it up, the Koa shone and took an oil coat nicely. I think it looks nice as a contrast between the cream binding and black sides now it's darkened up a little. I'll post a thread on the Tele once i've finished it.

I agree that Koa is stupidly easy to work with - very soft and easy to dent though! This is pretty much why I decided to stabilise it a little with a CA grainfill.

[Drak]

No problem using black filler for special effects, but for straightforward clear, the typical grainfillers out there will just muck it up. CA would work great, or 2-part epoxy also, black tinted as well if that's what you're going after.

[Prostheta]

Most grainfillers, I hate but i've really taken to CA as a filler. Much easier to apply than I expected and fumes aside it's speedy and does the job.

[mattharris75]

Ever tried the Stew Mac clear grain filler? That's what I was planning on using on my walnut project. Any reason to steer clear of it, any particular reason why CA is superior?

[Prostheta]

Never tried the Stewmac fillers. CA can be used stabilise soft or punky woods as far as I understand, but the beauty is that it is thin whereas the grainfillers I do have are more like a medium coarse paste and can pull out of the grain during application if you don't time it right. Perhaps this is my technique more than anything. CA goes on thin and can be spread across a wide area using something like (in my case) a Stanley blade or a filler applicator.

I believe Wes should be chiming in anytime now.

[Jon]

Ever tried the Stew Mac clear grain filler? That's what I was planning on using on my walnut project. Any reason to steer clear of it, any particular reason why CA is superior?

I haven't used it yet, but I have a pint of the stuff. I hear it takes many coats to get the pores filled (3+). But I also heard that it sands easily, I'll know soon enough.

[TonyDanza4Ever]

So do you just wipe a little CA on with the grain and then use a stanley knife across the grain to take it off, a few inches at a time?

[Prostheta]

Not to take it off, to spread it in the same direction as the grain - the CA does a good job of wicking itself into the pores and filling em up!

[mattharris75]

Ever tried the Stew Mac clear grain filler? That's what I was planning on using on my walnut project. Any reason to steer clear of it, any particular reason why CA is superior?

I haven't used it yet, but I have a pint of the stuff. I hear it takes many coats to get the pores filled (3+). But I also heard that it sands easily, I'll know soon enough.

Cool, keep me posted. I'm likely a month or two away from using mine, but it would be nice to know how it works.