moojiefulagin Posted October 29, 2003 Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 Hello everyone! This is my first real guitar finishing job, and I'm looking for a good budget finish that will look real- you know, very shiny and durable, but relatively non toxic and hopefully easy to apply. I have a large shop with a million woodworking tools, but as far as finishing all I have is a low quality compressor and a can of miniwax polyurethane. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moojiefulagin Posted October 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 Sorry- forgot to mention I mean im looking for suggestions on supplies, not necesarily technique! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 If you use the minwax let it dry extra long, it will harden beyond belief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moojiefulagin Posted October 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 Yeah, I've used the miniwax before, but it never really gives the shine Im looking for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Bell Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 Try Danish oil. It's very easy and pretty much foolproof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butnut Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Well if it's shine he's looking for, Danish oil won't have it...unless you shoot lacquer or poly over it. I just saw Varathane (the plasticoat stuff) in spray cans that had all kinds of clears for woods...they have come a long way since I first used their brush on stuff 30 years ago...I'm sure their stuff will give a nice glossy wood look easily. I'm almost sure it's poly...Vara(polyure)thane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 just guessing here, but if you wetsand it up smooth enough then buff you can make anything pretty shinny, nes pas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Please take your hands off the minwax!!! That's not what they mean when they say spraying poly.. they are talking about automotive paint. I've never had good luck with the minwax stuff, it's great for funiture but that's about all. You can use it, but you did say you wanted a real good looking shiny finish. Minwax takes too long too cure also which isn't good. As far as getting a paint that isn't toxic, I really don't think you'll find one that's not, so wear a good respirator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G_urr_A Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 nes pas? ne c'est pas, that is. (sorry, just had to....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Sorry, but you're both wrong, it's "n'est-ce pas"...do I smell a hijack? so long ace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 no i'm right!!! long live franglais!!! vive l'acadie!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Sorry, but you're both wrong, it's "n'est-ce pas"... Being from Montreal, I must say that your french is good, but who said Derek was trying to write in french. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Merci Saber, but of course you're right...yet G_urr_A was implying that in his post. And given how close I live to france (on sundays many ppl just have a quick drive across the border to get fresh baguettes for breakfast) I must admit that my french has suffered greatly since I'm out of school and have to do with much more English speaking people then French speakers. French was my first foreign language, but English has become something like my 2nd native tongue due to excessive use of the internet, music and in the beginning greatly to watching subtitled british comedies ;-) so long ace P.S.: Derek, what you meant was "vive les restaurants" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 uhm... i thought it was n'est pas. as in the verb etre.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted November 1, 2003 Report Share Posted November 1, 2003 uhm... i thought it was n'est pas. as in the verb etre.... You have the right verb but "n'est pas" means "is not" whereas "N'est-ce pas?" means "Is it not?" or "Isn't it?" To get back on topic (I'm starting to feel guilty about contributing to the hijack), I'm planning on trying the Varathane Diamond clear finish on the back of a maple Ibanez Wizard 2 neck that I reshaped to my liking (I'm too used to the original thinner Wizard neck). It's not supposed to yellow like the original Varathane Clear satin finish that I used years ago on a Fender maple neck and even that finish came out quite nice and durable. I also scalloped the Wizard's fretboard thanks to Brians excellent tutorials (that's what I got this neck for in the first place). I've finally tried playing a scalloped fretboard after all these years of wondering what John McLaughlin was making a fuss about. Initially it felt kind of strange but after a few days I'm starting to love the wide effortless vibrato that it allows. There's no friction to impede the exact expressivity (I think this is the word's correct use but won't guarantee it ) that your brain wants your fingers to convey. Oops, am I hi-jacking? I'm incorrigible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted November 1, 2003 Report Share Posted November 1, 2003 uhm... i thought it was n'est pas. as in the verb etre.... You have the right verb but "n'est pas" means "is not" whereas "N'est-ce pas?" means "Is it not?" or "Isn't it?" first of all, thanks for clearing up the french thing. I had a test today...oh ****. But second of all, to not hijack. Can you pick up varathane aerosol spray clear coats anywhere? Home Depot, Canadian tire etc? I don't remember seeing anything like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted November 1, 2003 Report Share Posted November 1, 2003 I got the Varathane aerosol at Canadian Tire. I've only tried the satin finish though so I don't know how the Varathane gloss finish would turn out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Maybe its Nez Perce...? ...and like Brian said, the Minwax will do just fine if you wait long enough for the cure. Like, a month or two (not that long if you have a day job...). Then it'll polish up quite nice. For my clear coats I've been using fast-dry polyurethane (not the water-based "polycrylic" stuff which ambers more) in off-the-shelf spray cans from the Depot, 15-20 minutes between coats, 6-8 coats applied with the body lying flat (not hanging), about 1 can will cover the entire body (but also sputters when it gets low...). It is a thin coat, but won't impede the resonance and polishes up nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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