fidgec94 Posted December 19, 2003 Report Posted December 19, 2003 Ive read loads of different websites (stewmac, reranch, the tutorials here) and the information is all too much and some of it conflicting.... 'I use oil based grain fillers, water based are no good' 'i use water based' 'finish with abrasive paper and polishing compound' 'use mirco mesh only, it'll give a mirror finish' blah blah blah blah blah This is all for theory purposes (i dont actually have a body yet!). From what i can decipher...... 1. Fill grain with a grain filler (water...oil? i dunno!) does this still need to be done if theres a veneer on top? 2. Some ppl appear to spray alittle clear coat to seal (or is this actually a special type of sealer?) 3. Do the colour bit....anyone know a good reliable brand for staining veneer, maybe something with a website i can look at? 4. Spray clear coats 5. Polishing....which do you guys think is best, finish with something like 2000 grit and then use the stewmac abrasive polishing compiunds or just use that micro mesh stuff? Sorry for all the questions, you wouldnt believe ive already finished a body recently! (i just bought whatever i found in the local DIY store and luckily it worked....well kinda). Maybe someone can recommend a really good book about finishing, especially translucent finishes (i.e. a body with a flamed veneer)? HELP Many thanks Chris Quote
funkle Posted December 19, 2003 Report Posted December 19, 2003 1. Fill grain with a grain filler (water...oil? i dunno!) does this still need to be done if theres a veneer on top? 2. Some ppl appear to spray alittle clear coat to seal (or is this actually a special type of sealer?) 3. Do the colour bit....anyone know a good reliable brand for staining veneer, maybe something with a website i can look at? 4. Spray clear coats 5. Polishing....which do you guys think is best, finish with something like 2000 grit and then use the stewmac abrasive polishing compiunds or just use that micro mesh stuff? 6. Buy the Stew-Mac Shopguide series "Guitar Finishing Step by Step" Very good explanation of compatibility, and different approaches to grain filling. All the major finishes, equipment and techniques are explained, and there are several finish schedules, or "recipes" for duplicating the classics. Quote
fidgec94 Posted December 19, 2003 Author Report Posted December 19, 2003 Any takers on the micromesh/polishing compound and veneer issues? Quote
DannoG Posted December 20, 2003 Report Posted December 20, 2003 If you are using a wood that has little or no pore openings, like maple, you won't need a grain filler. Filler is for woods like mahogany. Quote
Brian Posted December 20, 2003 Report Posted December 20, 2003 Any takers on the micromesh/polishing compound and veneer issues? Both work equally well, it's just a matter of preference for some people. Quote
Page_Master Posted December 20, 2003 Report Posted December 20, 2003 what would happen if one just stained and laqued a mahogany body without filling the grains? Quote
Drak Posted December 20, 2003 Report Posted December 20, 2003 Well, the information is all 'scattershot' information until you actually have a body sitting in front of you. Once you have a body, you look at what it's made of (woodwise) and go from there. Different woods either react to or need different treatments to bring out the best in them. Finishing Maple (for instance) is worlds away from finishing Spruce or Redwood. Once you have defined what it is you're finishing, then you can start plotting a course to finish it to it's best virtue. Page, yes, you can just fill open-pored woods with lacquer straight from the get-go, the down-side is that you'll be shooting a LOT of coats and doing a LOT of sanding back to fill the pores, but it certainly can be done. It just takes more effort and time. Look at this Ash by Vendelcrow. Ash has HUGE pores, he reportedly just used lacquer straight-up, no filler. I am in awe of the finish on this, 'cause I know how much of a pain it must have been to fill those Ash pores with just lacquer! Whew! Quote
Brian Posted December 21, 2003 Report Posted December 21, 2003 Thats some awesome grain in the wood used for that body as well, and I bet he had plenty of patience if thats a straight lacquer job Quote
fidgec94 Posted December 22, 2003 Author Report Posted December 22, 2003 Cheers Drak (any everyone). Forgot to ask, where does sand and sealer come in? Is that after grain filling (if needed) just before any colour or clear? Quote
Brian Posted December 22, 2003 Report Posted December 22, 2003 It's basicaly the same thing but in a thinner formula and of course very easy to sand. You can apply it either before or after or both when it gets right down to it. I know people that just glob the stuff on with a brush spreading it all out and as soon as it is dry they smooth out the surface without using a grain filler at all, course that may depend on the particular wood your working with. Quote
rhoads56 Posted December 22, 2003 Report Posted December 22, 2003 It's basicaly the same thing but in a thinner formula and of course very easy to sand. You can apply it either before or after or both when it gets right down to it. Sanding sealer has a high solids content, it is not thinner. Quote
westhemann Posted December 22, 2003 Report Posted December 22, 2003 he means thinner than grain filler i think Quote
JohnJohn Posted December 23, 2003 Report Posted December 23, 2003 If I may add,if you are going for a natural you may wish to apply something to ensure the clear takes evenly.Endgrains can really soak it up and go darker. Quote
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