Can You Apply An Oil Finish While Laquer Is Still Curing?

[ShadesOfGrey]

Greetings!

Time for me to again post a finish related question..

I have just done the last clearcoat of acrylic on my body and the front of the headstock.

I gather that before buffing / polishing, you need to let it cure two weeks minimum (or rather, as long as it takes).

Laying around here somewhere is a bottle of Rustin's Danish Oil, which I plan to use for the neck and back/sides of the headstock.

Two or more week is a hell of a lot of waiting while I want to anxiously get it to playing condition, so I wonder if it's okay if I apply the oil a little bit earlier like say a week from now?

Another kinda related question.. it's recomended that the neck-pocket and the area of the neck sitting in the pocket be raw wood. Masking tape took care of the neckpocket while I was spraying, but how do you keep the finish from the area on the neck the best way? Assemble the neck&body and finish the neck that way? Tape of? Or maybe just estimate how how far the neck inserts in the pocket and roughly apply the oil to that point?

Maybe these are silly questions, but I'm quite the noob at building / finishing and I had enough beginners errors so far that I'd rather ask stupid questions then make (more) stupid mistakes.

[killemall8]

If its a bolt on, you dont worry about oil in the neck pocket. It will have no affect.

As for applying oil to the back of the neck... sure, dotn see why that would matter at all, as long as you dont get it on the lacquer, or touch the lacquer when it is still smugdable.

[Woodenspoke]

You do not want raw wood in either the pocket or on the neck. the object is to seal the wood from changes in humidity levels. Not that it will be 100% but no finish is not an option. Several coats of oil is fine and will not build up enough to ruin a fit. Most people plan the finish so build up in a neck pocket is minimal. a few coats then tape it off or tape it off then no tape for the last few coats. I have never had to tape off the heel of a neck, it gets a full finish.

yes you can add oil before the Lacquer cures but after it drys.

[Reinhold]

I wouldn't say that NO finish somewhere is a bad thing, it depends on the wood really. If it's a more traditional wood I probably would, but something like Wenge or Padauk doesn't necessarily need any finish at all.

[ShadesOfGrey]

Thanks for your replies. I was wrapping my head around the last few days figuring out how to get the joining area of the neck right, but I guess that should be fine.

As far as oiling the neck pocket goes.. I guess I can try oiling that too. But I wonder why it's called a 'no finish zone' so often and manufacturers keep it unfinished? Or is this one of those 'skimping on stuff almost nobody sees to save a few dimes' ?

[Quarter]

But I wonder why it's called a 'no finish zone' so often and manufacturers keep it unfinished?

There is a difference between just sealing wood and a full blown finish. The "no finish" idea is about not developing a substantial / thick film thickness in those areas.