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I'm making me an 8 string.....electric mandolin


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This is normally where I post shots of the fruits of my labor over the past week/weekend. And I had a pretty full weekend of work, if you want to call it that on this thing. I've been adding layers of Tru-Oil with an occasional pore filling slurry step added. Turns out doing that doesn't change the way it looks in photos beyond the way it looked with the first coat of oil. So it still looks like the last three pictures I posted.:rolleyes:

SR

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On 19.9.2017 at 4:19 PM, mattharris75 said:

It does take a little longer to dry, but it's good for top coating. Goes on thin and self levels better.

Exactly. When applying a very thin coat of a strongly diluted mixture one can expect a very shiny surface which does not require any final buffing or polishing.

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I don't know where I got the idea that finishing with Tru-Oil would go faster than lacquer. Maybe it would if I had used a traditional pore filler like I would with lacquer. Zebrawood has large pores, and that takes a bit of time and a fair amount of slurry steps to fill with Tru-Oil. Leveling is a bit more involved as well. This weekend I did a bit of leveling.

C00436.jpg

I didn't go perfectly flat, as I plan to add quite a few more layers.

C00438.jpg

And I decided to apply the next series of layers by spraying with an air brush....if that would work.

Turns out it sprays nicely without any reduction. After I got a couple of coats on, the sun descended to a nice low angle position, and the burl started glowing, so I took a few shots.

C00439.jpgC00440.jpgC00442.jpg

SR

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This wood grain pops out just so gorgeous! B-)

For filling the grain I've made good experiences using pumice powder. Just spread a bit of it on the wood and apply the tru-oil. The mixture fills the pores transparently/clearly (after drying). Probaply a second application is necessary but then it should be fine. For woods with large pores this works more efficient than the slurry tru-oil/sanding dust mixture.

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Carl has been extolling the benefits of pumice for several years now....looks like I need to give it a try. I never considered that it would dry clear in the pores. I imagine that since it is a solid, shrinking in the pores is minimized too? does it come in several grades or do you just buy some "Rotten Stone"? You say you sprinkle it on your work piece and apply the Tru-Oil. With a rag or coffee filter or whatever applicator of choice, or with a fine sandpaper like typically used to make slurry?

SR

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Like most things, pumice is just another tool in the armory....not sure if rottenstone (tripoli) would work though, since it's super fine. I have some around here somewhere, and it's greasier-feeling like talc. Pumice is drier and feels more effective. I'd grade tripoli up in the thousands if you wanted to compare it to sandpaper grades, whilst fine pumice is maybe "beyond 320". That kind of thing.

Using it to draw a slurry up makes more sense than papers, since you can add a little more of either when needed and work it in with your fingers, linen or whatever. Not all pumice is the same however. I use AAAA or 4A, the finest stuff. At least, I think that's what they call the grade. Putting it into a pepper shaker works nicely too!

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I've only seen rottenstone once and I thought it said pumice. I pulled following off the webs and it seems there are some loose definitions out there:

"I have been trying to find information on the difference between rottenstone and tripoli in powder form, and have not had any success as of yet.

I purchased a pound of rottenstone made by Behlen that has tripoli in parenthesis on the label. Some sources say that there are three grades of powdered limestone: Pumice (2f and 4f), rottenstone and tripoli. Other sources claim that pumice is made from volcanic ash and rottenstone is made from slate and that tripoli is just another name for rottenstone. Still other sources say that pumice is made from limestone, rottenstone is made from volcanic ash and tripoli is a finer form of rottenstone."

I like your description better.

SR

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4F, that's the one. Pumice is a common volcanic rock, whereas tripoli is limestone (sedimentary) so the last description is completely reversed, and the method of each forming is completely different. It's quite conceivable that some names are interchangeable in certain circles though. A bit like cumin and caraway. Ask me how I screwed up a guacamole recently. Rottenstone refers to limestone that has been exposed to the elements, literally "rotten stone"! It's super fine and I commonly describe it as being "greasy".

The Behlen description is correct. Limestone is not pumice, so describing "grades" of pulverised limestone as pumice is fundamentally incorrect. Simply doing a Google image search for "pumice" and "limestone" will bring up formations of rock and lumps of the same. I take it that none of these "some sources" are cited with information underlining the assertions?

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1 hour ago, Prostheta said:

Ugh....poor info propagates freely, unfortunately.

Yep, that pretty much sums up that guy's complaint.

That is one of the things to beware of; the validity of the information available. The internet is a massive resource for information right at our fingertips. But anyone and everyone can make information available and pass themselves off as experts by making statements with certainty. By simply stating something is a fact, millions will believe that it in fact, is.

SR

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Yes, I'm sure that pumice is a vulcanic rock since. I'm living in the volcanic Eifel and pumice is a well known product from here. ;) I think the finer the granulation the better it works as a pore filler. Actually I'm using "extra fine, 000, 0-40µ" and I'm fine with that.

Like Prostheta said, put it into a pepper shaker .. and imagine you're salting a pizza. :D Then use your applicator of choice to apply the truoil (kitchen towel in my case). I guess it's not necessary to additionally use fine sandpaper since there is enough slurry due to the pumice itself and its abrasive effect, too.

Could not observate a shrinking by now. I've also heard from guys using pumice with shellac to fill the pores before lacquering with NC or 2K. and being happy with that.

 

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I would say observation.....but I can't honestly say I've observed millions.:P

I don't know about over there, but over here, whatever is trending on social media becomes newsworthy, and even worse considered a majority opinion. Just another way that opinions become facts....and they must be true, because I read it on the internet.:D

SR

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On 02/10/2017 at 12:35 PM, ScottR said:

. After I got a couple of coats on, the sun descended to a nice low angle position, and the burl started glowing, so I took a few shots.

C00439.jpgC00440.jpgC00442.jpg

SR

Now you're just rubbing it in, Scott... 'the sun descended to a nice low angle..'   :rolleyes:

That and the jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring, mind-numbing beautiful finish.... :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Yes - just rubbing it in...

Pure wickedness and cruelty....

You can go off people, you know.....

 

 

 

:D

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<_<

Thanks, Andy. In truth the finish is not especially nice in those shots....or more properly on the instrument when the pics were taken. It has some bug tracks and dust and orange peel But the figure in the wood in that particular quality of light is truly fine. I was sitting off to the side, sipping a beer and happened to glance over and saw what it was doing, and figured it would be a good idea to grab my camera.

SR

 

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