DWard Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 Any advice on finish to walnut? I see a lot of recommendations for tung oil. This has a walnut body and neck with a cocobolo fretboard. I have ordered a cocobolo Vaneer to cut a batwing pickguard out of to match the fretboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 Welcome to the addiction! Oiled walnut looks great, the oil darkens the wood quite a bit and adds a warm lustre. Tung, Danish, Crimson Guitar Finishing, Boiled Linseed... Or oil waxes like Osmo... The end result of all of them is pretty similar so choose what you can get in the most convenient package. You don't need much for a guitar, a cup is plenty enough! Some information here: https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/blog/traditional-wood-oils-3-of-the-best/ . Also look at https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/blog/how-to-apply-osmo-polyx-oil/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 in my humble o... walnut really looks great when it gets a hair darker from finish. lot of things will do that - tru oil, tung oil, danish oil. all good options imo and can be fairly easy if not going gloss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 29, 2021 Report Share Posted September 29, 2021 I almost always spray a very faint red shader coat over Walnut to sexy it up a bit. CA glue as a basecoat usually, sand level, spray a clearcoat or two, then spray my red shader, then clearcoats to done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWard Posted September 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2021 Thanks for the links Bizman, and all for the comments. I have some scrap to test finishes on, I’ll try out a couple of options while I’m working on inlays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akula Posted September 29, 2021 Report Share Posted September 29, 2021 I can vouch for Danish Oil as well. Just finished a bass with walnut wings, I did a slurry finish applying the oil with sandpaper and it turned out pretty damn smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 29, 2021 Report Share Posted September 29, 2021 I have done a fair amount of Walnut home furniture with Tru-Oil. I pretty much agree with everything said above. Tru-Oil seems to be the most amber oil-type finish I've used, whereas Osmo products tend to be the most neutral or clear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWard Posted October 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2021 I ordered some tung oil and osmo Polyx-oil and sanded some test strips over the weekend. This is the inlay I’m considering. Not sure how to get a clean line on the carved shoulder part, might have to do a little bit of a natural burst or tobacco burst finish right up to the edge, but I like the black contrast there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted October 5, 2021 Report Share Posted October 5, 2021 Nice mermaid. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 5, 2021 Report Share Posted October 5, 2021 That's what sh...nowait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted October 5, 2021 Report Share Posted October 5, 2021 Thanks Scott! I had to take yet another look to find out what it was and I still struggled until I looked at it at the right direction. My initial impression was close, though, with a girl and water... The composition of the centre part has surprising resemblance with the dynamics of the mermaid drawing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWard Posted October 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2021 Good eye SR. I have a ton of these monochrome and two tone type images that I downloaded for V-bit engraving and inlaying. Mostly they are tattoo designs but they work great in artcam. I was trying to find something that complimented the curves on the guitar body. Maybe I should do a Odysseus series with a cyclops strat and a Telemachus tele 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWard Posted October 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2021 It’s coming along. My tru oil was delivered yesterday, I’ll post my test strips when I get them finished for anybody with similar questions. Tung oil, tung w/ tru oil top coat, linseed, polyx and tru oil by itself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted October 12, 2021 Report Share Posted October 12, 2021 Nobody has touched on this yet.... Cocobolo is beautiful, but is a COMPLETE PAIN IN THE ASS TO FINISH. The wood is incredibly oily, even for rosewoods. You alsoLUTEly HAVE to seal in the oils before any finishing. If you don't the natural oils WILL rise to the surface, blacken, and prevent the finish from curing, turning the surface into mud. The only cure for this I've come across is shellac. Prep the wood, then put a coat of shellac on it ASAP. Maybe two coats. IDK why it works - I just don't remember anymore - but it does. Also, any given finish (except oil) can go over shellac just fine. It's basically the only finish that will stick to another well. You just have to make sure the give it plenty of time to cure before putting anything else on top. Alternatively, you can buff it out with steel wool for a great matte sheen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWard Posted October 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2021 I was actually planning to leave the cocobolo natural and just sand it down but you’ve given me something think about. I was thinking about a thin layer of epoxy on the back of the pickguard to prevent cracking and be a barrier between wood types but I have not considered a surface finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwez219 Posted October 12, 2021 Report Share Posted October 12, 2021 I have also thought long and hard about how to finish my guitars so far I have used textured paint , polyurethane satin, and nitrocellulose gloss clear coat. I find textured paint hides a lot of blemishes while nitrocellulose gives a deep gloss shine. I have just purchased some teak oil for my next project and will post pics when done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted October 13, 2021 Report Share Posted October 13, 2021 i honestly could not see that it was a mermaid... despite all the posts about mermaids... until you changed the orientation. my mind was all "nope". looks lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWard Posted October 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 Here are the test finishes I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 17, 2021 Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 Bear in mind that linseed tends to darken with time. This is Tru-Oil after 1,5yrs with some sapwood visible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWard Posted October 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2021 How fine of a grit do you sand to before oiling? This is with a few swipes at 320. 400? 600? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 19, 2021 Report Share Posted October 19, 2021 Usually 360-400 if I'm using Abralon. 320 with paper. I do a lot of wetting with alcohol to reveal scratches from lower grits because oil will make them pop out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted October 20, 2021 Report Share Posted October 20, 2021 I've gone up to Abranet 400-600 before the first coats and used the fine Mirlon Total nylon abrasive comparable with 1400 for applying a number of pore filling coats with the slurry it makes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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