Lex Luthier

I use a Sealer, then This.

1. I would suggest a plunge router, not really sure what brand though. 2. That depends on what kind of routing templates you are using and how rounded you want the edges. You can get top mounted bearing bits that follow the template exactly, or just a straight bit, and use a brass template guide on the base of the router to follow a slightly larger template, like I do. See Derek's tutorail. The roundover bit depends on how comfortable you want the edges to be. A Strat is 3/8" and a Tele is like 1/8", it's just personal taste. 3. I use 1/4" MDF, or Medite for all my templates.

"For some reason Quebec sprang to mind, probably because of the progressive central top mount jack."

What if you just used a cardboard box? Like maybe cut the top and back flaps off, then reinforced it a little, then on the opening for the back, place basically a furnice filter over the opening with a standard house hold fan orientated so it sucks all the fumes out the back of the box? Maybe even utilize the bottom flaps like so, placing the filter and fan in front of a smaller opening for the back. I think I should look into this, as I am probably killing all my mom's plants with overspray.

I use a polimerized tung oil on Cocobolo pens I turn on my lathe. It works fine. Regarding pics: I use a polimerized tung oil and sealer on my instruments, it's not Tru-oil, but pretty much the same thing. Maybe I could take detailed pics when I finish the neck of my bass.

I'm happy for you. So was it the acquaintance that wanted to borrow money the f*ckhead who stole it?

DANG! I was hoping to put that fretless bass I'm making in here. I didn't think it would take me THIS long to do it! Looks like I have 54 hours to finish it. EDIT:Looks like I'm not gonna make it for this month.

Not really ****, you don't want any particals of primer to contaminate the colors, this is why some people use separate guns for primer, colors, and clears.

You don't need to leave the solvent in the gun, though you can if you plan on painting the next day. You can just hang the gun, leaving the cup on it, and fill it with a bit of solvent. It shouldn't leak out, otherwise you have a really cheap gun.

Yeah, but I recently threw out that guitar 'cause it was just taking up space.

That's where I shop.

The weather isn't bad around here, I could probably spray now. I'm actually doing some samples today.

The cost of woods in the bass I'm making was about $200!

Where are you located in BC? I'm in Langley. Are your quoted prices or $$$?

That bad, eh? You shoulda seen my very first, which was a SCRATCH BUILT ACOUSTIC. (shudders)

I just bought a Shop Vac portable air cleaner today. I hate wearing masks, EXCEPT for spraying, so I wanted a way to filter out the sanding dust.

HOLY %&$*^%! Could you show a pick of that dry? I would like to see how that gun performs.

I've built 9 'sellable' instruments (I don't just build guitars), half of which I've sold, and then there were a number back in tha day when I first started building that I don't speak of.

I figure I've sprayed over 250 Gallons of lacquer since I became the sprayer three months ago at my job. I had only used spray paint, and had just bought a little "jamb" gun and compressor and had only sprayed a stool I made prior to becoming the sprayer (the last sprayer had to be laid off, so they were desparate). I feel I've become fairly good at spraying. I work 10 hour shifts, and am spraying for most of that, so after three months you pick it up. The best way to get good is practice, so just spray stuff. When I first became the sprayer it was like 'Here's the gun, spray this'. At first I did easy stuff, like drawerboxes, then a week later they had me doing cabinets and chairs. They just kinda threw this stuff at me, and I now believe it was an exellent way to get me experienced in spraying. $700!?!? WOW! I think when I get REALLY good, and I start doing stuff like you I'd invest in a gun like that, but for now I think my CH will do me fine. I did some test sprays and it looks like it sprays a fairly nice finish.

Make them just deep enough for the fret tangs.

I don't have a spray booth...at home. I just do it in my back yard. I was trying out the gun with my little Craftsman compressor and the thing works great. Even though the gun requires twice as much air as my compressor can supply, the small area of painting a guitar is fine. Basically the compressor would cut in three times well spraying: once after I finish the top, again when I finish the back, and again when I spray the sides. No biggie, and no need to drop $600 on a new compressor. SWEET gun LGM. I was looking around a little on the net and saw those SATA guns with the digital readout. COOL. How well do those spray? What's the quatlity of the final finish? I'm making up some sample pieces of stained Walnut, the same color as a bass I'm making, and I will be testing Gloss, Semi-Gloss, and Satin in Deft Lacquer and Defthane Polyurethane to see which looks the nicest, and closest to what the $900-ish Kremlin MX at my work can spray.

The gun was just under $200

Campbell Hausfeld HVLP Gravity Feed Spray Gun. I need a larger compressoer to run this gun, so I plan on getting THIS real soon, like maybe this Friday. I will be taking the gun to work tomorrow and after hours will do some test spraying to get a feel for the gun and some samples of finishes for myself.

I was wondering about that. I have one of the grizzly masks, though by 3M, at work (I'm the finisher) and have been wondering about the cartridges. My boss said change them when you smell fumes or can't breathe easily. I've been using the originals that came with the mask for over three months, I guess I'll change them tomorrow. Those things now kinda remind me of the carbon filters in my fish tank filter, which also only last for 1 month.

This is what I am striving for: