100 ways to apply Birchwood Tru-Oil and Birchwood Casey Gun Stock Wax Wax to a maple neck. Or an informed guide.

[Xyz]

I've used TO on a mahogany neck and over poly on a maple neck, plus a few bodies. TO feels a lot different than poly. 320 should be fine. First coat I put on and let it soak in by keeping it wet using a cotton t shirt. wipe smooth and let it cure over night I was able to do two thin coats a day after that, thinning the last coats with mineral spirts. Beware if the oil starts to get tacky when you apply it, leave it alone or you will get drag marks. Put it on thin and fast, wipe it smooth and go for coffee. Thin coats are easier to apply and dry/cure better. Try not to sand. if you cut through the top coat it will show under the next coat. I think 0000 is too coarse to finish. I stripped the TO off a neck with 0000 to correct my mistakes I have used 1000 grit to make gloss poly satin. Truoil is a film finish(varnish) not oil

Hey Byron, sounds good. Thanks for sharing. Applying 1000 grit at the end of the process is alluring.

Lots of different methods and ways of applying it. Any day now the materials come in the mail and I must make a choice and stick to it. All of these posts helped me make an informed choice. Thank you.

Any other methods or discussions are welcome.

 

[stratamania]

Here is a useful link containing informed discussion.

Thread 'Tru-Oil: Sealer and Wax - Yes or No?'

Feb 17, 2021

Hi all, I spent a lot of time reading threads on Tru-Oil but the case for sealer and/or wax is still unclear to me.

Project: oil finish on Black Korina, no stain, no dye.
Aims: achieve a look and feel as close to raw wood as possible (on the raw wood - showroom continuum) while ensuring protection of the wood.

Question:
When using Tru-Oil, some (e.g. Stratamania) recommend to use Birchwood Casey's (BC) sealer before and its wax after. Others use only one of the other two products (BC or other manufacturers) or go for a Tru-Oil only approach. Can someone shed some...

• alexreinhold
• Replies: 57
• Forum: DIY Finishing

 

[Xyz]

Here is a useful link containing informed discussion.

Thread 'Tru-Oil: Sealer and Wax - Yes or No?'

Feb 17, 2021

Hi all, I spent a lot of time reading threads on Tru-Oil but the case for sealer and/or wax is still unclear to me.

Project: oil finish on Black Korina, no stain, no dye.
Aims: achieve a look and feel as close to raw wood as possible (on the raw wood - showroom continuum) while ensuring protection of the wood.

Question:
When using Tru-Oil, some (e.g. Stratamania) recommend to use Birchwood Casey's (BC) sealer before and its wax after. Others use only one of the other two products (BC or other manufacturers) or go for a Tru-Oil only approach. Can someone shed some...

• alexreinhold
• Replies: 57
• Forum: DIY Finishing

Thanks Stratamania.

Does this thread talks about the use of such products on the body or maple neck?

I'm trying to maintain this thread maple neck only because there's not much informed information out there about how to apply it to maple necks.

So it leads to confusion. Because the posts in the internet don't specify in an easy way to identify if they're talking about the body or maple neck.

 

[Byron]

Thanks Stratamania.

Does this thread talks about the use of such products on the body or maple neck?

I'm trying to maintain this thread maple neck only because there's not much informed information out there about how to apply it to maple necks.

So it leads to confusion. Because the posts in the internet don't specify in an easy way to identify if they're talking about the body or maple neck.

What fretboard wood to you have? How do you plan on holding the neck to finish it? I was rethinking how I did the two necks. I like to use a folded piece of 100% cotton about as wide as two fingers. Fold it so there are no edges showing. It works like a flimsy paint brush to level the TO. You can sneak up to the edge of the board. I did mask off the rosewood as a safety. I never did a maple fingerboard. I had good luck applying TO on a maple veneered headstock by working to the edge and not dripping over said edge(thin coats). Same application around the heel to a set neck. Maple has very little grain, so the build is fast and is super smooth if you thin the last coats.

 

[Xyz]

What fretboard wood to you have? How do you plan on holding the neck to finish it? I was rethinking how I did the two necks. I like to use a folded piece of 100% cotton about as wide as two fingers. Fold it so there are no edges showing. It works like a flimsy paint brush to level the TO. You can sneak up to the edge of the board. I did mask off the rosewood as a safety. I never did a maple fingerboard. I had good luck applying TO on a maple veneered headstock by working to the edge and not dripping over said edge(thin coats). Same application around the heel to a set neck. Maple has very little grain, so the build is fast and is super smooth if you thin the last coats.

Neck wood: Maple. Plain beautiful unfinished maple. No dying it. It would be desecration.

Plan on holding the neck on a blank slate of wood so the frets make contact with it. So fretboard side first padding it with plenty of rags, then flip it. I don't have the tools to hold the neck but it got me thinking I should. Maybe with some diy method with some things I have at home I can make that happen.

After applying the coats hanging it to dry 24 hours.


If you look there's the method I'm going to apply in the back pages. Though it's open to changes.

I'm using lint-free cloath with a tampon (frenchin-pad) to apply the finish. But reading how you do it might change to your technique of folding the cloth so to get to the edges easier. Or a mix of both.

Thanks for sharing your method.

I'm going to apply as well very soon TO finish to a rosewood neck. (Obviously only to the back)

What I'm seeing in these months of research in the forums and videos reading and seeing how people apply this finish is that TO is very forgiving and if you don't mind cosmetic artifacts you can get away practically doing anything applying TO.

But TO works a certain way. It has properties. So the intent of this thread was to get people who do know how this finish works on all maple necks to lay down the rules of use.

But certainly I'm grateful to hear how everyone is applying TO to their necks and learning from your methods and techniques.

Keep your methods and techniques coming.

 

[Byron]

Neck wood: Maple. Plain beautiful unfinished maple. No dying it. It would be desecration.

Plan on holding the neck on a blank slate of wood so the frets make contact with it. So fretboard side first padding it with plenty of rags, then flip it. I don't have the tools to hold the neck but it got me thinking I should. Maybe with some diy method with some things I have at home I can make that happen.


If you look there's the method I'm going to apply in the back pages. Though it's open to changes.

I'm using lint-free cloath with a tampon (frenchin-pad) to apply the finish. But reading how you do it might change to your technique of folding the cloth so to get to the edges easier. Or a mix of both.

Thanks for sharing your method.

I'm going to apply as well very soon TO finish to a rosewood neck. (Obviously only to the back)

What I'm seeing in these months of research in the forums and videos reading and seeing how people apply this finish is that TO is very forgiving and if you don't mind cosmetic artifacts you can get away practically doing anything applying TO.

But TO works a certain way. It has properties. So the intent of this thread was to get people who do know how this finish works to lay down the rules of use.

But certainly I'm grateful to hear how everyone is applying TO to their necks and learning from your methods and techniques.

Keep your methods and techniques coming.

Sounds like a plan. IMO the pad was bulky and not flat. 3/4 layers of folded cotton is more like a soft foam brush...dip,apply, and drag it smooth avoiding any dry spots which you'll will be able to see as a nonreflective area. FYI TO may tack up faster than you think it would, so don't waste time. If you want a matte finish on the rose wood grain fill first or the pores will always be shiny. I did a korina body. Gloss showed pores and matte showed all the pores,sparkley, so I started over. TO is very easy to use, feels great, looks good (aged Amber) You can hold the neck in one hand and work your way down to the headstock then lay it on the frets (do the face before) no holder needed. Good luck

 

[Xyz]

Sounds like a plan. IMO the pad was bulky and not flat. 3/4 layers of folded cotton is more like a soft foam brush...dip,apply, and drag it smooth avoiding any dry spots which you'll will be able to see as a nonreflective area. FYI TO may tack up faster than you think it would, so don't waste time. If you want a matte finish on the rose wood grain fill first or the pores will always be shiny. I did a korina body. Gloss showed pores and matte showed all the pores,sparkley, so I started over. TO is very easy to use, feels great, looks good (aged Amber) You can hold the neck in one hand and work your way down to the headstock then lay it on the frets (do the face before) no holder needed. Good luck

Thanks man. I think I'm going to skip the tampon and use your technique as it resembles more a brush, and in my head makes more sense for a finish, and sounds like it does a better applyment.

I'm going for a satin finish.

 

[stratamania]

Does this thread talks about the use of such products on the body or maple neck?

I mention in the thread linked its usage on maple or otherwise. So maple necks are covered.

Tru Oil on maple and so on I have in various build threads. Here are a couple.

Post in thread 'Natural Ash Tele'

Jul 5, 2014

Just to bring the thread up to date and it acts as a bit of a diary for myself.


After building up the finish, I did a wet sand to around 6 - 800 grit as I recall. I took my time and worked with a number of different size blocks. This one I made from a piece of scrap pine.


FinishtoTrussRod_1 by stratamania, on Flickr

Here is a shot of the neck pocket that received no Tea stain or finish and you can see the colour difference. I quite like this tea stained effect, it's quite organic looking...

• stratamania

Post in thread 'Quilted Purple Strat Build'

Nov 3, 2013

Here are the latest shots of the tru-oil work done. I had taken some in progress shots but they have been lost I am afraid due to a technical glitch with an SD card so just a written overview this time.

For an overview of the process I used Birchwood Casey tru-oil products for this bought in 3 oz quantities which is more than enough for several necks.

Products used all from Birchwood Casey :-

• Gun Stock Sealer & Filler
• Tru-Oil Gun Stock Finish
• Gun Stock Wax

The first step was to mask the line towards the head stock side that was done with the nitro as shown in an...

• stratamania

 

[Xyz]

I mention in the thread linked its usage on maple or otherwise. So maple necks are covered.

Tru Oil on maple and so on I have in various build threads. Here are a couple.

Post in thread 'Natural Ash Tele'

Jul 5, 2014

Just to bring the thread up to date and it acts as a bit of a diary for myself.


After building up the finish, I did a wet sand to around 6 - 800 grit as I recall. I took my time and worked with a number of different size blocks. This one I made from a piece of scrap pine.


FinishtoTrussRod_1 by stratamania, on Flickr

Here is a shot of the neck pocket that received no Tea stain or finish and you can see the colour difference. I quite like this tea stained effect, it's quite organic looking...

• stratamania

Post in thread 'Quilted Purple Strat Build'

Nov 3, 2013

Here are the latest shots of the tru-oil work done. I had taken some in progress shots but they have been lost I am afraid due to a technical glitch with an SD card so just a written overview this time.

For an overview of the process I used Birchwood Casey tru-oil products for this bought in 3 oz quantities which is more than enough for several necks.

Products used all from Birchwood Casey :-

• Gun Stock Sealer & Filler
• Tru-Oil Gun Stock Finish
• Gun Stock Wax

The first step was to mask the line towards the head stock side that was done with the nitro as shown in an...

• stratamania

Thanks so much stratamania. That is going to be very informative.

Keep em' coming.