AAAAA neck for Cherry Bomb

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I'm not going to say what I think this is, or even question why you have jars of it.  I'll just say that Howard Hughes was a genius, and he was known to jar.

 

[DangerousR6]

I'm not going to say what I think this is, or even question why you have jars of it.  I'll just say that Howard Hughes was a genius, and he was known to jar.

:laughing7:

:headbang:

 

[jalane]

Jalane,
I did not have to do any thing special to use lacquer and boiled oil together. Many penetrating wood stains are linseed oil based so you just have to wait longer to start applying finish over it than you would if you were using dyes. I did the whole neck with oil to make it looks richer than I finish the headstock and fretboard with lacquer.  Once the lacquer is finished I start on the back which I leave unfinished and any boiled oil I get on the lacquered surface wipes right of because it can't penetrate the surface.

Remember this finish is not a warranty finish for Warmoth, but it sure is nice to touch and I have not had one go bad yet.

Sorry to revive this post from the dead, but I think i'm going to take this approach with the maple/maple showcase neck i just bought.

Tonar, i have a few questions if you don't mind me asking a little more about your method (if you prefer to keep it to yourself since you do this as a business i understand), but:

1. About how many coats of linseed oil did you use?
2. About how long did you have to wait for the linseed to cure before it was safe to start lacquering?
3. Also, I'd like the neck to have a slight amber tint.  I was originally planning on lacquering everything and using some ReRanch amber tint for it, but if i went the Boiled Oil route like you did here, do you have any suggestions to giving the Linseed Oil an amber tint?

 

[Firebird211]

There is so much detail in that neck. I wouldn't be able to play it, I would get distracted and stare at the neck.

 

[Tonar8352]

1. About how many coats of linseed oil did you use?

No piece of wood is the same so it takes anywhere from 5 to 15 coats. I know it is finished when the oil stops drying in after a half hour and stays tacky.

2. About how long did you have to wait for the linseed to cure before it was safe to start lacquering?

I let it set over night but I do not normally use oil under lacquer.  I did on this neck to make sure and get the grain to pop as much as possible. Normally I only use the oil on the unfinished back of a maple neck after the headstock and fretboard have been lacquered. I do the oil after the back has been polish sanded using 2000 grit Klingspor wet/dry sandpaper.  I usually polish sand the back of the neck while I watch a movie because it takes about 90 minutes to get it like glass.


3. Also, I'd like the neck to have a slight amber tint.  I was originally planning on lacquering everything and using some ReRanch amber tint for it, but if I went the Boiled Oil route like you did here, do you have any suggestions to giving the Linseed Oil an amber tint?

I never use tint with boiled oil, the wood will get darker on its own as it ages so there is no need to tint it.

I hope that helps.

 

[dmraco]

OS let me get this straight...boiled linseed oil on the entire neck to pop the grain, followed by lacquer on the headstock and fretboard.  Entire thing polished and oil applied to back then polished?


The finish looks so even...no telling where the lacquer start and stops.  What is the reason for no lacquer on the back?  Feel?

 

[jalane]

Thanks so much for the info Tonar!

So, just to make sure i'm following you, you put boiled linseed oil on the entire neck and headstock, and then only had to wait overnight before being able to apply lacquer to the fretboard and headstock?  I assumed the wait would be much longer before the oil and lacquer would work together.

 

[Tonar8352]

On this neck only; I put boiled oil on the entire neck and let it set over night.  Then I taped the back off so no lacquer would get on it and shot gloss on the headstock and fretboard. Then I pulled the tape and let it set for two weeks to cure the lacquer.  Next I wet-sanded and rubbed out the fretboard, headstock and polish the lacquered surfaces on the polishing arbor.  I try to blend the tapeline between the lacquer and the raw wood on the back as best I can during the wet-sanding phase, if you see my necks the line is visible but you can't feel it. I wet-sand using mineral oil so the wood grain does not get raised by water. At this point I pull out the movie and set down with the 2000 to polish sand the back of the neck.  You know wax on wax of Daniel-San.  After it is smooth as glass I then start with the oil on the back and lastly I hit the whole neck one last time on the polishing arbor. 

The reason I do the back like this is because there is very little drag on your hand compared to a lacquered neck.  It replicates the feel of a vintage guitar that has been played so much there is no finish left on the back at all. Smooth as a Babies Butt.  :guitaristgif:

 

[OzziePete]

Tonar I have read numerous threads and posts from you and your finishing work and I am always amazed at your knowledge on the subject... Where did you learn all this? :icon_scratch:

 

[Tonar8352]

Thank you Pete.
I worked 32 years for the largest privately owned Paint Company in California and I retired in 2009 as a District Sales Manager.  I have been around the finest painters, chemists, vendors and assorted characters on the planet since I was 21. I’ve learned a thing or two over these years from all of them whom I could tell stories for days about.

 

[Danuda]

That neck looks incredible.  I'm jealous  :glasses9:

 

[JaySwear]

any updates on this thing? or have i missed the "in progress" or assembly thread? i might have even seen it and completely forgotten :doh: wouldn't put that past me... but still :icon_biggrin: