Clear to Purple Flame Strat

[croquet hoop]

Thanks for your comments. jmavl, I think the flame pops really well with TO alone — it looked stunning with the first (light) coats, then I was more careless with the application and it seemed to me that the following (thicker) coats dulled it a bit — buried the figure under a big coat of gloss.

The neck has been sanded back to the wood, but I'm more comfortable with the idea of starting again with TO (now that I have a better grasp on it) than starting over with a new type of finish. Given the results shown on this board I may try BLO or tung oil on a later build, but for this one I'd rather enjoy (and abuse) the forgiveness of tru-oil.

Moving on to the rest of the build — the pickguard. I have several to choose from:

Currently hesitating between black and white pearl. I'll make cardboard mockups with different shapes before I cut the chosen one.

 

[Cagey]

Given the results shown on this board I may try BLO or tung oil on a later build, but for this one I'd rather enjoy (and abuse) the forgiveness of tru-oil.

I'd recommend against BLO. It's not really a finish. Soldiers used it about 100 years ago on gunstocks, but they didn't really have a helluva lotta choice, being out in the mud and blood without a spray rig or modern chemistry. They also used to oil canvas back then to make tents waterproof, but you'd never do that today. Some furniture guys still use it to "pop" the grain, but then you have to other things to the piece to complete the finish and make it usable. There are much better ways of accomplishing a good finish. If you must use oil. Tru-Oil is probably the best way to go, but even that is nowhere near as durable and robust as a working guitar's finish needs to be, and will require ongoing maintenance.

 

[croquet hoop]

No updates in a long time, I did not have much time to work on the neck, and when I had the weather was either way too hot or damp for me to work with oil.

I had time to make further tests on scrap maple though, and I think I'll settle with TO wiped with a rag — which soaks more than a coffee filter, but I find it easier to control the way the oil flows. Plus, the streaks left are greatly reduced compared to my coffee filter experiments.

I have still to find the right grit of polishing paper to get rid of the last coat irregularities (the green — 400 — is way too coarse), once it's done I'll be able to start over the neck finish with confidence.

In the meantime I've come to accept the fact that part of the finish will be covered by a pickguard — no big deal after all, and so no need for a clear pickguard. Nevertheless I think I'll go with the Updown shape, as much for for tiny bit of extra finish it reveals as for the sharpness of the design.

So there it is, no major update, but I just wanted to let you know it's not dead (and to give myself a motivation boost as well).

 

[crash]

Here's a tip on using Tru oil.  To help avoid streaks, use about 2/3 tru oil and about 1/3 naptha.  This will help the tru oil level out easier after applying it.  I apply it with a microfiber cloth for that last coat.

 

[croquet hoop]

Thanks for the advice. I aldready tried that actually, but I applied it with a finger... maybe thinned TO + cloth is the right way.

 

[Perry Combover]

Anything new worth reporting?

 

[ThtOthrPrsn]

I feel like that bottom pickguard would really set it off right :icon_biggrin:

 

[stratamania]

Croquet Hoop, great to see your build diary and another purple to clear burst. Thanks for the link to it.

The back of the maple neck you have looks great.

 

[croquet hoop]

Anything new worth reporting?

Nothing unfortunately. I've been either away, too busy, or focused on other things, so the neck has been sitting idle for a few months with a few coats of tru-oil, but it still needs light sanding and a few more coats. However, I'll get back to it in a few days, at last!

I feel like that bottom pickguard would really set it off right :icon_biggrin:

I have to say that I tried it for good measure :icon_biggrin: But then there was way too much purple. The pearloid pickguard (from EMG) compliments the body really well, although it's a bit busy it turned out to be the best one.

Croquet Hoop, great to see your build diary and another purple to clear burst. Thanks for the link to it.

The back of the maple neck you have looks great.

Thanks! Yes, I was pleased with the figure of the wood, even though it's "plain" flame maple (not AAA something) I think it looks nice too.

 

[croquet hoop]

Believe it or not, this project is not dead. The motivation is back and I will have time to start working again on it in the following days. The main thing that put this build on hold, besides another variety of reasons, was the neck finish. So, a bit of history first, and a perhaps stupid question.

The neck first received several coats of tru-oil without further prep, and was then sanded back because of streaks in the finish (I preferred to start over than try to correct it). It was sanded with 320, then 400 grit. Then it was coated with tru-oil again, with another technique (un-thinned TO with a coffee filter), but unfortunately the resulting finish is too thick. So my plan is to sand it again, then finish it with a few (read : as few as possible) coats applied with the finger, as it is easier for me to control the amount of oil being applied with this technique than with a coffee filter.

Here is the stupid question: when I finished the neck for the second time, after it had been sanded back with 320-400 grit, the flame was noticeably less chatoyant — not dramatically so, but I felt there was definitely a difference. Is it because 400-grit sandpaper was too fine (compared to Warmoth sanding it to 220 initially), or because I did not sand back to the wood before oiling it again? Or, can it just be a byproduct of my frustration with the neck?

For now I am planning to sand it with 220 grit then start over the oiling process. I'll begin on Sunday. If for any reason you think I should proceed differently, feel free to chime in!

 

[croquet hoop]

Boy, this build has really been dragging. I am not sure it is even enjoyable for anyone to read, but writing somewhat gives me a bit of motivation, so I'll keep at it.

I have sanded the neck with 220 grit sandpaper as planned, and this is the second time I have done the whole thing (applying tru-oil, then sanding back) on this neck. Needless to say, it was a pain in the butt both times because of the maple fingerboard, so I hope the third time will be the good one. I now know what was wrong with my previous attempts — the coats were apparently not thin enough, hence the streaks — so if I am more careful this time it should be all right.

Except I am tired of working with tru-oil, and after two failed attempts I am not sure it is wise to persist. Besides, I an not too fond of the color of ageing tru-oil. Here is a picture taken during the sanding process which shows the color of five coats :

This is after eight months in a dark closet, not exposed to light. I have to say, bringing back the maple to its original whiteness was a relief. I do not intend to keep it so pale, but I would like to avoid this kind of coloration, if possible.

So I am ruling out tru-oil. I have some waterborne KTM finish on hand which I could use, which should be clearer, but it shares some of the downsides of tru-oil — should anything go wrong, it will have to be sanded back, and it is a varnish that dries in layers, not a self-levelling one. It should be easy enough to get some nitro cans, but spraying is utterly impractical here.

Now, see... I want something that is easy to work with, easy to remove in case something bad happens, does not need to be sprayed, and does not color the wood to much. Wait, could that be...

Yup, shellac! I have just glued some maple veneer on hardboard to practice a bit. Meanwhile, what I've read about shellac as a neck finish  makes me think it could be exactly what I am searching for. I am aware of its downsides, but for me they seem to be largely offset by its advantages. And the prospect of working with shellac is much more exciting that that of starting over with tru-oil again.

For now, I need to sand with a finer grit (320, perhaps 400) first, and then roll the edges of the fingerboard, but it shouldn't be long before I start again with the finish.

 

[stratamania]

Keep going I'm sure you will end up with something that you are happy with...

 

[Cagey]

I think at this stage of the game I'd be pulling what's left of my hair out. Might be worth it to trade in some pop cans and send the thing off to somebody who has the wherewithal to finish it properly. Tonar comes to mind...

 

[croquet hoop]

That's omitting the fact that half the fun is doing it yourself, even if you suck at it :icon_jokercolor:

Aside from the last sanding, I have not worked on the thing for eight months, so I don't feel particularly demoralized. Besides, the tiresome part is over, since the neck is now without finish again. And using shellac does not mean that I'm about to embark on the long journey to mastering french polishing. I may be hard-headed, but I'm not completely insane yet  :icon_biggrin:

(I've thought about sending it to Tonar by the way, as I love his treatment on maple necks, but not this time)

 

[Cagey]

I understand. I've been known to jump in the deep end myself, and live to tell about it. The adventure is the thing.

 

[croquet hoop]

Exactly. And it would be a shame to quit now that it looks like the bad part is over

(however, if anything goes wrong again with the neck, I'll just set it aside and order a 59 roundback pau ferro neck.)

 

[lucky13]

That's omitting the fact that half the fun is doing it yourself, even if you suck at it :icon_jokercolor:

Aside from the last sanding, I have not worked on the thing for eight months, so I don't feel particularly demoralized. Besides, the tiresome part is over, since the neck is now without finish again. And using shellac does not mean that I'm about to embark on the long journey to mastering french polishing. I may be hard-headed, but I'm not completely insane yet  :icon_biggrin:

(I've thought about sending it to Tonar by the way, as I love his treatment on maple necks, but not this time)

Shellac boy you are in for a real treat...lol  if you thought true oil was a test in sanity with shellac you will be testing your spirit to its core, bravo! lol  I wish you the best ...the idea of having Tonar finish it must be pretty tempting about now huh ? ...lol

I completely understand the whole do it yourself thing as well, Im stubborn as a mule so I get that... ccasion14: get ready to get sticky..

 

[croquet hoop]

Well, as you said on your Tele thread,

I will probably have this picture engraved on my neck plate  :icon_biggrin:

Nothing worth reporting yet, I have mixed some shellac (1-lb cut) and will make tests on maple scraps this week-end. I have also bought the last tools I was missing, mostly for nut work in case I get extra daring.

 

[Cagey]

I have also bought the last tools I was missing, mostly for nut work in case I get extra daring.

You may want to read this. Also, go SLOW! If you cut too deep, there's really no good way to recover from it - you've "blown the nut" and have to start over. Very frustrating. A slice or two is as much as you want to do at once.

 

[croquet hoop]

Thanks Cagey. This link has been in my bookmarks for more than a year (you probably gave it in another thread I bookmarked too) but it's more telling than all written explanations you can read here or other places.

And yes, I'll go slow. And use feeler gauges as a depth stop (but not the ones from stewmac). And practice on cheap plastic nuts before I start working on the final one. And I have one extra pre-slotted Tusq XL nut (which is an exact match for the one Warmoth made, as far as width and string spacing are concerned) because, well, you know.