DIY FINISHING TIPS AND TRICKS

[Tonar8352]

Once I pulled the tape from this guitar I had to deal with the residue left by the tape. The best thing to clean any thing off a guitar weather it is grime, hand oils, etc on raw wood, fresh lacquer or fifty year old lacquer is Benzene also know as Naphtha, Lighter Fluid or even White Gas. 

Here you can clearly see the tape residue and in fact it is all over the edges of the guitar.

One wipe with a micro fiber rag soaked in Naphtha and it is gone and ready for another coat of lacquer in about 10 minutes.

 

[Cagey]

Everyone should have some naphtha around the house. Like gaffer's tape, it's good for a lotta things. But, the real tip here is the microfiber rags. Those things are great. I keep one in every guitar case, in the magical luthier's toolbox, and here and there around the house for fine cleaning. The things are not only good for lint-free cleanup when you're finishing, they're miraculous for removing fingerprints and polishing up metalwork after you're done torturing a guitar. They're also great for eyeglasses. Use one of those, and you'll go years without scratching your lenses.

These are a good deal, and are the ones I buy, but there are plenty of others. They're roughly 15"x15".

 

[B3Guy]

Everyone should have some naphtha around the house. Like gaffer's tape, it's good for a lotta things. But, the real tip here is the microfiber rags. Those things are great. I keep one in every guitar case, in the magical luthier's toolbox, and here and there around the house for fine cleaning. The things are not only good for lint-free cleanup when you're finishing, they're miraculous for removing fingerprints and polishing up metalwork after you're done torturing a guitar. They're also great for eyeglasses. Use one of those, and you'll go years without scratching your lenses.

These are a good deal, and are the ones I buy, but there are plenty of others. They're roughly 15"x15".

Gaffer's tape! How 'bout C-47?

 

[kboman]

They're also great for eyeglasses. Use one of those, and you'll go years without scratching your lenses.

+1. It's what we use in optical stores, good stuff but of varying quality. Make sure it's an even weave and not the ribbed version, I hate those.

 

[Tonar8352]

Here is a great thread by kevin-san for filling grain on swamp ash using Tung Oil.  If you are interested follow the link and read the method he used.  :icon_thumright:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=16512.0

 

[Syntheticocean]

What do you guys do about all the holes in the body when wetsanding? I just ruined my warmoth project by wetsanding. I'm so fudging pissed right now. Granted the guitar will be fine overall, but the finish is SHIT... fudge ME.

 

[dmraco]

What do you guys do about all the holes in the body when wetsanding? I just ruined my warmoth project by wetsanding. I'm so fricking pissed right now. Granted the guitar will be fine overall, but the finish is shite... frick ME.

What did you ruin?  Did you burn thru?  Did the WET part of sanding do something? 

 

[Syntheticocean]

What do you guys do about all the holes in the body when wetsanding? I just ruined my warmoth project by wetsanding. I'm so fricking pissed right now. Granted the guitar will be fine overall, but the finish is shitee... frick ME.

What did you ruin?  Did you burn thru?  Did the WET part of sanding do something? 

Well, the water seeped into the holes that I sprayed thoroughly with sealer/nitro and caused the top to say 'screw you'.

In the first pic things look ok, but the 2nd pic gives you an idea of how all my holes look, including the 3 knob holes, and 2 pickup routes.  As far as I can tell my only option to fix the problem is to completely strip the body and redo it but I don't have the strength anymore. This project has been a nightmare especially since its my first real finishing job and I didn't have anyone to teach me in person.

Oh well, live and learn.

 

[dmraco]

I can see something on the second pic.  I looks like a reflection.  So did the water get inbetween the finish?  My tuner holes are usually so caked with nitro or poly nothing gets thru.  Maybe you can just sand down the top, that may be all you need and re-shoot.  The nitro will just melt onto eachother.

bummer...finish looks killer.

 

[Cagey]

If you're not kidding, you're going to have to explain what you're seeing that isn't showing up in the picture. I don't see a problem. It looks like there's some dried finish slurry in the holes from the wet sanding, but that's normal. A little sandpaper wrapped around a dowel or a pencil or something will get rid of that easily, if it bothers you. But, that'll all be hidden from view after assembly anyway, so I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time at it unless it's preventing you from installing the components that go in those holes.

 

[Tonar8352]

I put paste wax into all the holes and on ferrule holes and headstocks I use mineral oil as a lubricant. Looking at your picture I would go back over that area using mineral oil and then re-polish it out to be 100% safe.

 

[Syntheticocean]

If you're not kidding, you're going to have to explain what you're seeing that isn't showing up in the picture. I don't see a problem. It looks like there's some dried finish slurry in the holes from the wet sanding, but that's normal. A little sandpaper wrapped around a dowel or a pencil or something will get rid of that easily, if it bothers you. But, that'll all be hidden from view after assembly anyway, so I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time at it unless it's preventing you from installing the components that go in those holes.

Well I just looked at the guitar again. Its been sitting in my car so I could work on it when I was at work, but it looks like MOST of what I was being a crybaby about faded. What I assume happened was when I wetsanded, water got under the finish around the holes in the guitar. Most notably the ferrule holes and the volume/tone knobs. It looks as thought I need to sand it some more because the finish has dimples that look like gravel was thrown at the guitar.

How do I get rid of swirl marks? The meguires compound I used left swirl marks, but I'd like to get rid of them.

 

[Cagey]

Your buffer may be wrong or too fast, or the compound you're using may be too aggressive. Rotary buffers going too fast can make a mess of things in a hurry.

 

[Watershed]

I use naptha or mineral spirits for wetsanding (anywhere there may be a hole).
Sure it stinks a bit, but I have never had a problem with it getting along with the finish.
Occasionally, I use water with a half-drop of dishsoap for edges and the like.

RE: Swirl marks. 
I love the 3M hand glaze for that.  Great stuff.

James

 

[Syntheticocean]

I use naptha or mineral spirits for wetsanding (anywhere there may be a hole).
Sure it stinks a bit, but I have never had a problem with it getting along with the finish.
Occasionally, I use water with a half-drop of dishsoap for edges and the like.

RE: Swirl marks. 
I love the 3M hand glaze for that.  Great stuff.

James

Just picked up some mineral spirits.

I'm not doing any of the buffing with a buffer.  Too dangerous.  If it was a car I would understand. But on a guitar it's overkill for sure.

 

[dmraco]

1ST...we may want to ake this off TONARs thread...we seem to have hijacked it.

To answer your question...i use these.  They go all the way up to 12000 grit...well worth the $25
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11435&filter=27940&pn=27940

they give an almost perfect finish.  I then  use a final creme polish to give it a perfect shine.

 

[Tonar8352]

This is not my thread this is our thread and any tips and tricks regarding finishing are more than welcome in this thread.

 

[rapfohl09]

This is not my thread this is our thread and any tips and tricks regarding finishing are more than welcome in this thread.

+1, I was getting nervous about the wet-sanding part of my build, so I'm glad there is a place with a couple different guys (especially Tonar :laughing7 who are talking about their processes.

 

[crash]

What is the best way to finish off a Tru Oil finish?  Any special technique to applying that last coat, or any recommendations on any final polishing?
Here's a pic after 8 coats.  I'm on 18 now, doesn't look much from thr pic below.

You can see I didn't do any grain fill, just 2 coats of BC sealer.

 

[tylereot]

Here is a great thread by kevin-san for filling grain on swamp ash using Tung Oil.  If you are interested follow the link and read the method he used.  :icon_thumright:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=16512.0

Bummer Kevin-San's pictures are de-linked.