Doing The Neck, Not My Preferred Way

raystankewitz

Junior Member
Messages
77
Well, I'm finishing the neck (Maple-Rosewood Reverse Strat) on a kit build, not how I would have wanted to but this stupid midwest weather and my shoulder are not cooperating! Grr!

I'm using Tru-Oil. There, I've said it. yeah, you've heard me rail about this not being a proper finish but what with the weather changing day to day, a water-borne Brite Tone finish is not going to be possible. 90°f and over makes the finish kind of dry and low humidity leads to blushing. Tru-Oil was my only choice at the moment.

Anyway, sanded to 400, taped off and put the first coat on, t-h-i-n! It took several hours to hard cure but it's on there. I'm also doing a Claro Walnut stock for my Ruger 10-22 so it has one coat, too. Both are looking good so far.

I'm trying to get some pix to put up but I will keep all of you updated.

Feel free to flame my by DM for using Tru-Oil.
 
If you are going to use "Tru Oil varnish" may as well use wipe on poly IMO.
 
I know the tru oil doesn't meet the warranty any more but. ... I've done necks with tru oil ... No problems ... Knock wood ... Put on about twenty coats.
 
Spud said:
If you are going to use "Tru Oil varnish" may as well use wipe on poly IMO.
My office desk has a wipe on Minwax finish that I do not like. It's shiny and all, sorta durable but it also has that 'tacky/gummy/sticky/plastic' feel to it. If you've ever complained about the poly finish on a Squier or Epiphone guitar, you would scream loudly about this finish. That's why I'm using Tru-Oil.

Now have three coats on, a fourth one scheduled for tonight. So far, it's looking decent. Been sanding with P600 grit dry after each coat and that seems to help keep a level surface.

@rick2 - this isn't a Warmoth neck, it's a kit Strat from The Fretwire. So, no warranty to worry about.
 
raystankewitz said:
Spud said:
If you are going to use "Tru Oil varnish" may as well use wipe on poly IMO.
My office desk has a wipe on Minwax finish that I do not like. It's shiny and all, sorta durable but it also has that 'tacky/gummy/sticky/plastic' feel to it. If you've ever complained about the poly finish on a Squier or Epiphone guitar, you would scream loudly about this finish. That's why I'm using Tru-Oil.

Now have three coats on, a fourth one scheduled for tonight. So far, it's looking decent. Been sanding with P600 grit dry after each coat and that seems to help keep a level surface.

@rick2 - this isn't a Warmoth neck, it's a kit Strat from The Fretwire. So, no warranty to worry about.

All depends on sanding/ not over doing application. If you feel you need to build tons of mil's then tru oil away!
 
Emmet's Good Stuff Wood Finish Is a wipe on poly finish that Suhr uses for a “raw feel” on necks. It’s also being used on some of the newly released EVH.

But I see nothing wrong with Tru Oil or Danish Oil varnishing.
 
What I've done on mahogany is to use two coats of poly, then follow up with multiple coats of tru oil.  Came out pretty good.  Sorry no pics and the neck is gone.
 
Spud said:
If you are going to use "Tru Oil varnish" may as well use wipe on poly IMO.

What he said ... I agree. Minwax Clear satin. I used it on my maple neck and it's been good for years now.
 
@Spud - not looking to build up a factory thickness finish, that's why I used Tru-Oil instead of WOP. Any WOP works great . . . for furniture. It has its limitations that I'm not willing to put up with. Film thickness being one of them. I'm probably going to do ten or so coats. I do sand in between coats with P600 so ten coats total would actually be about 5 mils. Wipe-On Poly would be about 100 mils # ten coats applied.

@Steve_Karl - I used MinWax on my desk, used a teflon squeegee to spread it out on the top which is made from hardboard AKA Beaverboard. Four coats, then cut and buffed. Not what I would want on a guitar neck.

Anyway, fifth coat on, going to try for a sixth coat tonight if it's cured enough to correction sand on. Looking acceptable so far.
 
@Spud - not looking to build up a factory thickness finish, that's why I used Tru-Oil instead of WOP. Any WOP works great . . . for furniture. It has its limitations that I'm not willing to put up with. Film thickness being one of them. I'm probably going to do ten or so coats. I do sand in between coats with P600 so ten coats total would actually be about 5 mils. Wipe-On Poly would be about 100 mils # ten coats applied.

You gotta do what YOU want obviously. No argument from me sir. I will say however, that your estimated mil thickness is a bit off. One thin coat of wipe on poly is approx 1.5 Mils not 10, but like I said, it all depends on your process. Also, done right, you won't really feel the poly on a neck as you need half the coats compared to Tru oil varnish for better protection.

Peace and chicken grease!  :icon_thumright:
 
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