Finishing my swamp ash carved top tele

[MattPurland]

Hi Guys,

I just want to run through how I'm going to finish my tele and would like to hear your opinions regarding the process. And I need to be told if I'm doing it wrong!

1. 1 or 2 coats of sanding sealer
2. Black grain filler (as many coats as it takes) with sanding back
3. Mask out natural binding (I know the grain will be black, I thought it might look cool)
4. Spray a few coats of lacquer on the masked binding
3. Stain using custom-shade red water-based stain
4. Finish with 12 - 15 coats of satin nitro

Now, I'm no expert when it comes to finishes, so is the above correct? I'm guessing the sanding sealer is there to stop the black from the grain filler staining the wood?

Cheers,
Matt

 

[-CB-]

Why put the sealer under the filler, when you're going to have to do major sanding anyway.  Why not just put the sealer over the filler, to seal whats finally level from the filler?

For natural binding.... I've never done it, but.... it depends on the colors you're going for.  If its a burst, just shoot the edges where the "binding" will be, with clear, then shoot the burst colors.  If you get seepage, etc, you have clear under the mask, and that will allow some scraping back if need be.

 

[MattPurland]

I'm comfortable with the natural binding, I did it on my strat and it came out great! What I don't want to happen is the black filler to dye the wood - does that make sense?

 

[-CB-]

I had no problem with the filler not dyeing the wood...

Grain fill, sand back to flat.  Only the deep stuff keeps the filler.  You sand the rest back to "wood".  That one got shellac as a sealer then amber toner and then clear.