Mahogany....

[tylereot]

I like the idea of doing the stain in coats, clear, sand, coats.

You started with a Mahogany red, then clear, sand back, and stained med brown for this?
I like this too.

 

[Cagey]

I imagine the marine varnish on the chris craft had a stain right in it.  I thought about using a colored lacquer to get the effect, but staining the wood is just going to give me better control.

Not only that, you'll maintain the natural chatoyancy of the wood, and the finish will have a "depth" to it that you can't get with a tinted coating. Stain the wood, then a couple hundred thousand coats of clear properly levelled and buffed out? Mmmm... delicious!

 

[bagman67]

Whatever you choose, Tyler, I reckon it will come out mighty nice.  That body rings like a bell when you knock on it, and of course it's a handsome piece of lumber before you put anything on it.  I'd tend to go conservative with stain intensity - the red/sand back/brown approach seems likely to get you where you want to go.


Also, and forgive me for not having done so sooner, I want to thank you for your hospitality and welcoming spirit when I came up to jam.  It's great to hang an axe around my neck and make goofy noises with a kindred spirit.  And while I didn't get to spend much time with her, it's clear your wife is a gracious and good-humored woman.  Yer a lucky fella.


Regards,


ian

 

[tylereot]

Well, friends, here's where we are today:
We'll call this a beauty mark...

Chocolate mess....

Sanded out the filler, layered up mahogany red and medium brown stain.  Sanded back just a touch.  Two coats of vinyl sealer, and this is the first sloppy coat of Behlen nitro, applied with a brush.

 

[tylereot]

After stain and around 25 thick sloppy coats of lacquer, this is about what we're going to get.  It's not 'chris craft', but I did see a boat in the Oakland harbor with a whole topside full of mahogany about this color.

 

[bagman67]

How bad are the brush marks?  I like the color.


peace


Bagman

 

[tylereot]

Brush marks are certainly there, but it will all sand flat, polish out pretty easily, I think.  But this lacquer is hard!  Not like that acrylic stuff I used on the Bass VI.  So sanding is going to be a little touchy, and will likely test my patience.
I'm going to give it another week or so to be sure, while I work on the neck, pickguard, etc.  Still need to have another conversation with Ken about the pups, and parts are still arriving.
I did a little experiment with the neck.  Used a sample of some stain, mixed with lacquer to get a 'tint'.  Looked pretty good, until I got the second coat on.  Then it looked like someone had smeared it with mud.  :icon_tongue:
More sanding...

 

[tylereot]

In keeping with the whole mahogany theme here, check out how the wood has changed color!  I did a little sanding on the inside cavities and it looks completely white against the mahogany.  The stuff is just darkening all by itself with the light.

I imagine 50 year old chris craft brightwork gets dark all by itself, too.

 

[bagman67]

I see you've chosen Petaluma's finest as your buffing companion.  My wife is a huge Lagunitas fan.

 

[Cagey]

In keeping with the whole mahogany theme here, check out how the wood has changed color!  I did a little sanding on the inside cavities and it looks completely white against the mahogany.  The stuff is just darkening all by itself with the light.

That's typical with high-tannin woods such as Mahogany, Cherry, Bloodwood, Padouk, Purpleheart, etc. Ultraviolet light accelerates it. Kinda like tanning your own bad self. Leave it out where the sun can get to it, and it'll darken up.

I imagine 50 year old chris craft brightwork gets dark all by itself, too.

Brightwork is the nickel/chrome. Railings, fixtures, fasteners, etc. It doesn't darken. But, old ChrisCrafts used a lotta Mahogany, which does darken over time and exposure. Some boats use Teak to tolerate marine conditions, which actually lightens due to a bleaching effect.

 

[tylereot]

I see you've chosen Petaluma's finest as your buffing companion.  My wife is a huge Lagunitas fan.

Drakes (our most local) and Lagunitas are my go-to for house brew.