My finishing Kung Fu is weak...need help

[rauchman]

Greetings,

I've been working on my Warmoth Tele body.  I have it stained/dyed as I want it and have been applying coats of True Oil and Armor All, as listed in this thread http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=30377.0.

I have enough coats on it that a really nice gloss is starting to happen (between 12 and 18 coats a side), however, my coats aren't the smoothest.  Some areas are great, some not so great.  I took 800 and 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper and sanded down a bit.  It helped, but not enough. 

Some questions....
Do the layers smooth out by adding more coats?
I'm using the sandpaper wet, should I be using it dry?
Assuming I get the gloss look I'm going for, what is the final step?  I'm guessing some kind of polish with a polishing wheel?
Does wax get applied?

Thanks

 

[Rick]

We all have to develop our own "brand" of Kung Fu.  For me, it's dying first, then applying the tru-oil or whatever topcoat.  In between coats rub with 0000 steel wool (though for the next build I'll use one of those sponges), making sure to get any high spots.  Then CLEAN the steel wool off, first by blowing, then with a tack cloth, then with naphtha, then putting on the next coat in a dust free area dusted with a tack cloth, etc ... only when done and let the guitar dry for a month would I finish with scratch x or rubbing compound.

The good news is that tru-oil is forgiving; when I have the problem you articulated, I just sand it off with 0000 steel wool.  YMMV.

 

[Rick]

Let me add ... later coats of tru oil get thinned 50% with naphtha.

 

[rauchman]

Let me add ... later coats of tru oil get thinned 50% with naphtha.

That is the missing piece of info I needed!  Thanks!

 

[rauchman]

Just a follow up.....

Still sticking to the Armor All and True Oil mix.  I'm now seeing some great results.  Didn't realize the more coats, the more umpf I need to rub it in.

I'm wearing latex gloves, spritzing a side with Armor All, rubbing it even, applying a few drops of True Oil, rubbing together, then in one direction really rubbing it in, then using a lint free rag, rubbing and rubbing and rubbing.  Really starting to take on a nice gloss now.

I'm also realizing, I didn't do the best job sanding the body in prep for the dye.  But as I'm finding out, with more and more coats (have to be up to about 30 or so now), any unevenness is being filled in by the Armor All / True Oil mix and is smoothing out.

It's coming along...

 

[Rick]

That's coming along nice.

 

[Cagey]

It seems it isn't mentioned as often or strongly enough how important prep before finishing is, as if the finish is going to perform some sort of miracle. The reverse is much more often true - that the finish exacerbates any prep deficiencies, sometimes surprisingly so. You really need to get the thing to the point where it almost doesn't need a finish. Really, the finish is just for protection and/or to provide an unnatural aesthetic for the material, such as high gloss or color/artwork.

Yours is looking pretty nice!

 

[rauchman]

Need some advice again!!!!

I applied True Oil and Naptha/True Oil coats on Sunday and they were looking really nice.  However, I didn't realize I had smudged a streak running the length of the body on the back.

Got home yesterday and sanded the crap out of the body again.  600/800/1000/1200, cleaned, and then started again with the True Oil.

Being the dinkus I am, I didn't realize I had sanded off sealer on the edges.

Applied a bunch more coats to the back and where there was sealer, I am now finally getting the liquid glass finish I was hoping for.  However, where the sealer wasn't, it seems the oil is just soaking into the wood.

Not sure how to proceed.

Do I....
Continue applying oil and hope that the oil will slick up on those sealerless areas?
Sand back and apply sealer and then oil (essentially starting over)
Or
Can I apply sealer now, sand those areas and continue?

Ughhhhh

No, let me reiterate....

UGHHHHHH

 

[Rick]

I would NOT put on sealer.  It will splash over the top of wood already covered with tru-oil. (though if you do, the world won't end)  What I do is lightly sand the "mistake" (using the pads or steel wool) (almost just brushing it), clean off the dust and apply thin coats of tru oil until it glosses up.  Once it does, you're done.  Let the guitar rest for a month, then use meguair's scratch x or swirl remover to get rid of the finger print lines, if any.  Don't worry, it'll turn out good.

 

[rauchman]

I would NOT put on sealer.  It will splash over the top of wood already covered with tru-oil. (though if you do, the world won't end)  What I do is lightly sand the "mistake" (using the pads or steel wool) (almost just brushing it), clean off the dust and apply thin coats of tru oil until it glosses up.  Once it does, you're done.  Let the guitar rest for a month, then use meguair's scratch x or swirl remover to get rid of the finger print lines, if any.  Don't worry, it'll turn out good.

THANK YOU!  Phew.....

So, just to verify, I can just add True Oil and continue on?  That is exactly what I was hoping the answer would be.

Again.....thanks!

 

[Rick]

Absolutely, just carry on!