Nitro blushing from buffing...did I jump the gun?

[ibolazzz]

Hey there, I'm wondering if any of you can help out a novice here.  I clear coated over my decal'ed headstock using Mohawk Finisher's Choice lacquer (M102) with 3 thin coats and then 6 thicker ones (albeit not runny thick, just orange peel thick).  Everything looked great when I was done, so I then waited a week and a half before I got impatient.  The surface felt hard enough and there didn't seem to be any solvent smell left, so I wet-sanded up to 2000 grit.  The surface looked great and ready for buffing so I waited another day and started the buffing using the hand-drill/stewmac drill buffer pad and Meguiar's #7 and then #9. 

Right after I was done, everything looked GREAT!  I was so excited because this was my first neck!  However, after a couple of minutes I noticed some cloudiness start to appear gradually on the headstock face edges...not much, but noticeable when looking up close.  I googled to see if this was "blushing" and it seems like it is.  I know I should have taken pictures (stupid me...) but I panicked a bit and decided to wet sand the cloudiness out.  It seems like it worked, but I'm hesitant to buff it again just to have the cloudiness reappear with the added heat from friction.  For you experienced finishers out there, is it because I didn't wait long enough for the lacquer to harden enough?  I know its hard to help without pictures, that's on me, but any advice will be very welcome.  Thanks!

 

[stratamania]

If the blush is now gone and you have enough lacquer still on then wait a couple of weeks or more before repeating the process. Patience is the word...time waits for no man but sometimes it is worth waiting for time.

When you have wet sanded the layers beneath the topcoats have not been fully dry and the moisture will have caused the blushing. A mist coat of lacquer can also get rid of the blushing effect.

 

[ibolazzz]

If the blush is now gone and you have enough lacquer still on then wait a couple of weeks or more before repeating the process. Patience is the word...time waits for no man but sometimes it is worth waiting for time.

When you have wet sanded the layers beneath the topcoats have not been fully dry and the moisture will have caused the blushing. A mist coat of lacquer can also get rid of the blushing effect.

Yeah, I hear ya...I just didn't know blushing can occur in the buffing stage.  That was new to me and googling "nitro blush after buff" only gave results for nitro blushing during the spraying phase  :doh:, not much help there.  I just thought that blushing only occurred in quick time period during the flash-off phase from moisture, and buffing couldn't possibly melt nitro to the point that it will flash-off quickly again, but I'm admittedly a complete novice that may have completely misunderstood the mechanism of blushing.

 

[Cagey]

If you're using a power buffer, you can literally burn the finish right off. But, even before you get to that point you have to be careful about heating things up. It's one of the tricks you have to learn about buffing/polishing guitars and such. For something like a headstock, you might consider just buffing/polishing by hand. It's more work, but it's just a small area and the risks are essentially eliminated. Besides, by the time you're done finish sanding up to 2000 grit, it shouldn't need a helluva lotta buffing/polishing.

 

[ibolazzz]

Thanks @stratamania and @Cagey, I appreciate the advice and the knowledge.  This is still a learning process and a fun one at that! 

I'll try lightly hand buffing it in 2 weeks time as a test.  Hopefully there won't be any blushing by then.

 

[Cagey]

You don't have to buff too lightly. I mean, you do want the compound to cut. But, when you do it by hand you'll never work up the speed for that friction to create heat.

 

[jgard2788]

Thanks @stratamania and @Cagey, I appreciate the advice and the knowledge.  This is still a learning process and a fun one at that! 

I'll try lightly hand buffing it in 2 weeks time as a test.  Hopefully there won't be any blushing by then.

I am curious if you've buffed yet and if it worked.  I'm having the exact same issue with my Tele build.  i tested the wet-sanding/buffing after two weeks and it looked great at first and then a cloudiness almost "bloomed".  I think it may be blushing but if i can avoid re-flowing the nitro and waiting even longer to finish i want to.  Fingers crossed that waiting and buffing will be the answer.

Jamie