Hi. How do you guys finish maple/rosewood necks with nitro? Do you put the finish over the rosewood fingerboard edges, or stop it at the maple. I’ve just finished one & I put the finish on the fingerboard edges & it’s starting to flake off (only on the rosewood, not the maple). How do you get nitro to stick to oily rosewood??
Nitro won't stick to rosewood!!
- Thread starter dbel27
- Start date
dmraco
Master Member
- Messages
- 4,655
the finish, ona finished neck will go over the edge of the rosewood. On fenders with rosewood, I do not beleive they use nitro on the necks.
Warmoth uses poly and will run the finish up onto the rosewood. I did the same on my latest build.
I did use nitro on a rosewood and have had no issues with it coming off. what was your prep?? Are you sure it is Flaking off? I know the rosewood will suck the nitro much more than the maple. You could just be wearing thru.
Warmoth uses poly and will run the finish up onto the rosewood. I did the same on my latest build.
I did use nitro on a rosewood and have had no issues with it coming off. what was your prep?? Are you sure it is Flaking off? I know the rosewood will suck the nitro much more than the maple. You could just be wearing thru.
Keyser Soze
Senior Member
- Messages
- 206
Rosewood varies in its oil content but tends to be an oily wood. An exceptionally oily piece will tend to repel lacquer. When I spray nitro I always seal with a coat of shellac (Bullseye sealer.)
In the case of a maple/rosewood neck I tape off the rosewood fingerboard, leaving about 1-2 mm of rosewood exposed, then seal & apply the lacquer. After rub out I carefully cut the finish along the tape edge, then remove the tape. Do not pull the tape up without first scoring the edge - you risk lifting the finish right off the rosewood, and possibly even the maple.
Yes the finish will form an edge slightly higher than the bare rosewood. But this edge will be surprisingly thin (if you've never dealt with nitro before you might actually be surprised just how thin it really is) and, even though you've allowed the requisite curing time before rubout, the finish will still be relatively soft. Using some fine paper (about 1000 grit) folded once and working with you fingers carefully feather this abrupt edge to form a bevel tapering towards the bare wood. Then burnish with a soft cotton cloth using firm pressure.
In the case of a maple/rosewood neck I tape off the rosewood fingerboard, leaving about 1-2 mm of rosewood exposed, then seal & apply the lacquer. After rub out I carefully cut the finish along the tape edge, then remove the tape. Do not pull the tape up without first scoring the edge - you risk lifting the finish right off the rosewood, and possibly even the maple.
Yes the finish will form an edge slightly higher than the bare rosewood. But this edge will be surprisingly thin (if you've never dealt with nitro before you might actually be surprised just how thin it really is) and, even though you've allowed the requisite curing time before rubout, the finish will still be relatively soft. Using some fine paper (about 1000 grit) folded once and working with you fingers carefully feather this abrupt edge to form a bevel tapering towards the bare wood. Then burnish with a soft cotton cloth using firm pressure.
