oily rosewood causing finishing issues.

dmraco

Master Member
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I recently finished a neck with a rosewood fingerboard with poly.  I ran the poly up onto the sides of the fingerboard only, the same way WARMOTH does.  I noticed a small area that the poly is not drying and is remaining tacky.  The Poly did not take.  Could this be a oily spot on the rosewood?  Will this eventually dry up?

It is on the underside of the neck so it is not seen, and the tackyness is fading and the undried poly is worn off that spot.  I would like to apply some more poly so it is all the same....

Thoughts???
 
Perhaps a good cleaning of that area with naphtha or acetone would temporarily remove the oils (at least long enough for finish to stick to it).  :dontknow:
 
i used naptha before the 1st attempt.  I may have to live with it for a while.
 
jackthehack said:
Why in the hell would you finish a rosewood neck? Borderline sacrilegious...

not the WHOLE THING!!!!   Just the edges where it meets the maple....standard procedure....I other neck from warmoth is the same way

here is a photo
 
here is what WARMOTH said...

"we use an exotic wood isolator on our finger boards before finishing. The oils in the fingerboards can cause adhesion issues"

sounds exotic!!!
 
You don't finish any part of the fretboard. You tape off the rosewood strip on the side before applying finish to the maple neck - that's the SOP.
 
tfarny said:
You don't finish any part of the fretboard. You tape off the rosewood strip on the side before applying finish to the maple neck - that's the SOP.

that not how warmoth does it....they completely cover the side of the rosewood...my Jackson is like that too.  I have never seen it otherwise.
 
dmraco said:
here is what WARMOTH said...

"we use an exotic wood isolator on our finger boards before finishing. The oils in the fingerboards can cause adhesion issues"

sounds exotic!!!

You may be able to get away with superglue.  I tried a superglue finish on a rosewood board once.  Adhered just fine, didn't last very long though.
 
Finish on rosewood is dubious.  Just live with it.  Some places it'll adhere, others it won't.  When I've finished rosewood and pau ferro necks, i put the tape where the exotic wood meets the maple. 
 
Like Wyliee  said, use superglue let dry scuff and apply finsih but dont sand it to far. The oils in the Rosewood react with the cobalt and MEKP not allowing it to cure. Good luck

 
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