Unsure about finishing procedure

[SmooveOperator]

I am doing up my first project which is a swamp ash strat body with a quilt top maple laminate. I am getting a finished neck from warmoth, as I think the body is going to be enough of a project for a first timer.
I am going to use water based dye on the body but I have a few questions in particular on the process of the clear coat.

I know that the water based dye will raise the grain so I plan on taking that down before the clear coat with some 400 grit sand paper.
I plan on using ColorTone Aerosol Guitar Lacquer from stewmac. (Is this a solid product?)

My questions are:
1: Do I need to apply a sealer before I put on Lacquer?
2: If so, can you recommend one?
3: Should I sand (wet or dry?) between coats of Lacquer?
4: How many coats of Lacquer should I apply?
5: Should I buy a buffing compound and polishing pad, or is that not really necessary?

My goal here is to have a really nice, clear, durable finish to this guitar. I am trying to plan this out as best as possible so I don't have to post here asking how to fix a mistake.

Thanks in advance

 

[-CB-]

The StewMac lacquer is "ok".  You might consider ReRanch Lacquer.

Do get some grain filler - colored or clear you're choice - waterbased - from StewMac
Use that to level the body wood.  I use a credit card "sample" and scrape it across the grain, and try to get as much off as possible at scraping time.  Sand flush, repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat.  Why repeat?  Because swamp ash is a mother to fill the grain on, and because relatively light coats will be easier to sand off, take less time to dry.  And dry they must.  The last filler coats should dry several days - or they'll shrink into the grain as they do, and your finish wont be flat.  You'll sand it - its flat then - but keeps on shrinking, and oops, got grain outlines again later.  Take your time.  Take your time.  Let it dry.  This is not hard work, just PATIENT work.  You cant speed the drying.

Sealer - you can use a sanding sealer made for lacquer, or you can use clear shallac.  The problem you'll have - is the dye.  I'd just use two coats of your regular lacquer, and let them dry in really well, give them two weeks, three is better.  Then sand lightly so as not to go thru those thin coats.  Then you can shoot more lacquer over that.

Lacquer is funny as it will swell the lacquer under it.  It not only shrinks - but swells!  What this means is that light coats are best, and that you must let it dry, and dry and dry some more, to shrink in, before you level the finish and final buff.

Forget all the 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 papers.  Get some wet dry 600 paper.  For final leveling, use the 600 paper, and some kerosene or lamp oil or even lemon oil (like Formbys).  That is better than water, does not evaporate, and clears the paper better too.  Frank Ford told me he uses kerosene when he wet sands... so I'll use him (arguably the best repairman on the planet) as a source.

When the finish is level, with 600 paper, it will be soft matte looking.  Get out your Turtle wax white compound and hand buff it to a high gloss.  Takes very little work to do, and you are done~

The key to a good finish with lacquer, is to make sure the coats go down "wet", but not runny.  This takes a little practice but is easily mastered.  You want the lightest coat that makes it wet... you dont want a dusty coat or a coat that evaporates too quickly or it will need more leveling.  And the key is to wait and wait and wait... let that finish dry, cure, shrink into the wood.  After that, its ready to go.

I've found that Deft works well, and that the semi gloss cures and shrinks in faster than the full gloss - yet buffs out just as nicely to a high gloss.

Hope that helps.

 

[g2]

Best way to avoid posting about how to fix a mistake...

Practice on scrap swamp ash!!
CBs grain filling advice has helped me a lot.....

There's plenty available on ebay.....

It's worth it to spend a few more bucks on scrap wood than to potentially mess up an expensive body....

 

[-CB-]

wise words there about the scrap

 

[DiMitriR33]

Forget all the 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 papers.  Get some wet dry 600 paper.  For final leveling, use the 600 paper, and some kerosene or lamp oil or even lemon oil (like Formbys).   That is better than water, does not evaporate, and clears the paper better too.  Frank Ford told me he uses kerosene when he wet sands... so I'll use him (arguably the best repairman on the planet) as a source.

When the finish is level, with 600 paper, it will be soft matte looking.  Get out your Turtle wax white compound and hand buff it to a high gloss.  Takes very little work to do, and you are done~

[quote/]

i'd never think of kerosene. i'd be afraid that is would ham the finnish but cb is the goto guy on the forum, i've found that oliveoil works great. and it's not as big a spontanious combustion hazzard as kerosene, or i'd hope not anyway. definalely oil of any kind is better than water.

 

[-CB-]

I have used Formby's lemon oil as a wetting medium for wet sanding (oh the secrets I tell....).  Kerosene is fine, about as flammable as Formby's is. 

www.frets.com  <---- its all right there, and Frank does not BS when it comes to such things. 

 

[DiMitriR33]

wasn't mean't to question you. just would've worried about the kerosene or lamp oil. i guess even exesive humidity can cause spontanious combustion. it really depends on how ya dispose of your rags.