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The trouble with Tru-Oil ...

StompBoxLover

By StompBoxLover
in Electric Guitars

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atrox Newbie

atrox

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So you do 5 regular coats (in about 2 days) and then sand them all the way down and push the resulting stuff into the pores?

 

 

Not all the way down. Just enough to make a sludge. I do this after 5 and after 8. That is only if I want to have have the grain filled. most of the time, i like the natural pores to comes though.

 

Quarter has a slightly different way of doing it, but the stuff is so forgiving, it would be really hard to mess it up no matter how you tried to do it.

 

Like I said, i prefer to not do the grain fill method. I just prefer the look and feel.

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pekelnik Newbie

pekelnik

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No lemon or mineral oil involved. I use mineral spirits as a lube when wet sanding, I think its called white spirit across the pond.

Once polished out, you can use a high end carnauba wax or instrument polish if you like.

 

 

Ah. My bad. Somewhere I read that you should put lemon oil on top in the end so that it doesn't get fingerprints on it.

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pekelnik Newbie

pekelnik

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I just started oiling a rosewood neck today
:)
. I actually put one coat of oil on the board itself. it's a light enough coat that you don't feel it, but it makes the wood look awesome and makes it slighter easier to clean off. After that, I usually do oil the sides of the rosewood only with the rest of the neck. It's forgiving enough that if you get some on the top of the fretboard, you can usually quickly even it all out with a fresh cloth




Not all the way down. Just enough to make a sludge. I do this after 5 and after 8. That is only if I want to have have the grain filled. most of the time, i like the natural pores to comes though.


Quarter has a slightly different way of doing it, but the stuff is so forgiving, it would be really hard to mess it up no matter how you tried to do it.


Like I said, i prefer to not do the grain fill method. I just prefer the look and feel.

 

Ah, I see. I think I will try that. I will still put a level or two of sealer on the bottom to make sure. Now I'm testing it on a scrap piece and I see no difference after 2 coats between places that do and places that don't have the sealer on.

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Quarter Newbie

Quarter

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Quarter has a slightly different way of doing it, but the stuff is so forgiving, it would be really hard to mess it up no matter how you tried to do it.

 

So true. My method of madness has been a moving target and ever evolving as I go. Everyone will find a way that works for them.

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cratz2 Newbie

cratz2

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Man... after Atrox's and Quarter's pics, I almost hate to post mine. :cry:

 

But here goes. I've used Tru Oil on guns and furniture in the past, but I was only concerned about protection of the wood, not really the appearance. This was my first try on a guitar body. I rushed it for sure. Did the whole project in a little over 24 hours from sanding the body and stripping a non-factory finish to applying 3 coats of Tru Oil.

 

For the application, I used my fingers for the first coat as I wanted to get it into the wood more than I thought a brush or a cloth would. I never really considered a brush for fear that it would glob on unevenly. After the first coat, I let it set exactly 3 hours, then dry sanded with 2000 grit paper (might have been 1500, but I think it was 2000), wiped it off with a damp microfiber towel and let it dry. Applied the next two coats with a cloth, then steel wool'ed them.

 

Only did three coats. Didn't use anything other than the Tru Oil. No filler, no sealer, no wax. I really like how it turned out. I will definitely do a neck or two with Tru Oil as I really liked the 'lived in' feel the Tru Oil after it's hit with steel wool has.

 

This was on a mahogany Ibanez body. First pic is sanded, second pic is after one coat of Tru Oil before I sanded it and the last pic is the finished product. By FAR my biggest mistake was rushing things, mostly the initial sanding. The flat top and back of the guitar look as good as I could hope but the edges and the bevels aren't as smooth as I would have liked. I was definitely going for a worn type look, not the super glossy results atrox and Quarter got. I LOVE how that looks, but I figured I wouldn't be able to get those results, thought attempting that would take too long and that's just not what I wanted on this particular guitar. If I ever do a strat body, I will want it glossy though.

 

DSC_3731a1crop.jpg

 

DSC_4093a1.jpg

 

DSC_7071a1.jpg

 

And the right two necks:

 

DSC_8809a1s.jpg

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ej Newbie

ej

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Grain filler
- You can use tru-oil sludge as a grain filler. it works very well. get about 5 coats on, wet sand, push resulting sludge into grain just like you would a grain filler, repeat as necessary, give finishing coat.


Application
- I use rags. i find you get a more even coat and can kinda buff it as you go along. Drawback is you get less on per coat. Just find the method that works best with you. It's hard finish to mess up.


Sealer
- I don't use one, but I see no reason why not. Some people you a wax.

 

 

Can you use a stain before tru-oil?

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Orange Jackson Newbie

Orange Jackson

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Beautiful picks in this thread!

 

I'm in the middle of using Tung oil to finish a new body and neck. I know there is a difference (not sure what it is though), and that some don't like Tung oil, and some don't like True oil.

 

Seems to me you can get very good results with both.

I'm really enjoying the look the Tung oil on the alder body.

 

Someone recommended going over the previous coat with a bit of brown paper bag before applying the next coat, works like a very fine abrasive.

I'm also mixing in about 1/3 turpentine (or mineral spirits) into the oil to help it dry a little faster, and to help it work into the wood on the first application.

 

I was told to put the first application on thick and let it sit for 40 minutes, then wipe it all off with a old t shirt or blue shop towel.

 

Hoping this method is sound, so far I'm one coat in and it looks great. :)

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soundcreation Newbie

soundcreation

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So one guitar company I really love is Bacchus because they use oil finishes. But as you can see the oil finishes they have don't tend to be glossy like the ones you guys are posting.

 

bclp_4.jpg

 

Here is a video of them applying the oil finish. Would this be the same kind of thing some of you guys are using?

 

[YOUTUBE]mABSPZXwnZQ&[/YOUTUBE]

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Eddie Newbie

Eddie

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This is a timely thread.

I have an unfinished Warmoth neck coming next week and I'm undecided on the finish.

I have a bottle of Tru Oil and a can of catalyzed lacquer and can't make up my mind which I want to use.

 

 

I love the necks I've applied Tru-Oil to. Just around 8 coats, each one very thin, applied once a day for a week.

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Citizen Cain Newbie

Citizen Cain

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Tru-Oil is the only thing I use for a finish. And I'll have to disagree with Quarter, I think it's way easier than nitro :D

 

Here's a Mahogany LP Studio I converted to a wrap bridge a couple years back. Put a Tru-Oil finish over the stock finish after the conversion.

 

vm_studio2.jpg

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