Members Engine207 Posted February 24, 2013 Members Share Posted February 24, 2013 Hi All! I'm new to guitar building, and I'm almost to the stage where I'm ready to finish. What I'd like to achieve is an instrument that is well-protected from it's environment, but not a shiny, glossy, or poly-looking. I want it to be a beautiful block of wood, with strings. I want to see and feel the wood. It's a laminated body that I made with an alder middle and mahogany top and back. There is a 3-inch strip of koa running down the center - also front and back. I'd intend to use Tru-Oil, and I want to make sure I apply it correctly to achieve the desired result. I currently have it sanded to 320, but have seen some comments in other forums that say 220 is the proper smoothness. Is doing a light sanding with 220 a good idea, before applying the finish? I'm not thinking to do that slurry thing, since shiny and smooth is not at all what I'm after. I'll be able to judge better as the coats go on and wipe off, but I'm expecting 3-5 coats, probably 24 hours apart. I will probably apply it by hand, and really rub the first one in, then wipe it off with an old firehouse tee-shirt, then use that shirt to apply the subsequent coats and another to wipe it off. Is it imperative that I sand at all, especially considering I'm after a real natural, woodsy look? Thanks in advance for any thoughts...gt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted February 24, 2013 Members Share Posted February 24, 2013 Of course there are sometimes other adjuncts that harden the finish further like shellac, which dries harder than poly when it ages a few years. Shellac flakes shatter like glass if you've ever seen them. Damn, will they ever bother to fix the quote feature?Anyway, this information is incorrect. Shellac does dot dry as a hard as any type of poly finish. Shellac is the hardest of all the naturally occurring resins used for finishing, but is nowhere near as hard as a lacquer or poly finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Floyd Rosenbomb Posted February 24, 2013 Members Share Posted February 24, 2013 I have never waited 24 hours between coats of Tru. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Quarter Posted February 24, 2013 Members Share Posted February 24, 2013 Zombie Thread Alert! ... at least its for an important subject ... Engine207 wrote:... I'd intend to use Tru-Oil, and I want to make sure I apply it correctly to achieve the desired result. I currently have it sanded to 320, but have seen some comments in other forums that say 220 is the proper smoothness. Your fine at 320, no need to go back to 220. The problem with going too high of grits is that your paper pretty much stops cutting and starts polishing / burnishing. As to application, everyone finds a way that works for them. Other than the very first coat on raw wood, the "trick" is to keep your coats thin. For the first coat, let her suck up as much as she wants, wipe the excess off, then hang overnight. As for me, I'm still doing it about the same, wipe it on, level sand as I build the film, and spray the last 2 coats. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Rover Posted February 24, 2013 Members Share Posted February 24, 2013 I discovered Tru-oil a couple of years ago when I tried it on a new Warmoth neck I bought. I love it. Its the best looking, smoothest feeling neck I own.. Ill never go back to Nitro for refinishing necks. The thing I like about Tru-oil is it dries fast and can be buffed to a high glossy sheen. The Walmarts around here don't sell it anymore so I get mine at sporting goods stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members oiler Posted March 5, 2013 Members Share Posted March 5, 2013 I have a question I'm hoping someone can help with here. I'm finishing a guitar with tru-oil and a spot at the base of the neck has quit hardening. It seems to just stay a little bit tacky. I tried scuffing it and applying another coat, but the new coat doesn't harden, either. Anyone know what might cause this, and what I might do to fix it short of sanding the whole thing off? Maybe a little heat with a hair dryer? I don't want to sand it down and burn through the stain coat. I think I have 6 or 7 very thin coats on this area. I have been cutting the oil about 20-30% with mineral spirits because I can't get it on and smoothed before it starts to thicken if I use it straight from the bottle. Everywhere else is coming along nicely, just this one spot that is causing trouble. By the way, the wood is mahogany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 5, 2013 Members Share Posted March 5, 2013 Just wait.Don't go after it with a blow drier. You'll muck it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members oiler Posted March 6, 2013 Members Share Posted March 6, 2013 Ok. I'll give it a couple of days and see what happens. I was wondering about a little heat because my ambient temp is only 68. Hasn't been a problem so far, unless that is part of the issue with this one little area, but I thought a little more heat might speed things up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted March 6, 2013 Members Share Posted March 6, 2013 I finished my parts-tele body with it. Love the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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