A new one started today...another Drednaught

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Routing in the saddle slot with my cross vise, drill press and holder jig.
All done, ready for the pore filling.
And finally, yesterday in the spray booth getting the first coat of sealer. YAH!

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

......more

[Kevin Sjostrand]

The first spraying of sealer usually makes any voids around the bindings and rosette show up, and I have some that show in the rosette area between the abalone and purflings that I will need to fill now with CA before I spray the second coat of sealer. It amazes me how this looked totally sealed before I sprayed.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Okay, no pictures right now, but I have put 26oz of lacquer on; 7 heavy coats. Today I leveled the finish, and didn't really take that much off to do it. Tomorrow I will spray 4 more coats, probably about 10oz and I will be done spraying. It looks really good, I have just one little divot along a purfling on the rosette. Again, I thought I had these all filled. I will drop fill this spot tomorrow morning with some thick lacquer before I spray and it should be fine. Then the wait. 3 to 4 weeks should be plenty of time as it is pretty warm here now.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

All done spraying, now the wait. I put about 45 ounces of lacquer on this guitar, but I will take a little off. I thinned out the last coat and got rid of most of the orange peel this time. I'll wet sand in a bout 3 weeks and then try out my new shop fox buffer. Yeah!

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Waiting waiting.........
It is very hot here now, in the 90's and will be 100 this weekend. I think 2 weeks is going to be long enough to wait to wet sand so I'm figuring to start that this weekend, hoping my wife will allow me to sit at the kitchen table where it is much cooler to do it. Also the humidity has dropped significantly, down to 30% so I've got to get this box in the case and being humidified.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Completed my wet sanding of the whole guitar this past weekend. Lots of hours, but it went well. I thought I had the smoothest final sprayed finish I've gotten yet, but there was still a lot of sanding. Started with P grade 800. This coming Saturday my plan is to set up my new Shop Fox buffer and go at it. I'm a little concerned about the EDGES! I hope to stay away from them. I may also do the heel, fretboard binding and edge of the headstock by hand to be safe. After sanding I put the neck on the guitar and was surprised and a little disappointed that my nice fit of the heel to body I had before spraying was no longer there. Oh well, a little flossing will bring it back. I'm also going to use my chisel and cut in closer the edge of the cheeks toward the tenon so I have an even smaller area of contact to the body. Right now that LEDGE is about 1/8", I try and reduce that in half. I took some pictures but they don't show much because of shadows so I'll post some after the buffing and refitting. Home stretch now!

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Saturday morning I set up my new buffer and went at it. WOW. Fast and the best results I've gotten to date.
I only spent about 10 minutes buffing the body. The neck I did mostly by hand that goes quick then did a quick once over on the finest compound wheel. Super satisfied with the results.
I also got the bridge glued on, attached the neck(not glued on yet) and checked my neck angle. I was perfect before finishing but I've humidified the guitar body and I now need to tilt back and gain about 1/16" at the saddle. I will let it all settle this week before I change it, it may settle in.
So I'll work on making the nut, saddle and pickguard, which is going to be cocobolo.

Kevin

[RnB]

Wow, that looks great Kevin. Did you make the buffer? Quite the time saver w/ superb results...

[johnnparchem]

wow!