Finishing my 2nd build with Target HSF5100 for a sealer

[naccoachbob]

I'm going to give my experience with this product and how I finally got thru it.
First I used the filler, poured in a plastic container. Rolled up a ball of cheese cloth. Dipped it in the filler, and swirled in small circles on the body.
Now, I would have benefitted from someone beside me showing me the way, as that's how I learn best. Absent that, I had many emails with Ken Cierp and others on this. So some directions sank in, others didn't.
After several attempts with lighter coats, and no appreciable luck, I went with a heavy coat on the back. Let it sit overnight, and sanded with 220 grit. The first time, I actually used a random-orbit sander (ROS).
Thinking back, I saw very few shiny spots when I was done, and thought I'd finished.
Then I put sanding sealer on (spray with Deft Sanding Sealer), and I could see the pores that I thought I'd previously filled. That made me think I had done a bad job. So I sanded all back to wood and began the process again.
I firmly believe now that my technique was correct and that the sealer had just cleared up the filler.
Anyway, I began the filling process again, and tried using light coats swirling with the cheese cloth, then scraping with a razor. No reasonable progress was made. Then I "gobbed" on (not really - just used more than I thought I needed) more filler and lightly cirled with cheese cloth. Left it overnight. Sanded back with 220, and lo and behold, the pores were filled. I could see a tiny shiny spot here and there. Light sanding with 320 to remove scratches from the 220, and I was very satisfied.
Sprayed sanding sealer on again, and let it set 24 hours. Sprayed Deft Clear Finish on it last night and today I'm very happy. I can see those same pores I spoke of before, but I'm confident that they are the result of the sealer making the filler clear.
My not knowing what the sealer would do cost me another week or so of hard work on this guitar. So I hope others will learn from this.
Actually, looking back, if I'd known the proper way, the HSF5100 is relatively easy to use.
Ken told me 2 things in our emails that are of note.
1. Don't use 220, use 320. It may take longer, but is better for the process.
2. I told him that sometimes sanding back would leave some "cloudiness' on the surface that was residue from the filler. He said that is acceptable, that it will meld in with the sealer. (By the way, that's why I finally figured out that I hadn't screwed up the filling once the sealer was on the 2nd time).

Here's my plan if I use HSF5100 again:
Sand wood to 220. Tack rag twice.
2 coats of Deft Sanding Sealer
Knock off the bumps with light sanding (probably 320 grit) Tack rag again.
Liberally apply the filler with cheesecloth going in small circles until the glaze starts to make the cloth drag just a bit.
Leave it overnight.
Sand with 320 realizing that a slight haze on the surface is not a problem. Use a razor in areas where there might be a little too much build-up.
Check for shiny spots.
Apply one more coat the same way.
Sand again, razor again if needed.
Clean up with tack rag. Clean up with tack rag again.
Seal with 2 coats sealer. Clean up any runs from that, but don't get agressive and go thru the sealer/filler.
Start clear coating after 24-48 hours.

I just emailed Ken Cierp, and I intend this for him and any others with more experience. Please, Please, if you see an error in my ways, or an improvement, or anything you'd like to put on here, please do. Pore filling in particular, and finishing in general are hard for novices, and my intent here is to be helpful. If my method has errors, I insist that you point them out and help people learn from mistakes I've made. I will not be offended, nor will I cry if someone shows a better way. I think HSF5100, the way I finally figured it out, is an easy way to pore fill. Others in the past have created exquisite finishes from it.
Here's a pic of my drying "rack" with the neck and the body. Notice my high tech holding devices for both. This is after 1 coat of clear finish.

drying rack.jpg

This is in our den, where my son's workout machine is - which nobody uses. The neck is held by a bolt with a rubberband that will hang on a j-hook outside. The body is held by a coat hanger with the ends bent sideways to prevent it coming thru the bolt holes. We have a covered patio out back that someone made with the thought of an earthquake I guess, because it's made of 6x6 corner posts and 2x6 rafters and supports (a bit overbuilt I think). But that's where I spray since the Deft is pretty powerful and I don't want it done in my shop or house.

Here's the body

DSCN0121.jpg

Headstock

DSCN0124.jpg

I now have an important question.
Since I'm using a nitrocellulose finish, I need to know what to do about the bridge.
I can put the neck on, situate the bridge correctly, and outline it to mask it off.
Some people finish a guitar, then scrape the wood under the bridge before gluing.
Some mask the bridge first and then put on the finish.
With the product I'm using, which is the best. I better decide now if the bridge needs masked, before putting on any other coats of finish.
Thanks for your help in advance,
And thanks for looking,
Bob

[johnnparchem]

Bob,

The guitar's looking great and glad you got the pore fill finished. I was thrown out to the furthest reaches of my property when I was spraying with nitrocellulose. My wife works from home and had her office door open to the back near where I was spraying; bad scene. That is why I am trying to get a good water based finish technique. Overall the end result of nitrocellulose is great as you end up with one layer of finish.
I am looking forward to seeing the finished guitar.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Oh Bob, that git is turning out sooooo purrrrrrty! The bloodwood is a great trim for the EIR. Sounds like you had a time with the pore filling, but you persivered and got er done.
Personally I like the Deft Nitro, and though it cost a little bit more to use rattle cans, the cost out weighs the hassle of cleaning the spray equipment after each spraying session, and the end result can be purtnear as good.
You are doing a GREAT job, and I love that headstock.

Kevin

[Darryl Young]

I'm also digging that headstock!!!

[Ken C]

Looking great, Bob! I unintentionally left a little HSF5100 on the surface of my second guitar, which was topcoated with EM6000. These couple of patches of filler are visible when viewed under certain light. Since then I have been very careful to make sure I had removed all 'cloudiness' or visible patches of HSF prior to topcoating. However, others spray HSF and just leave a film of it on the surface prior to topcoating. I am tempted to try this the next time around. I would think if the whole surface had a thin film of it, all would be well.

Regarding bridge placement, I mask prior to spraying. Once done, I score the edge of the tape with an xacto knife and peel off the tape. I like to remove the tape prior to buffing, so I can get the lacquer perfectly level under the bridge. However, I have had a couple of bridges pop off, which I attribute to either having residual lacquer or shellac under the mask from when I sealed the top while binding, leveling, and pore filling or to my polishes getting into the wood. I continue to follow this same process, but now I scrape the area well with a razor blade prior to gluing on bridge.

You're about done!

Ken