Pore filling woes

[naccoachbob]

Please look at the picture provided. I'm going to try to leave it pretty large so you can click it and then (with Explorer, anyway) magnify it.
I've pore filled the body and thought I had a nice even surface. It looked filled. I promise.
But after a seal coat and 3 finish coats, this is what I'm seeing.

DSCN0167.jpg

It appears that the pores are not filled, most obviously to the right of the light reflection.
Is this something that just happens, or shouldn't you see a nice even coat and a lack of "pores" on the body?
When I've properly filled, what should I see?
Evidently I just don't get it yet.
I'm at my wit's end.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob

[Ken C]

Bob,

I do find that Target's hsf will shrink a bit. I am not one who leaves a coat of filler on the surface. I tend to just fill the pores, so if the filler shrinks or the wood swells a touch from humidity, I will see the same thing. Your pores don't look deep at all. I'm guessing that with a few more coats of finish and a good leveling, you won't see any more recesses.

Look at guitars that are a few years old and you well see grain lines. Really tough to keep a perfectly level finish shooting lacquer over porous woods.

Ken

[kencierp]

Put on 6 more "heavy coats" let it dry/cured -- then level -- often the coatings will sink to their lowest possible level. The idea is to get enough coating on the wood so you can in effect sand most of it off getting to the bottom of those little craters. The reason you wait a long time before leveling is so that you know all the shrinking is done. I hope this makes sense --- again if you don't put enough coating on you will not have enough to level and end up hitting bare wood again. I think John Hall has said it a couple of times -- "its not what you put on -- but rather what you leave on."

[naccoachbob]

Thanks both Ken's.
And it does make sense. It's just that the look of it right now is so disturbing.
I'll keep on with the Deft.
Much appreciated guys.
Bob

[Tony_in_NYC]

Man...you cant catch a break with this guitar!! I think you will be fine like Ken said. Add more finish and sand it off. She is gonna look nice!

[deadedith]

I now have a method of pore filling that works for me. It is not a method that is used much on this Forum, but man does it give a beautiful pore filled finish.
Sand to 150. Clean off dust. Apply a liberal amount of Fast drying varnish high gloss (I use sherwin williams) mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits - make sure the area you are working on is well covered with the mixture, and then sand the wet mixture into the wood with a good open-coat alum oxide paper. It will create a slush that sands into the pores. Before it gets too tacky, wipe off the excess with clean cloth or, as I do, with blue shop towels. Wait an hour or so - unless it is very humid - then go to a 180 grit, sand, remove dust, then sand in the mixture again with the 180. Repeat every hour or so with finer and finer grit. I switch to a real good grade of wet-dry paper around 600-800 grit and take it up further if I want to. I finish up with a thin coat of straight varnish. I can do back and sides in one day.
This makes a beautiful finish, and has the advantage of pore filling an exact match to the wood, and using finer and finer grits continues to fill pores as well as sand smaller and smaller scratches.
Again, lots of ways to skin a cat, and I know from reading in the Archives that some people (most?) prefer the look of clear pore filler, and I'm okay with that. My method gives a durable, attractive and professional looking finish with not much fuss.

Okay, you guys that have your preferences may now proceed. I'm not prepared to fight about this!! :-)
DaveB

[Tony_in_NYC]

Dave--sounds like as good a method as any other. I have read about using egg whites and creating a slurry in much the same way you do it. I dont know how it tastes when it is cooked, but I dont think I will use egg whites on my guitars.

[naccoachbob]

I'm convinced that pore filling is voodoo and that I'll never be initiated into the club for that.
All I need is to see it done one time, in person, and I'll own it. But absent that, sheesh.
Bob

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Hey Bob,
You are doing fine. Like the Ken's have said, more finish will probably fill things, but, if you end up with some small divots once you have most of your coats on, you can do little drop fills in those areas with the deft. I spray a little into the cap, and use a tooth pick to pick up a little lacquer and drop it on the void. Do 2, 3, or more drops (after each dries) as needed. When it is dry, scrap it flush to the finish with a razor blade. The drop fills will burn in perfectly, and you can continue with your sanding. Even if you have many, they can be handled this way, so you don't have to "over coat" the whole guitar.
Capeash? (Tony, did I spell that right?)

Kevin

[deadedith]

Tony said : "but I dont think I will use egg whites on my guitars."

For one thing, the yolk would be on you...

Hey, I don't know from egg whites, but the slurry method has been around a long time. Nowadays we have the fast drying oil varnish which, when thinned, allows a light coat to be added every hour or so depending on humidity.

Did you get the 'yolk' joke? :-)
DaveB