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OP seems to be very interested in the last phase of finishing. I hope the silence about the necessary work that precedes the finish coats indicates that those steps are understood. I concluded that for myself the finish coats were the easiest part of the whole finishing process, which starts with the first saw cut. Do everything honestly, no corners cut, no trusting future steps to cover up a prior step, and the final finish can be almost anything and the results will be dazzling.

As soon as I actually achieve a 'dazzling' result, I'll post a picture. Until then, learning proceeds.

I'll echo what Peter said. No matter what you use for your final finish, it will only look as good as your preparation.

Every flaw that is left, will show through the final finish, even sanding scratches. So, using naphtha to clean the wood between grits and steps helps, as does a bright light and careful inspection. I wish I had a dollar for every minor scratch I've found when I've started applying finish; I'd be rich. They never disappear and always require responding.

There are no shortcuts to a nice finish.

In case you're interested, we have a discussion going in another thread
on pore filling. There's a lot of valuable info in the thread. http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/vi ... f=6&t=8850

[quote="MaineGeezer"]Yes -- Tru-Oil is quite easy to apply. Even an idiot like me can do it, and the results look good. Just keep the coats t h i n and allow adequate drying time between coats.

One thing about Tru-Oil to be aware of is that as soon as you open the bottle and use some so there is an air space in the bottle, the oil will tend to skim over in the bottle. One way to minimize this is to drop marbles into the bottle as you use the oil to keep the airspace to a minimum. Another thing to do is put the bottle away upside down. It will skim over, but it will be at the bottom of the bottle when you turn it right-side up to use it.

The advice about the marbles and turning the can upside down is something new to read. That's a very cool thing. Thanks.

Neither the marbles nor turning the bottle over completely stop the skimming over, but they help some. (Those tricks aren't original with me, by the way; I read them years ago.)

Another suggestion I've seen is to eliminate the oxygen in the bottle by blowing an unlighted propane torch into the bottle, then quickly cap it.

Don't forget Bloxygen

http://www.bloxygen.com

Ed

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest an unorthodox solution. Cut a piece of waxed paper, the approximate size and shape of the top of the oil. You want to make sure that one surface contacts as much of the surface of the oil as possible, so it should float. Float it on top.

Remove it with a cheap set of tweezers when you use your finish, then stick it back in the bottle when you finish, before recapping. The waxed paper will make contact with the surface, but won't allow air contact.

I've used Diane's suggestion with cans of paint using plastic food wrap and that works good, but the spout on my bottles of Truoil are too small to maneuver anything in and out of. I don't think I could get a marble through it either, maybe pea gravel? I do keep them upside down though.