Practice Inlay

[johnnparchem]

David, The boxes are wonderful! I’ve always thought your first guitar showed off very strong woodworking skills. I love your selections of wood and inlays for your boxes.

[Darryl Young]

Very nice David. I love those boxes. I like that the pattern on the front legs makes a perfect circle when laying like this.

[David L]

OK, enough of that non-guitar foolishness, back to six-string seriousness, enough practice, let's do it for real, for real! Thanks for the thumbs up on the boxes.

David L

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Go get er Tiger!

[David L]

Now that I've done the practice inlay I have now moved on to practice finishing. I did a decent job of pore filling, sprayed 3 coats of nitro (rattle cans), waited one full week and started to level sand. Used 400 grit wet or dry (3M). Using the sandpaper "dry" it loads up very quickly (3 or 4 strokes), it's not just loading up, it gets those nodule build-up bumps of finish on it, 3 or 4 strokes and I have to scrape the bumps off in order to continue to sand. I tried "wet" sanding with a little bit more success, the paper still loaded up with the bumps, it just took a bit longer. I did end up with a decent smooth, flat surface. I am only sanding a small item (lid to box) about 6" wide and 9" long, I could not imagine trying to level sand a whole guitar like this even once much less 3 times. The box lid cured for one full week inside the house where the temperature stays in the mid to upper 70s and RH 50% to 60%. What in the world am I doing wrong?

David L

[David L]

I am attempting to follow the schedule of 3 coats, 45 minutes apart, cure for a week, somewhat level sand (knock the orange peel down), repeat process 3 times and go into the final stages through to polishing. Tony, or anyone else, does your sandpaper not gunk up like I've described mine doing? Oh yeah, I did not sand through the finish, I put 3 heavy coats on, I didn't want to spray dry misty sissy pansy coats. Could my paper be gunking up because since I sprayed heavy coats it may take a little longer to cure? The only finish that I have fooled with (non-guitar application) is varnish scrubbed with steel wool polished with wax. Easy to do but not a very good finish.

David L

[kencierp]

Heavy coats do take londer to dry -- however, use a little water with a drop of dish washing soap -- its magic, the clogging will not happen, no need to sand dry, as a matter of fact that will cause scratches. continually wipe the surface clean with soft cotton cloth -- when you change grits change the wiping cloth as well, otherwlse the grit residue on the rag will scratch the surface and you'll be right back where you stated. Not changing rags is over looked by many.

[David L]

Thanks guys, just put second coat on after wet sanding the rest of the box. I will use soap in a week after this application cures up. I plan on using MM but I was going to use it on the final step and work my way up through the fine grits (I haven't ordered it yet).

David L

[David L]

Practice finishing complete, I'm happy with the results.

David L

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Man David,
String ur up! I want to play it.
Fabulous.

Kevin