Finishing Experiments

Questions and answers for beginners. If you have a question, so do most other people.
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Finishing Experiments

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I've actually got a couple of my guitars that I did nt glue down the fretboard extension as the fit wad tight and these have never had an issue. My first dred 14 years ago it'd not glued down, my personal player and the action is lowwwwww and no buzzing, but probably its best to glue.
I thought you said your neck was a dovetail joint. In that case you should glue down since you'd be glueing the neck in too.
I thought like you. Bolt on neck so why glue the extension.

So my last guitar, an OM i did a bolt down extension. Worked out great. My latest build another OM and repeating the bolt down extension.
sjhouska
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:09 pm

Re: Finishing Experiments

Post by sjhouska »

Regarding masking before finishing --- should I mask my bridge and fingerboard extension areas before or after doing a shellac seal coat on my sitka top? Asked another way, should I avoid gluing my bridge and fb extension to a shellaced (sp ?) spruce surface?

Looking a step or two forward, should I sand the shellac on my sitka top before applying my finish (I won't be pore filling the top)? I am still on the fence whether to finish with Tru Oil or Minwax polyurethane, though I am presently leaning toward Tru Oil.

Thanks.
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Finishing Experiments

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Yes, mask the fingerboard extension. You want raw wood to raw wood to glue it. You also need to outline your bridge area on the top, and scrape all finish from under where it will sit. I use an exact knife to trace around the bridge. It scores any finish, so when you scrape the finish off, you have a clean line.

You can sand the shellac off the whole top, but it's unnecessary. TruOil and polyurethane will finish right over it. But all shellac, or any other finish, need to be removed from under the bridge and under the fretboard extension.

There should be no finish of any kind under your bridge or extension.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
sjhouska
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:09 pm

Re: Finishing Experiments

Post by sjhouska »

Thanks for the info.

Another finish question from me . . . I was on my way to the store to buy Tru Oil and it occurred to me that, because my bindings, purflings, and tail wedge are all plastic (Martin kit), Tru Oil may not be the right finish for me. My thinking is that Tru Oil will not penetrate the plastic, so there will be gaps and borders in the finish wherever there is plastic. Borders might be susceptible to being snagged, sheared offf, etc. I believe that Minwax wipe on polyurethane is a coating and is not absorbed into the body's wood and therefore Minwax poly will coat all surfaces evenly, including the plastic. No gaps/borders. So . . . I am thinking that Minwax poly is the better choice for me.

Can someone please let me know if my thinking that Minwax is the better finish choice for use with plastic bindings, etc. makes sense? If my thinking is wrong, and Tru Oil and Minwax will be equally effective, I prefer the relative ease of Tru Oil.

Thanks, and I apologize for being so high maintenance!
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Finishing Experiments

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

No apology necessary. That's what we're here for... The only bad question is the one not asked.

TruOil and polyurethane will work fine over plastic components, like purfling. Usually plastic binding is scraped after all types finishes, to freshen it up and make the color even, so it won't matter which you choose.

The only real difference I can see is that you should pour a small amount of TruOil into a little container to use, so you can keep the main container closed. I'd just go to the local dollar store and pick up some small plastic containers. You can get a set of 6 for $1.

Minwax polyurethane comes in gloss or satin, so you have that choice.

Either choice is a good choice.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
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