Naphtha is basically the active Ingredient in dry cleaning fluid and lighter fluid, without the petroleum distillates or other stuff. No. It's not a necessary step. However, as I tell all of my clients, naphtha is the best way to clean your guitar. It's also the best way to clean raw wood. It doesn't harm any finish. It doesn't raise the grain. And, it dissolves all kinds of icky stuff. You can find it in the paint department at any big box store.sjhouska wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 6:21 pm Trying to not reinvent the wheel or repeat previous posts in this thread, but I have a few questions about my upcoming efforts to finish my first ever kit build . . .
1) When using LMI's clear Aqua Coat on my East Indian rosewood back/sides and headstock veneer, how do I remove the saw dust after I sand between coats of Aqua Coat (I guess the same question for all sanding between coats during the finishing process)? I saw a vid link via the LMI site regarding applying Aqua Coat, and the fellow there used an air hose to blow the sanded Aqua Coat dust off. I don't have a compressor. Is there some economical, easy way to remove the sanded dust (e.g. tack cloth)?
2) this was covered previously in this thread but, to be sure, I can use Minwax wipe on polyurethane after using Zinsser shellac as a sealant, right? The directions on the Zinsser can say to NOT use Zinsser shellac under polyurethane but, rather, to use Bulls Eye SealCoat. Apparently, both Zinseer is also a "Bulls eye" product. instead of Zinzer shellac.
3) What is the Naptha used for? Is it a necessary step?
$) As someone looking for an easy-to-apply finish, at this point I am planning to use Minwax wipe on poly instead of Truoil, based upon something I read to the effect that Tru Oil is very thin. I therefore somehow assume (with all the attendant risks/consequences of making an assumption) that Minwax might be "thicker" and therefore offer more protection than Tru Oil. I will likely do 4 coats of the Minwax wipe on poly, and could easily do 4 of Tru Oil. Any input regarding my logic or lack thereof, or which direction I should go (Minwax wipe on poly v. Tru Oil, or some other product), will be greatly appreciated.
6) I believe that my neck is mahogany, brown in color (maybe even reddish?) but much lighter than the rosewood back and sides. I am thinking of staining the neck (but not the headstock which has a rosewood veneer) with a Minwax walnut stain before sealing, pore filling, etc. thoughts?
Thank you.
When finishing, I blow the guitar off with compressed air and I clean it with Naphtha. Also, sometimes it's really hard to find very small imperfections, which become glaring when you apply finish. The tiny swirls from the vibration of a palm sander come to mind. Even after hand sanding with the grain, I inevitably leave one or two little spots.
You cannot see these critters without some contrast, like shine from finish. There's nothing more irritating than starting to finish, then having something like this glaring through the finish. When it happens, you have to sand the finish off, sand the offending booger, then start again.
I've found that Naphtha will show these imperfections. So, I clean my guitars with Naphtha after every sanding.
You can stain with something like minwax, but be aware that it's Oil based. It doesn't play well with all finishes. I prefer dye instead of stain for many reasons. There are powdered dyes and dye concentrate. There are 2 types, one that you mix with water. The other is alcohol soluble. I use the water soluble dyes. Alcohol dyes are nice too.
There are lots of beautiful colors in which to choose, including different browns. You can get a close approximation of EIR with a darker brown. I make my own different browns with several dye colors. But TransTint probably has the most "browns". You name it and you'll find it. It's not the cheapest stuff, but it goes a very loooong way!
Keda Dye makes liquid and powder dyes. I keep Keda in my shop. They have a small kit with 5 basic dyes, red, blue, yellow, brown, and black. If you go this route, make sure you know which you're getting, the alcohol or water soluble. It's up to you.
The brown is just that, basic brown. What I've done is made "dark" brown, by mixing brown with a little black. Works very well to color match. If you need reddish brown, add a little red.
I start with about 1/2 teaspoon of dye in about 8 ounces of hot tap water. I just use old Gatorade bottles. Cap it, shake it, test on your wood. If you want darker, add about 1/8 teaspoon of black. Test again. (Adding more brown won't darken it).
This sounds like a lot of work, but it's not. I prefer to mix my own colors, that way I can change them on the spot until I get what I'm after.
Just a good old dark brown will help you match your neck.
Yes, polyurethane will go over dry shellac.
Wood Dye - Aniline Dye 5 Color Kit - Wood Stain Kit https://a.co/d/eKu24qZ