Polishing your wood ! Finishing help required

SnazzyGeezer

Hi Guys,I know there's a loads of people on the forum that make Guitars/Basses etc and have all got they're own methods and preferences.
i just wanted to condense a big chunk of info in to this thread to help me,and lots of others too I hope.
i want to refinish an open pore Ibanez mahogany (type wood) body,and a Maple neck with a R/wood FB.
But I don't want to use aerosol paint.
so here are the ones I know of.

Tru oil
rustins plastic coating
Ronseal Diamond hard
waterbourne lacquerer
wud tone

Futhermore,could you elaborate on,ease of application,drying times,stains,and finish durability.

Many thanks,
Snazzy

Rabs

Well for me its Tru Oil..  Love the stuff..  It takes a few goes I think to really understand how to apply it and what to do in between coats.

Used straight Tru Oil takes several hours to dry in between coats. And what I do is get some 1200 grit paper and lightly sand any rough feeling areas. So just run your hand around the body and where it isn't smooth sand it gently. And just keep adding layers until you are happy.

I usually don't use any filler or sealer as I am happy to have a slightly bumpy finish... I don't really go for the mirror smooth.. But I do get it quite shiny.

And I also use a method of thinning the Tru Oil out a bit with white spirits. I even did a vid on this  One of the main advantages of this method is also that because of the spirits it dries much quicker.

WezV has a really cool way of sanding with the tru oil and has got some amazing results with a more matt type finish.

Also if you are new to oils this is a cool vid to watch.

Heres one of my latest.. You can see the gain still but yet its still fairly shiny. You can just keep adding coats to get rid of the grain, eventually it will build but it will take lots and lots of coats to do that.

https://i.imgur.com/sbKbfCx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2jPmS0f.jpg

Hope that helps some     And if you have further questions feel free....

SnazzyGeezer

Thank you sir,that's very informative.

Rabs

Ohh one other thing..  I always feel it necessary to add this bit when dealing with Tru Oil (and other similar types).

You can apply it with what ever. You can even use your hand if you want but it gets really sticky.. I tried using different types of cloth.. Old t-shirts or pillow cases or sheets.. But they always left some fluff on the finish.. Which is really annoying.. So firstly you want a lint free cloth.

Secondly, there are reports that if you use a cloth and just throw it in the bin, when you have a few piled on top of each other it can cause a chemical reaction that heats up and is possible it can cause a fire..  So if you use cloth you can do a few things. Just lay them out flat in an open area and once dried you can throw it away.. Or you can get a container with water in it and keep them in there..

I have taken to using kitchen towel rolls..  And when im done with a piece I flush it down the loo

Ive never had anything happen in the years I have been doing this and not heard of anyone directly where they had a fire. But I know it can happen so think it worth a mention

Roland

Search for @WezV's thread on Tru Oil finishing in the Making and Modding section. It really is a masterclass on the subject.

All my Partscasters have been finished with Tru-Oil, but you have to accept the browny tinge it adds to the wood. I'm currently experimenting with Osmo Polyx, which is cheaper, to see if it's any better, and whether I can tint it.

Funkfingers

Thread title deserves an award for Double Entendre Of The Week.

TTony

Roland said:

Search for @WezV's thread on Tru Oil finishing in the Making and Modding section. It really is a masterclass on the subject.

That (all-time classic!) thread is in the index of the "really useful posts index" thread, which is stickied at the top of the Making & Modding section.
http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/235/oil-finishes-little-tutorial-for-my-wet-sanded-oil-finish-technique/p1

Some of the images are missing (PhotoBucket pah), but I think Mr Wez is planning to get that resolved too.

TTony

SnazzyGeezer said:

i want to refinish an open pore Ibanez mahogany (type wood) body,and a Maple neck with a R/wood FB.

wud tone

It depends in large part on the sort of finish that you want to achieve.

To enhance, but retain, the natural beauty of the top, you'd presumably want a clear finish, so clear oil based like Rabs' pics and Wez' thread.

Again enhancing the natural beauty of the top, there are various options for adding colour, although I personally wouldn't recommend Wudtone as being one of the easier finishes to use with a consistent and reliable outcome.  There are plenty of threads here documenting others' experience with Wudtone, including
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/113265/wudtone-question

Crimson Guitars stain seems to be more reliable in achieving the expected finish.

WezV

The big question is what kind of finish are you after

finishing oils like Tru-oil are very versatile, there is not one type of finish you can achieve using it.  Some do high gloss, I prefer lacquer for that.  They build up layers so it can be buffed

i try to get it as thin as possible with a satin sheen.  It takes more work wetsanding the finish in but feels really good.

some justrub a coat or two on and that's a fine serviceable finish too.


thinner oils like Danish oil won't build up for the lacquer shine but still work well with the other two approaches.

My experience with eze oil is that it build up better.  Doesn't suit the wetsanding, but is much better as a simple wipe on finish or built up to something that can be buffed/ satinised 


i used used to use rustins plastic coating a lot.  I found it very forgiving but I know others have struggled.

paulnb57

Ive discovered wipe on Poly, works for me!

SnazzyGeezer

Keep em coming chaps.
i think I'd like a gloss finish if possible 
so maybe a water based lacquerer or ronseal hard glaze ?
whats the ink method of staining ?
and how do you apply it ? 

Corvus

Just to throw shellac/French polishing into the ring, like many things how-to's can make it seem like a dark art but my first ever build turned out fine and long-lasting. Good shine on the maple neck. Not fast to do though.