Alder bodies

jd0272

Do I need to do owt to an alder body before spraying it, bar a final sand?

Ta.

jd0272

Sorry, wrong section innit.

usedtobe

Everyone's doing it...  ">

WezV

no filler is needed and you can spray straight onto the wood

sanding sealer will help get a better finish though as less lacquer will be drawn into the wood and it helps you get a more even surface for spraying the good lacquer onto.  it generally ends up using less lacquer for a thinner finish, rather than having to add more coats to make up for initial uneveness

after you think you have finished sanding wipe the wood down with a damp rag, let it dry thoroughly and sand again with the same final grade.   sanding rips wood fibers and pushes them flat, the water swells those torn fibers to help you get them.  if you don't do this with water it will be the lacquer that swells those torn fibers and it can look uneven.  as above, this leads to needing more coats to get an even finish

Deadman

Grain filler before the sanding sealer is a big help. Depends how deep the grain is though. Mahogany certainly benefits from it.

jd0272

Thanks chaps, appreciated. I'm not a huge fan now of filling, after the swamp ash carry on. 

Deadman

Oh, I didn't know you'd had trouble with it. Pukka grain filler is very easy to use mind, not your stuff that's used for filling holes in wood. Good luck with it. I love refinishing wood.

jd0272

I just find it a bit of a piss fart on and unenjoyably messy. Bit like DIY, the one job I despise is grouting tiles.

Deadman

I'm a sucker for plastering ceilings so I'm a bit weird for this type of thing. Grouting is a bit shit though.

jd0272

Mrs can plaster like a demon (her Dad's a builder), I on the other hand.........

Deadman

Handy!

TTony

jd0272 said:

Sorry, wrong section innit.

Not anymore.

jd0272

Obliged  

WezV

Deadman said:

Grain filler before the sanding sealer is a big help. Depends how deep the grain is though. Mahogany certainly benefits from it.

alder has no grain to fill

jd0272

WezV said:

Deadman said:

Grain filler before the sanding sealer is a big help. Depends how deep the grain is though. Mahogany certainly benefits from it.

alder has no grain to fill

And that right there is the bonus.

WezV

it does make life easier

ash has some of the biggest pores you will ever come across so grainfilling it is never fun... not quite as bad as the pores on wenge or paduak though.  mahogany also has a lot of pores, more so than ash, but they tend to be smaller and easier to fill.

alder and maple are pore free for all intents and purposes

Deadman

It certainly is. I haven't worked with it so wasn't sure.

jd0272

I think if I had a bigger shed I'd be happier with the clarty stuff. At least I could take a break and stretch out, and shout at bits of wood. Must buy a bigger shed.