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Got my free sample pack today. One sheet each of 600,800,1000,1200 and 1500 along with a sanding pad. Enough to do one guitar?

Is the sample sheet the 170x130 or half that?



Either way, in my experience, it would take more to do a guitar body. I typically end up with a half sheet of what’s pictured each for top, back, and sides so you might need more to do a full body.

Edit to add: that’s with UV cured poly. I have zero experience with this stuff with anything else including waterbase or nitro, so could be totally different.

Brad


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They are the 170 x 130 Brad.

Assilex works great with nitro. I even recently sanded an epoxy lacquer off a brass trombone with it, leaving a brushed satin finish. Turned out nice.

Thanks for that Barry. I still use nitro and nothing else yet for bodies

Yes, it is my process now. No more mess with wet sanding. A sample pack should be enough for one guitar, altho I go all the way to 3000 grit

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Thanks Marcus. I’ll likely follow the 1500 with Meguiars compounds. I usually hand rub. It takes a lot more time but works well.

This is slightly off topic, but what is the draw to Assilex? I have enough Festool Platin disks to last another decade, but I’ve been more and more curious every time I see it discussed here. From what I’ve gathered, it makes fast work of the job and leaves a light scratch pattern?


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The abrasive particles seem to be very sharp and even in size. It is a dream for people that like to hand sand.

This stuff is amazing. Even at 1500 grit it could be called done. I will be using Meguiars 7 then swirl remover though. Some hand rubbing ahead! The sample pack was easily enough for a nitro body. I’m sure you could get two out of it. Never wet sanding again!

The only downside is that the abrasive is on a fabric backing which is soft and flexible with the loop backing so it does not provide a good leveling effect. Need to use regular sandpaper at an early stage to get a good level surface.

True that. I shot 6 coats initially in one day and then levelled with 3M 320 after a week and then shot a final coat. It then gassed off for a month before I started with the Assilex 600.

You can get a very good leveling effect if you use the Extra Hard Interface pad on the yellow sanding block. I just used Assilex for the first time and the Endurovar leveled fine with that hard interface backing up the Assilex. It cuts so well that I was able to use the K-800 to level the finish as the first step in sanding the finish.

I used 800, 1000, 1200, 1500 and then Buflex 2000 and 2500 for the mandocello I'm building now. I used a half sheet of each grit for the body and another half sheet of each for the neck. There was no sign of reduced cutting ability from any of the grits when I was done. I plan to use those same sheets for the next instrument. That's on Endurovar after 5 days of cure time. Might be different on other finishes and/or longer cure times.

Here's what Endurovar over SilverTip epoxy sanded with Assilex 800, 1000, 1200, & 1500 then Buflex 2000 & 2500, buffed with Menzerna P204 & P175, and polished with Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #10 looks like:

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Looks good!

I use EM6000 for a finish. I’ve done 3 instruments with the same sheets of Assilex. When it seems loaded, I rinse it in the sink and hang it over the edge to dry. It seems to cut like new after that. I haven’t worn out any yet.

I did order some 360 sheets and the hard block backer for initial leveling. It works quickly and well although it can burn through quickly with the flat hard block on a curved surface. Brad suggested a smaller block. I will try that the next time I finish.