Official Luthiers Forum!

What are the steps you take when finishing with NL? Especially when do you fill and with what? When do you sand and with what grit and when do you use wet sand? What do you do as a wrap to finish; wet sand,... buff?

Thanks a lot!
Mark Ewing

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Mark Ewing
Columbus Ohio
"Trees are an important and precious thing. We should build good things with them. Building good guitars with heart are the best use for them." K. Yairi.

Mark buddy this is a complex question to answer here and nearly everyone will have a finishing schedule and materials list that varies for others.

Here is a link to Stew-Mac's free-for-download dread kit instructions in PDF file format. The schedule that they detail works well and I used it a bunch of times. I would not recommend the pore filler that they use in this schedule though and would substitute Z-Poxy "finishing resin" - not the epoxy glue. You can also get great results with System III "finishing resin" and West systems epoxy glue.

Here is the link: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Kits/Acoustic_Guitar_Kits/1/Dreadnought_Guitar_Kits/Instructions/I-5295.html#details

Anyway the Stew-Mac's schedule will detail spraying frequency, wet sanding, buffing including if you don't have a pro buffer set-up and it works very well. It also works very well with Stew-mac rattle can nitro if you don't have a spray set-up.

And, my apologies but I have to mention this being the nag that I am - nitro is dangerous and a respirator is a must. In addition an explosion proof fan is recommended. Keep family and pets, neighbors away too. Also know that as it cures it releases solvents into your air that are hazardous as well.

Good luck.