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I'm using Zpoxy to fill the pores on one of my guitars. This is my first time to use an epoxy pore filler. The problem I'm having is I can only spread it on one face of the guitar and I have to let it dry for a few hours before I can handle it. So, it takes two days to spread one coat of filler. If it needs another coat thats two more days. Is this normal? I could spread a waterbased pore filler over the backs and sides all at one time because it's so fast drying. I'm thinking if I try and spread epoxy over the whole guitar at one time I'll have one sticky mess. Any info is appreciated.

Put the guitar body on a handle ... do the sides all the way around first ... then put it face down on something clean (wipe any that gets over the binding with a paper towel) like parchment or tin foil. Now you can do the back ... then hang it up by the handle. i just did two this way yesterday, then today on one I did the whole guitar with the wash coat, top and all - you need the handle.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks Tony!
Also, do you try and wipe as much excess of the surface with a card and just leave it in the pores,or do you try to leave a little on the surface to sand smooth and use as a sealer??

try to get it as smooth as possible - just makes it easier to level sand afterwards. I also discovered yesterday that some woods dont liek ahving the second coat blotchy (as in sanded to wood in some spots, smooth epoxy in others), expecting the final wipe on thinned coat to even out the color - it doesnt - the smoother parts look darker - this was on a dark set of cocobolo. So todays job is get rid of all smooth blotches - right to the wood, leaving the pores filled - then the wipe on coat will be even looking. Funny, same thing didnt happen on sapele or EIrw.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Colby, you can also crank up the heat in the space you are building. That will reduce cure time.

Yep Tony I always sand to the wood but just to the wood. never leave any shiny places but avoid going into the wood. Now if you had missed a shiny spot and wash coated light sanded and sealed with shellac you are not likely to see a color difference, but I do work hard to sand to the wood with no shinny areas left prior to wash coating.

To me the clue is in the title "pore filling". I like to put just enough on to fill the pores of the wood and when dry sand back to the wood, so that just the pores are filled. Basically the same as Michael.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Thanks for the help guys!

I've also been finding it very difficult to spread the epoxy on the neck with a card. How are you guys doing this??

[QUOTE=Colby Horton] Thanks for the help guys!

I've also been finding it very difficult to spread the epoxy on the neck with a card. How are you guys doing this??[/QUOTE]

Colby try some lint free cloth, but remember to wear rubber gloves!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

You can thin the epoxy with alcohol to make the wash-coat some have mentioned.

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53% of all statistics are made up on the spot
http://driftwoodguitars.blogspot.com/