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Ziegenfuss
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:53 am 
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Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:42 am
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Location: United States
First name: Stephen
Last Name: Ziegenfuss
City: Jackson
State: MI
Zip/Postal Code: 49203
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

To you experienced guitar finishers...


I am at the tail end of my first two electrics that I have been building side by side for the last year and a half.   I have done and redone everything.  Currently, I am about to wet sand and buff the finishes (I used KTM9 sprayed and leveled 5 'wet' coats per day, 3 days - heat drying for 11 days - can't wait any longer because I want to get these into the hands for whom I have been making them...) and I do not want to mess them up.


The main question is: I have a sag and a run between the two guitars, how do you go about leveling those aweful things without jeopardizing the remaining finish?


Hesh - Though you know it or not, Lance used you and your bathroom shop to convince me to put a shop in my closet - all 38x78" of it, in which I have done most of the work on these guitars...so thanks...


Anyway, here is a shot of one of the dyed tops, which I really do not want to mess up.  If I sand through, it will catastrophically ruin my life forever.


Any advice born of experience would be immensely appreciated.


Stephen



 


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Barry Daniels
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 4:30 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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A razor blade with a turned edge makes a nice scraper for removing finish runs/sags. Frank Ford shows how to do this on his website, Frets.com
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Ziegenfuss
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 5:43 am 
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Country: USA
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Thanks so much, Barry.  I appreciate it.


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Sam Price
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:05 am 
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That is a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very nice colour.

The guitar body shape is stunning too!!!
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Ziegenfuss
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:40 am 
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State: MI
Zip/Postal Code: 49203
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

Thanks guys.


 


Hesh, I fixed the sags in the early coats, but still managed to spray one or two in my final coats, and I am on a tight schedule - which may be thrown out the window if for some reason I do sand through.  Frank Ford method looks good though, I will try it.


 


Sam, I do greatly appreciate the compliment.  It looks better in the picture than in real life though, I fear.  The dying process just would not take along the grain lines in face grain.  This has left me with white streaks that randomly appear over the guitar.  To remedy it, I oversprayed mixed lacquer/color, but it made the blue too dark, and lost the clarity of the figure.  Getting PRS style tops is really difficult...


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davidmor
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:27 am 
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That color is fantastic.  Of course, the wood doesn't hurt the eyes either.

I use Target USL waterbased lacquer on my guitars and when it comes to final sanding, I like to use dry micro-mesh.  A lot of people like to do wet sanding, but I personally like to use it dry.  It's just a preference thing.  You can get a kit at Woodcraft with small sheets from 1500 grit through 12,000 grit and a sponge to wrap the paper around.  Don't let the small size of these papers fool you, I can get 3 full guitars out of one set of this stuff.  It literally lasts forever.  The nice thing about it is that while it removes material effectively, it does it in a controlled manor which is essential on a stained piece.  These sheets work like magic, and I am always in a bit of awe when I get up into the 4000+ grit sheets and the mirror finish starts to show up.  Once I am done through 12,000 grit, then I use Macguires swirl remover, and polish to finish the job.  One trick I do is while sanding, I hold the guitar into the light to get a reflection every so often.  That is how I see spots that I am starting to get too agressive with the sanding.  I also use naphtha a lot to wipe things down and check for scratches.  When you are done, don't throw the sponge away, it is one of the best sanding blocks I have ever used.  I use it all the time for just about all of my sanding needs.

Take your time, go slowly and carefully and you will end up with a beautiful finish on those guitars.   Get ready, you are in for a bit of a workout.   Whatever you do, make sure to post plenty of pictures when you are done.  I know I would love to see that beautiful wood and color with a mirror shine on it!

Good luck!





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John How
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:42 am 
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Just be sure that sag is completely dry and not rubbery or you will tear it off instead of leveling it. Other than that just follow the advice given.

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John How
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:43 am 
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Very nice by the way. I have one I'm doing for my son that will be similar. We're going for the "blue jean" effect.

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Louis Freilicher
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 7:53 am 
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I would also recommend scraping the finish sags, but my tool of choice would be the microscope slide.

Louis

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Kevin Gallagher
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2007 3:21 am 
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Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 2:30 pm
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Location: United States
    Scraping is the best way to get those sags or runs down close to the level
of the rest of the fnish. Once they're close, finish up with sanding using
blocks while being sure to avoid going low on them.

    Your finish appears to have brush strokes in the reflection that runs down
into the pot holes Why is that texture present? After wetsanding, it should
be very smooth. Jus wondering.

     Nice body shape and color, by the way.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars
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Ziegenfuss
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PostPosted: Sat May 19, 2007 3:36 am 
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Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:42 am
Posts: 564
Location: United States
First name: Stephen
Last Name: Ziegenfuss
City: Jackson
State: MI
Zip/Postal Code: 49203
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

The razor blade scraping technique worked like a dream...The finish then leveled very well.  Thanks so much guys.


 


Kevin, The shown in the picture is only the epoxy precoat, before I leveled that.  I just wanted to show a picture of what I was working with.


Thanks


Stephen


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