Official Luthiers Forum!

If I spray my guitar with Nitro, how do I fill the pores of the EIR? I have sprayed with lacqure and wet sanded with 400 grit paper. Is there another way?
Thanks, Jeff

you've put the cart before the horse. the pores should have been filled before the nitro went on. you can do it by spraying a lot of nitro and doing a lot of sanding, but it will cost a lot, and you run the risk of the nitro shrinking back into the pores over time. how many coats of nitro have you sprayed?

YEP cart before the horse is right.

finish basic schedule should be.
1.)prep sand and clean
2.)pore fill
3.)sealer coat (shellac or vinyl sealer)
4.)finish coats

I believe you best bet at this point is to apply nito and sand out till all pores are level. allow to cure at least a month. then apply 3-5 more coats of nitro, allow to cure for 2-4 more weeks then level and polish out.

The problem you have is that you now have nitro in the pores and may have issues if you sand back to wood and try to get a pore filler to adhere to the nitro in the pores.

Now you could sand back to wood (every where) and use shellac and end grain dust to fill (see Robbie Obrien's finish video for this technique). Then seal and finish per a typical nitro schedule

I have not applied anything to the guitar yet. The question is, What do you use to pore fill, before the Nitro?

Oh...

I used Z-poxy finishing resin on my last few instuments, it is the best I have tried so far. Sands easily, fills fast, good stuff. You can also fill with paste fillers, shellac / pumice, CA glue, what else? There should be many thread about fillers in the archive.

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I want to try z-poxy, but having used old fashioned silex filler all these years,, I just can't seem to make the transition. You can buy paste wood filler at many good paint stores such as Sherwin-Williams.
Straight from the can, it's usually light blond-ish in color but it can be tinted. I usually have mine tinted a dark chocolate/brown/ and I use it on rosewood and mahogany. . Paste wood filler, in my experience, usually requires more than one application, and you will want to be sure it's completely dry before you proceed with nitro.
jack

I have had success using system 3 epoxy. Its a little slow curing but fills the pores and makes for a smooth finish. Just mix it well according to the instructions. Put it on with a credit card or some other plastic and take it off to leave a thin coat on the wood. Once its dry sand it flat and check to see if all the pores are filled. You might need a second coat.

Have fun

_________________
Wisdom is justified by her children

sorry, your initial post sounded as though you had nitro on and didn't like the pores. by the way there are those who like that look, considering it more natural.

what you use depend a bit on what look you want.

if you like the rather muddy look of older martins the past fillers are ok, very tried and true so to say.

if you want to see the grain, have it pop and be in touch with the wood then something like the lmi microbead(though some have stories to tell about it) or epoxy is the way to go.

there are many threads on using zpoxy and other fillers in the archives.

When using z-poxy, do you just do the body of the guitar, or do you include the neck? Also, is it ok to z-poxy under the fretboard or will that inhibit the glue later?
thanks,
chris

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

I wouldn't pore fill unde the FB... There's no use doing so since you're just going to glue the FB over it anyhow and you might run into issues...

Some will pore-fill the neck (are you using hog?). I never have. Mahogany is not that poreous to begin with.

_________________
I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

James
Yup, using 'hog' . I just thought I'd get an idea of what to expect later (while this thread is still active).
thanks for the info,
chris

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

i do fill the neck. mahogany does have numerous, and often very visible pores. i prefer the look, as well as the feel, of a filled neck.

What is the back and sides on the guitar? I use Zpoxy on pretty much everything including FB finishes.

I work the Zpoxy at 45deg to the grain one way the first coat using a credit card of hotel key card (I have lots of those ) be sure to scrape off excess.

on the second coat (I always do two) I work at 45deg the other direction.

Once the pores are filled and the Zpoxy cured 24-48 hour I sand back to the wood every where leaving the Zpoxy only in the pores.

Once sanded back I mix up about 1 oz of 60% Zpoxy to 40% DA and lightly wipe the guitar with this mix using a lint free pad. tis is very thin and flashes fast so work quick. This step levels out coloration everywhere.

Once cured for 24 hours lightly sand with 400P then seal the guitar with your favorite sanding sealer. Mine is 2 lb cut of shellac

One important note is if your back and side wood is a color bleeder you want to seal purflings, bindings and top prior to pore filling with any epoxy or solvent based filler. The epoxy and or solvent will pick up color from the bleed wood and transfer it. especially if over worked or during wipe down.

Michael,
I am building twins of quartersawn sycamore with lacewood/walnut bindings, spruce tops. Don't tell Hesh, but this sycamore log is special too! It came from the family farm. My grandfather planted the tree 60 years ago when he was starting a farm and family. A storm last spring here in Central Illinois, tornados and all, blew this down. I picked it up with my sawyer, cut 'er up quarter style and sticker stacked it to dry. I have used it for a couple of small woodworking projects, but now it is go time.
I don't expect any bleed from the sycamore, but the lacewood I'm not sure about. I have never used it.
Thanks for the quick version on z-poxy'ing.
chris

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

Lacewood wont bleed any I would not think. If you use dyed maple purfling be carefull they will. I have ad a few black fiber purflings that bleed a bit. Walnut can bleed some.