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I seem to have a recurring problem when buffing out necks regarding the tuner holes. Whenever I buff the peghead I get these little streaks off the side of the holes that refuse to go away. I'm not sure how to buff the peghead without buffing across the holes and when I do buff across the holes I get these streaks.

Anyone have an ideas on how to solve this problem?

P.S. Please don't tell me to send it to Tony, I don't have time to do that.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Not sure what's happening, but can you do the final polish of the headstock by hand? Use a liquid like Menzerna's Final Polish, or the other one(I forget what its called now, but Shane at High Mtn. Tonewoods stocks it methinks) , or Meguiar's #7 or #9, or even one of the 3M FinnessIt products.

I used to drill after buffing. Pay me now or pay me later kind of thing. You can either go to the trouble of buffing around the holes and cleaning up buffing compound in the holes or go to the trouble of not scratching the finish. The latter was less work for me.

Now I send stuff to Tony and I am

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

If you have an orbital sander perhaps a polishing pad for it and using that to do a final clean up will remove the streaks...random orbits are very slow going for polishing but its dang near impossible to burn a finish using one.  1500 3M FinessitIt should work marvelously for a final touch up

Thanks for the tips guys! I'm really kinda surprised that others haven't seen this before too. I thought sure someone would tell me some stupid thing that I was doing wrong and I could correct the problem.

Guess I'll investigate Meguiar's polishes (I already have them) or getting a buffing pad for my ROS.

Thanks again for the replys!!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Dave, I have this problem too. I do the headstock buffing by hand when I gloss it. Mostly I satin finish the whole neck, headstock too. If gloss, I use the Novus plastic polish II.

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

I don't have the problem because I drill after finishing and buffing <g> Sure solves a lot of little "issues".

We don't have this problem because...well, we don't have this problem.

You don't say what finish you use, nor do you give your sanding and buffing schedule, details and facts that are essential if you want to get real answers here.   I suspect that you're rubbing out too agressively, too soon, with too soft a finish, but how would anyone know without having enough information?

This lack of essential back story, details of technique, and listing of materials is a constant issue with folks wanting problems solved here and elsewhere on Internet guitar forums. At least it's really easy to post photos here...

Sorry for the lack of details Rick, my bad.

I am using nitro lacquer that has been curing for approx a month. I leveled with 600 grit paper then went through the micromesh grits. Then off to the buffer using Menzerna compounds, I don't remember which grits of Menzerna off hand.

What I'm getting is like a white shadow off the edges of the holes. I thought it was just compound build-up but it absolutely won't come off. It's almost like the compound got under the lacquer or something.

I think I'll just start over and do the peghead polishing by hand.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Dave,

Do you wet sand the finish?

My thought is it may be moisture entering through the tuner holes, then being exposed as minute cracks in the finish.
I have had a similar thing happen; also near a truss rod cover screw hole after buffing.

I tried wicking some thin visc. CA prior to wet sanding and it seemed to stop the problem.

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

I didn't wet sand this one Paul. But wicking the CA might help with the problem anyway. Thanks for the idea!

BTW, after sanding again with the micro-mesh I did get all the shadows to come off.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Beats me. I thought you might be talking about how buffs snag in holes and tend to tear a kind of buffing direction shadow that can be quite severe if you start with a heavy compound. One thing is to be careful around any holes, be they tuner holes or pickup holes or whatever.   Sealing with CA is also good if you're going to wetsand.   Buffing compound does definitely like to pile up and really stick to the finish in some places.   I'd try a good wipe down with mineral spirits or xylene if this happens again.

I think Rick has a good thought on the subject of compound build up.  I would add to the thought that perhaps the buildup is getting too hot and burning the finish (I had this happen on a piece of furniture once...specifically on an inside corner created between the top and its associated applied bullnosing) because its holding the heat as it were.  Perhaps stopping every now and again and removing the build up will solve the issue?

Dave I usually keep a spray bottle of water on hand for when the compound glazes up making it near impossible to remove. A little spritz of water and buff it off. Works for me.

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Thanks for the tips guys!

Rick, I tried wiping it off with a little naptha and it didn't seem to want to come off. Maybe mineral spirits would have done it.

Bob, good tip on the water bottle, thanks!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I'm 90% sure you're getting cross-contamination on the surface, from
older coarser grits that get stuck in the tuner holes, and work their
way out when polishing with finer grits.



If you don't clean off any and all traces of the coarser generations of
grit, they will act like boulders rolling around on your otherwise
well-polished surface.  Drilling after buffing is a fine way to
overcome this.



There's a chance you may also be seeing witness lines around the edges
of the tuner holes, i.e. you're burning through on the edges (I realize
you're using nitro, but still.....).