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Hello! I just built this full scale EUB (see below). I was planning to finish the maple with tru-oil. I've never used it, and have very little experience with finishing. Given the size of the neck, how much do you think i would need? I know it's better to have too much than too little, but money is tight right now. 3oz? 8oz? 32oz?




Thanks!
-Jack

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Hand crafted instruments made from your old crap.. Jugtones.com

I dont know anything about tru oil, but that is one cool bass! Jody

Jack--

Way cool bass! I'm thinking that a 3 oz. bottle will cover this neck very well. I can usually do a couple of six string necks with one bottle.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

You'll have plenty for that neck with the small 3 oz. bottle. Around $5 at the sporting goods store or mart stores.
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

Cool bass dude.....very neat. I just used the stuff...worked really well.
big John

Looks like a great project!

A small bottle of Tru-oil is all you will need. Prep the surface and then wipe on with old soft lintless cloth. T-shirt material works well. Wipe on and then wipe off using as little of the product as you can. Two – three coats per day until the surface can be leveled (10-20 coats). Let it sit for a week or two to cure all the way. Level and polish with micro mesh and then follow with a rub of lemon oil. You will be happy with the ease and the finish.

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

Cool Bass. No fret and check out the Eye bolts for the tuners.

NiiCE

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Thanks guys! I'm really having fun with this project.

j.Brown: hunting store! *smack head* thank you!! I was looking at hardware stores and paint/stain stores with no luck and was about to order online. Duh... tru-GUN-oil.. thanks for saving me shipping costs!

konacat: thanks for the tips! this write-up suggests a couple thinned shellac washcoats prior to using tru-oil. What do you think about that?

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Hand crafted instruments made from your old crap.. Jugtones.com

Jack--

If you are going to apply a stain, you might want a seal of shellac before and after the stain. It certainly won't hurt anything. Tru-Oil straight to the maple should be OK, too, if you're not using a stain.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Thanks Jim... nope, not planning to stain. So no shellac... great.. i like simple!

Thanks again,
-Jack

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Hand crafted instruments made from your old crap.. Jugtones.com

I did read the article you noted but don’t really have an answer.

My description is how I learned to finish at the Hana Lima ‘Ia ukulele building school. We didn’t even pore fill the mahogany we used. We were told that using the ultra thin coats of Tru-oil would fill the pores on its own. It seems to have worked for me. Once enough coats have been applied so there is a surface built up above the wood and now filled pores you level and polish. I’m sure there are many ways to apply this finish and this is just one of the ways that work. What I would suggest is to try a couple of different methods on scrap and see what result you like best or is easiest.

Check out a thread “First Time Uke Builder”. I have posted a photo of a tenor ukulele that is partially finished using Tru-oil. The wood is figured mahogany.

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

It worked for you, Philip, but I feel it's my duty to offer some information I've accumulated. Yes Tru-Oil will fill the pores, but when it does it will end up thicker there than on the smooth wood. Even with thin coats, the oil in the pores will soak into the wood more, 'cause when you wipe off each application the stuff in the pores will stay there. That leads to uneven drying and possible long-term bleeding of the finish. If you fill the pores before oiling, you'll get a smooth, dry finish. If you don't fill, but prime with shellac, it'll still work because the shellac won't let the oil soak into wood, so the oil filling the pores has a better chance of drying completely.

Of course, with a closed-pore wood like maple, filling isn't needed.

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Carlton Macksam
Muskegon, Michigan

Thanks sam, that's good to know. This is hard maple, so i won't worry about the poors this time... but it's good to know for future builds.

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Hand crafted instruments made from your old crap.. Jugtones.com