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I am getting ready to finish my first guitar. It has a Mahogany back, side, and neck. I want to stain these and apply a finish. If the quality is there, I would like to spray a water-base finish. I have an HVLP gun. This is a long questions, but what materials do I need from start to finish to spray? As far as I know, I need to fill the pores, stain, seal, and finish. The guitar is final sanded with nothing on it.

Thanks,
Doug Ubele

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Guitars...One's too many...Twenty is not enough.

That's pretty much it. Fill pores (choose your posion of choice, from Waterbased filler to oil based to Epoxy, the latter being very much en vogue these days), possibly stain first if you want to, maybe afterwards, kinda depends (I tend not to stain anything, maybe slightly tint the finish, no more) and probably start finishing. You can seal it with some Shellac (for Target waterbase, problems reported by some KTM-9 users), but if you've filled the pores with, say, epoxy I'd say that's redundant.

Finishing isn't something there are dead simple recipes for. If you're using waterbased stuff, you should read Mike Doolin's article on waterbased finishes. I think there's a link in the resources/links section, and I'm fairly sure it can be found via the 13thfret forum.

There are excellent instructions for water base lacquer finishing on LMII site. They are Mike Doolin's notes on KTM-9 and epoxy finish. They will give you an example of finishing,that should be helpful. You can even print them out. I think there is more info at Stew-Mac as well. Read those two then, ask the question again. I think you will get a lot of different answers to your question. Maybe to many. Hope this helps.

Doug,
My finish schedule is sorta like this..

Finish sand to 320.

Fill with Z-poxy,
I mix a small batch, pour on, and scrap off with a credit card. Repeat the next day, sand with 600 grit ROS.
If I have a complete fill, I move to the lacquer
KTM9.
I spray 4 or 5 coats a day. First coat of each day is a dousing of Denatured Alcohol. Allow to flash off (maybe 1 minute) then hit it with your days first coat of KTM9.
I usually wait 1 hour between coats. The next day I sand with 320 with a flat block. Don't burn through, just try to level maybe 50%. Now after day 2, I should have 10 coats of build up, ill be a little more aggressive in the sanding, trying to level maybe 75% of the surface, back to the spray booth, DA, and 5 more coats. After the 3rd day, I will try to completely level the finish. If I get a complete 100% level surface, Ill give it 2 or 3 more coats and then sit it aside to cure. I like to wait 2 weeks.
OK, now were cured, I start with 600 grit, then move through 800, 1000, 1200, 1600, then to the abralon pads of 2000,and 4000 all on my ROS. Then to the buffing wheel, I work my way thought the 3 compounds that Stew mac offers. However I bough mine from Grizzly.


Hope this helps.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Ok, I read the LMI documentation on finishing. I like 2 techniques, KTM9 and French Polishing. KTM9 seems a lot easier and less time consuming, but I can’t spray until it warms up as I will be spraying in the garage. I have my shop in my basement and I don’t want to spray there because it creates a cloud that settles everywhere when you are done spraying.

However, I could start French Polishing immediately. The downside to this is that it seems difficult and time consuming.

I guess I know the answer…..I have to wait until mid-May until it warms up to spray.    Does everyone have a nice warm place to spray, or do you plan your finishing around the weather?

Thanks,

Doug Ubele

_________________
Guitars...One's too many...Twenty is not enough.

Where do you stain here? I don't want to add it to the finish because I have white plastic bindings. If you don't stain, can you tell me where? I have a mahoghany back, sides, and neck that I going to stain. 2 questions:

1) Where do I do in Lance's KTM steps?
2) How do I not stain the plastic binding I have already installed? I was going to use water base dye.

Thanks,

Doug Ubele

_________________
Guitars...One's too many...Twenty is not enough.