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The 6 coats of the Target HSF 5100 filler didn't quite fill the pores enough. I put the last two filler coats on with a brush like I was doing a finish coat and I think it filled better. I need more experience here.

I ended up spraying the Emtech 6000 WB Lacquer in my high-tech spray booth.


Here is a shot of the guitar after 6 coats of the Emtech 6000. 3 coats last Wed. and 3 coats today. No leveling or anything. I like the way this stuff sprays. Doesn't run or sag that easy. I used it straight out of the can, just put it through a strainer and into a $30 Walmart touch-up gun. I have a few pores that I need to drop fill then I'll level sand and shoot the final coats.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

steve,
looks beautiful. the attention to detail on your sound port is great. and so is the positive report on the emtech. seems like the waterbased stuff is making huge gains.
phil

That looks great Steve. I'm getting more encouraged by the day about using my EM 6000. That's quite the hi-tech spray booth you've got there. What'd it set ya back?

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Lookin good, Are you using satin? How many coats in total are you planning on?

Thanks for the kind comments.

Bill, I think the booth set me back about $1.98

Ed, I'm using gloss. If I can get it to level ok then I'll probably spray 3 more coats.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

9 coats total sounds like it will be very thin. In my limited experience with USL (old version of em6000), it sprays rather thin. On my last guit, I sprayed 18 coats from an HVLP for a finish thickness of about .008 before leveling, probably somewhere around .005-ish once leveled (but that's a guess) the HVLP doesn't lay it down as smooth as an HP gun for me so you'll probably not have to level as much but still...

I've never sprayed nitro, but from what I've read, it sounds like Nitro goes down a bit over twice as thick as USL.

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

For what it's worth, I just shot 2 guitars with EM6000 just to try the stuff out. One's a very nice classic w/RW back and sides, which I pore filled with shellac and pumice; the other a parlor also w/RW back and sides, but no pore filling.

The classic went just fine; the parlor EVEN FINER!

The pores - canyons, really - on the parlor were completely filled after 12 coats. I shot a couple more for good measure, just to finish out the day.

My sanding schedule: 3M 600 grit dry sandpaper, then 800 grit. Switch to MicroMesh 2400 through 6000. Buff lightly, and Bob's your uncle. (I've been waiting a long time to say that!)

I've looked, and looked, at the dark EIR backs in direct sunlight, holding the guitar at every possible angle, and I just don't see the acrylic "blue haze" indicated by some OLFers.

And all the good stuff about EM6000 is true, as far as I can tell. 23% solids, shot straight out of the can; great flow out; although it doesn't dry on contact as nitro (it stays wet for just over 5 minutes), it does seem to "heal" itself. Great burn-in between applications. Drop-fills like a champ. Etc. Etc.

The only thing that I did differently is to allow more time than just overnight between spraying days (4 applications / day; about 1 hour apart because it is going on pretty thick and wet). Because of circumstances, there was generally 2-4 days between spray days.

One guitar I started final sanding after 6 days (150 hours); the other I let out-gas for about 10 days. No difference that I can tell.

Just my 2 cents.

Larry

Thanks for chiming in. Sounds like I might want to shoot another 6 coats or even more. Earlier today I noticed a fair number of pores on the back that weren't completely filled in so I just brushed on a coat (it's raining here today so I can't use my spray booth ). I think I have the drop fills done and for those who haven't tried this, they're pretty easy to scrape flush with a razor blade.

Since I brushed a coat on the back and I've scraped all the drop fills I think I'll try to level with 320 (or should I wait and spray more coats first? Should I be using a finer grit paper?) Either way it's on to six final coats or shoot more and try to get it level. I'm past the finish quality I used when I was doing furniture so this is new territory for me. I'm actually enjoying the process as I can see the finish getting better with every step and I think I can get to the glossy look I want.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I'd say it depends on your experience level. I'm working on my third spray finish of USL right now (3rd spray finish ever BTW) and am debating between 400 and 600 as a starting point. On my last guitar, I started with 400 which leveled pretty fast, but when I got to 1000, I noticed some scratches that the 600 & 800 didn't get rid of so I had to go back to 600 and work back up again.

If I do start with 400, I won't try to get it totally level, just mostly level and do the final leveling with 600 etc. I also have a burst on this instrument (see pic) so if sand through it will be catastrophic.

As to leveling before your final finish coats, I think that 6 coats is too little and you could risk sanding through. Go ahead and give it a really light scuff with the 320 on a block but just be really careful. Then as you say, spray on another 10 coats or so. If you're around throughout the day, you can pretty easily do 5 in a day.

I apologize if you're already experienced with spray finishing - my advice is from a pretty green noob on spray finishing. I do things the way I do to try and minimize re-doing work (e.g. starting with 400 or 600). It's easier to sand more, less easy to re-spray. I'm looking forward to trying the em6000 once I'm done with my USL!

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

Andy, that burst is gorgeous. What you say makes sense. I think I'll do a very light scuff coat with 400 to just even things out then put on more coats before I try to level it out. I've done some spraying before but it was industrial epoxies.So I'm new to guitar finishing too. I've only built one other, an electric, and I used Tru Oil.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"