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When's the best time to do this?
I've never done this before,
and I care about this one I'm finishing now.
Which coats does one do it between?
2nd, 3rd,4rth,
does it matter?

Thank you, Todd.
Your advice is set in stone.

As Todd implied, the sooner the better.
A while ago, I found a bug wing in the finish, right behind the bridge... Totally visible. And it happened on the last coat
So, I dug out the bug wing & drop filled the scar. After that, I left it a month before final levelling.
The finish buffed up nicely & I sent the guitar away. A few months later the guitar came back for a check-up & I found the drop filled area was noticeably lower than the surrounding finish. (Nitro, by the way.) I was able to level & re-buff the area, but it was a lesson learned. Finish shrinks over time. A drop fill done near the end of the job will likely show, sometime down the road.

A drop fill with nitro will show somewhat no matter when during the finish it is done. Nitro shrinks for it seems like an eternity and the filled area has more thickness so will shrink more than the surrounding area, by using the nitro that is thickened by evaporation this is lessened but will still happen eventually. That said most people will not look at the finish so close that they will see this repaired area.

Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Thanks for the info.
I'm using varnish for the first time on a guitar,
and am letting it sit about a week between coats,
because of lack of free time,
and I'm in no hurry,
and especially, I want to improve my finishing tecniques.
This figured koa looks absolutely beautiful under varnish!!!

Early and often. If you do it after the final coats it likely will show when you rub out; It's a good idea to let your drop fills harden and level sand before the last couple of coats.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

With oil based varnish I drop fill after the 3rd coat. This is also the first time I do any sanding other that light scuffing.

_________________
I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

Never on the final coats. It shows later...