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I filled with : AQUACOAT WHITE WOOD GRAIN FILLER and sealed with vinyl sealer before spraying lacquer but it doesn't look like I did anything. Where do I go from here?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I want to know , too. I used Aquacoat on my last build and I don't know if I did something wrong, but when I would level sand it, it was like I never filled the pores. I don't really hate the look I was left with, but it was definitely not what I was shooting for.

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"Real guitars are for old people, Mr. Marsh."

Eric Cartman

How many coats of filler?

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Not enough I think only one, I haven't learned to not take shortcuts. Someday when I grow up maybe. I'll bee 66 in December.

Anyway, I'm stripping it back and using epoxy to fill the grain.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Figure 4-5 coats minimum on average wood and up to 10 on certain really open pore wood.

I would test you epoxy over pores that still have aquacoat in them before committing to the guitar. I'm sure it will stick but might give optical problems.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I don't have any practice ash to test on. Do you think I should stick with the aquacoat? I originally use white toned with amber dye. I'm thinking if I build up with that I'll have some pretty wide grain/filler streaks. That's why I wanted to use something clear like epoxy.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

The white Aquacoat was purchased by mistake, I thought that was all they made but now I see they make a clear.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Seemed logical from your post to get some clear Aquacoat from Amazon. It' will arrive tomorrow.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Flip flop. I stripped it back with a scraper so I can use epoxy and not worry.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

It still needs a little more work with some sandpaper but I'd like to start on it again this weekend. I have the clear Aquacoat now but if you think that won't play well with vinyl sealer I'll wait til I can get some Z-Poxy as that seems to be the most popular epoxy for guitars. I didn't see any problem other than not enough coats.

Start to lacquer finish, what steps? I don't want to strip it again. I've read that regular epoxy works fine but I also read that it doesn't sand as well as Z-Poxy.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Getting board tomorrow to do it right,test on scrap. That way I can answer my own questions and not worry.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

For the first time ever, I'm actually testing on scrap. I put the first coat of Z_Poxy on a little heavy but using a scraper I got it level in no time. It looked pretty darn good but I decided to put a second coat on to be sure. I'll scrape and sand it tonight and start adding some vinyl sealer and start coloring it after it's perfectly level.

My thoughts on Z_Poxy
Awesome!
Easy to apply
Easy to scrape back and lightly sand
The grain looks beautiful under this.

I got some red oak from a friend, I figured it's pretty close to ash as far as grain filling goes.



I shaped it a little to approximate a guitar and sanded to 220. Here it is after 2 coats.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

After a bunch of failed attempts at spraying a burst I went back to hand rubbed. After watching many videos I figured out how to do it and it's much easier in my opinion. Man that was almost a month ago. Here I am today and I really like it but the guy I'm doing it for wants more orange coming out from the red. So I ordered some orange and yellow dyes to try to make it look exactly the way he wants it.





Here's what he wants only with the grain showing like I have it. It was a little miscommunication. I think it's pretty close but he would like me to get it closer.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I stripped that off and started again. Well I still don't have this grain filling thing down. I thought I did. I used a couple of coats of Z-Poxy and it looked great. I started spraying the burst, got away from hand rubbed and back to where I started. Don't you know those pesky grain lines started showing up again. I don't get it. Anyway, here's the latest, looks exactly like the previous picture that my friend wanted. Now I just need to put enough coats of lacquer to fill any lines. I was thinking of drop filling.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I am a firm believer in Zpoxy for both pore filling and a certain amount of grain enhancement. I usually apply two coats full strength, sanded back to wood after each coat, the one more highly diluted with alcohol which doesn't get sanded before finish gets applied. If I'm going to stain I usually do that before the first coat of pore fill goes on - I know that the Zpoxy will add a slight amber tint. If I was going to do a sprayed sunburst like yours I would seal the Zpoxy with vinyl sealer before starting the color. When I'm in doubt I always experiment on a scrap of the same wood.

I had had enough questions about Zpoxy at another forum that I wrote up a little thread about it.

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/zpoxy-for ... nt.940522/

That's exactly what I did and it looked perfect. I guess I need better lighting or something. Anyway, I am going to build a telecaster style next. I'll use ash and make sure I have the grain filling down.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Is it possible that the Z-poxy wasn't fully cured and washed out?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!