The Guitar Refinishing and Restoration Forum

[Cody Paul]

Well that's just annoying. Was planning on doing the grain fill on the back and neck as posted in a topic here on reranch. Had it bookmarked and looked at it again last night and it was still there. Today it's gone. Do they delete threads after a certain amount of time? It was here http://reranch.com/reranch/viewtopic.php?t=36266
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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

Ok, so while the clearcoat is curing on to the next step. Applying oil to the back. If I remember the missing thread correctly you apply a 6 to 1 mix of mineral oil to tru oil. Paint it on and let it dry 24 hours. Then you wetsand with 400 grit and a 1 to 1 mix, making a slurry and working it in. Then repeat with 600 grit. Let dry 24 hours between each. Don't remember if you rub it down with 0000 steel wool after each of these though. Then apply straight tru-oil working a small area at a time. Keep applying until you get the finish you want. Let dry 24 hours between each coat and rub down with 0000 steel wool before each coat. And don't forget the tack cloth this time. Well that's how I remember it anyway.

Just finished the first coat. It looks a lot darker than what the pictures show. Mix was thicker than I thought it would be. About like syrup. Worked real well. See how it drys now. The tru-oil had a strong pepper smell. Did not expect that. Should have masked off the maple on the sides. I liked the lighter color, still doesn't look bad though.




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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

So far the back is turning out well. Was worried about the mineral oil since I've been reading about it being a nondrying oil. Another suggestion I looked at was posted on the Les Paul forums. I think it looks really nice. Quoted below.

[QUOTE=Strikerfox;1892587]Well since you already have some black on the back here is some cool advice. On my last project building an amp cabinet/ Finishing it, I used Rottenstone powder as a grain filler to seal Walnut (very porous like mahogany) and it highlights the grain of the wood EXTREMELY WELL. You can get a killer looking back if you highlight the grain.

Here is a picture of what Im talking about and a Link to show you how to do it/ use it.

[IMG]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1204/699351818_f7a984a9f4.jpg?v=0[/IMG]
Some things that I've learned about finishing. Some of them I also use. #2: Home made wood fillers, Pumice and Rottenstone. - by Karson @ LumberJocks.com ~ woodworking community

Ok posted in preview and it didn't work. The picture he posted is the last picture on this page http://lumberjocks.com/Karson/blog/1378
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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

Also had this asked by J.T. on the same forum:

"Anyone around here ever use a baking soda blaster to knock the finish off a guitar? Seems to work pretty efficiently on most finishes, and leaves virtually zero damage to the surface underneath. It leaves so little surface damage to steel that it can sit here in Florida for a couple of weeks without any rust forming. This might be a way to get in those crevices. "

And in a subsequent post:

"Well, if you want to DIY it, I'd suggest going to Eastwood.com, they sell the blaster units. You'll need a pretty substantial air compressor to push it with. Not sure if anyone makes anything on a smaller scale. I'd suggest contacting folks in the hot rod/car restoration community near you. Soda blasters are becoming more common, because they allow you to strip paint without beating up the metal, and they are getting cheaper all the time. They are environmentally friendlier than chemicals, too. Good luck!

Edit - I've got a blaster thread going in the Luthier's Corner - hopefully someone can provide some practical experience. "

( http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luthiers-corner/100158-soda-blasters-paint-stripping.html )

Was wondering if anyone here had tried that. It looks like it would work really well for stripping without any damage.
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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

Ok, did the initial coats as described above. Remembered the tack cloth to. That all came out well.

So now I've put on the first coat of straight tru-oil. Most people said use your fingers and rub it in. Rub hard enough it gets warm when you do. Seemed to work well, but they failed to tell me one important detail. How, to, get, it, off, your, hand, afterwards!! Definitely won't do it that way again. (Oh, washed with laquer thinner. Hands are no longer sticky, but still feel oily.) Debating how to proceed. Was suggested to me on Sully's site to continue as above up to 1500 grit.




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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

Looking shiny now. Using a small piece of cloth I applied several more coats of straight tru-oil. I let each one dry at least 24 hours before applying another one. When I start buffing and polishing do I polish over the oil as well? I never did get all the black off around the serial number either. It's not too noticeable now though. Well, not like before anyway. The tape came loose and got a bit of oil on the nut and a bit of binding. Was thinking I might change the nut out at some point in the future but wondering what it has now. Also, does anyone know where I can get a backplate for this?










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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

So, moving along I decided to wet sand the front. Murphy loves me. Sanded through on the plugs I put in. Decided I might as well keep going and see how it came out. Don't know if you can see where the lacquer spilled in the earlier photos. I've been wondering if it would sand out or need to be redone as well. It was bubbled and pitted like a REALLY bad orange peel. Best way I can think of to descibe it. Fortunately it didn't go all the way through and sanded smooth. I'd also sprayed some clear in a cup and brushed it into some pits and gouges on the front. Can just barely see them anymore, and most of them not at all. I've gone to a 3200 grit so far.






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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

You know, it's nice to be loved, I just wish it wasn't by Murphy. I am truly beginning to HATE the headstock. Some tru-oil ran on to it. All around the edge like a little frame. I didn't think I had enough clear on it to completely bury the Les Paul decal. But I needed to sand off the dryed oil, so wetsanded it as well. Pleasant surprise, the witness line around the Les Paul Model is gone without a trace. There is now, however, a white line all around the headstock. I don't know if its sand through or if the oil reacted with the clearcoat. It's a lighter color than the fiberboard though. And just small white pits across the top.






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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[fliski guitars]

Im guessing the lighter areas on your headstock are sandthroughs, guessing that from the position of them... I can't really say for sure but thats what it looks like to me...

Oh and earlier you mentioned trying to clean tru-oil off your finger- I use Swarfega which Im sure you guys must have in the good old US. If not then its basically a jelly hand cleaner with bits of abrasive in it- Its a degreaser, designed for metal work really but nothing beats hand cleaner that actually scrapes a layer of skin off!
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