Twangler
Joined: Mar 26, 2006
Posts: 147
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Posted on Jun 24 2006 12:59 AM
Hi there,
The reranch web site and discussion forum seem to be dead. I have a couple questions on final finishing for a guitar and hopefully somebody can help here.
A. When Wet sanding the final finishing, I've seen some folks recommend using water with soap in it, I've seen other folks say use mineral spirits. It seems to me the mineral spirits could screw up the clear coat. If you use mineral spirits, how liberally should you use it. So far I've been using straight water pretty liberally until I read about these other methods.
B. I put the final coat on the body Last night. I have a gig on July 28th and need to have the guitar ready to go. Is it true an auto body shop can bake this sucker do in 30 minutes what takes 6 weeks normally?
C. I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this one, but assuming the Auto body thing is true, I want to take it there before I do final sanding and polishing.
Thanks in advance for the tips. I'm very pleased so far and look forward posting pictures of the final product soon.
Happy Reverbs!
Spanky
023
www.penetrators.com
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reventlos
Joined: May 23, 2006
Posts: 209
Costa Mesa
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Posted on Jun 24 2006 04:24 PM
Hi Spanky---I'm hardly an expert, but I would be reluctant to subject a lacquered piece of wood to the same drying process as a car body. Did you shoot nitro lacquer? It will stay soft for a while. A pro guy I know just leaves 'em hanging for a couple of weeks at least before he starts sanding. (He uses plain water, BTW). I'm about to shoot a jazz bass body with Reranch's stuff---interested to see how it turns out.
Good luck, Matt Q
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Twangler
Joined: Mar 26, 2006
Posts: 147
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Posted on Jun 24 2006 06:17 PM
Minwax actually makes a Nitrocellulose Clear Coat avaialable at Home depot I used. I'm going to Tampa the week of the 4th so I was planning on letting it hang until I get back. I've heard you're suppose to wait 6 weeks but 3 will probably be the best I can do. We'll see.
Spanky
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Dane_Brammage
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 203
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Posted on Jun 25 2006 11:46 AM
Spanky,
A. Not an expert, but water has worked fine for me.
B. I'd also be pretty reluctant to bake a guitar. I don't think you'd go far wrong if you just let it sit three weeks, polish it out, and just be prepared to do a little "touch up" in another few weeks.
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WoodyJ
Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 1544
Bethlehem, GA
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Posted on Jun 26 2006 10:23 AM
Plain water is fine, or a drop or 2 of soap (Dawn, etc.) creates a little less friction. Use 2000 (or higher) grit paper. Use plenty of water to avoid minute scratches.
Not sure what kind of paint you used, but lacquer dries super quick, and modern acrylic urethanes dry pretty hard within 72 hours without a heat lamp or baking. As long as the temp isn't too high, a body shop heated spray booth shouldn't hurt anything. Or you can hang the body in direct sunlight. Most new cars have a lot of plastic in them that would be way more susceptible to heat damage than the body wood in your Jag.
— Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)
The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)
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WindanseaBeachBoy
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 133
La Playa, Mexico
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Posted on Jun 26 2006 06:24 PM
I've only used water and gotten great finishes. However, I don't see how a very little dish soap would hurt...it would suspend some of the sanding residue. Work it up to 2000-grit, then final polish it with an very fine automotive/machine polish - 3M Finesse It II works very well. You can probably let it dry by hanging it in the sun, but I don't see that as necessary. Just a good dry place is adequate. Three weeks of curing is all ReRanch recommends before reassembly. Just handle it gingerly for the first few months, don't bang it against stuff and keep it in its case. You might want to add a carnuba wax job to the finished guitar, to give it an added little bit of protection while playing.
Gavin
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Twangler
Joined: Mar 26, 2006
Posts: 147
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Posted on Jun 28 2006 11:19 PM
I know to block sand when I do the final sanding, but am I right to assume that I should sand very lightly as I go through the 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit stages?
Spanky
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WindanseaBeachBoy
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 133
La Playa, Mexico
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Posted on Jun 29 2006 08:35 PM
As I recall, Reranch recommends that you sand until their is an even haze of the entire guitar thru about 800 grit. Then, you go up a grade, sanding evenly over the entire body with each grade. When you reach the higher grades (1000, 1500, 2000 grit) the haze disappears and the finish starts to really shine.
With the highest grits, you are polishing, not really sanding. The highest grits are so fine, you can't really remove much of the clear coat with them, so you can relax. The hard part is getting to the very fine sanding stage without sanding thru the top coat and finish coat! However, failure to sand enough in the early stages will result in a poor finish at the polishing stages. So, make sure when you are sanding and getting haze, that the haze is uniform across the entire guitar and that there are no shiny areas.
Go light and follow the body contours with care. I shoot the edges a little thicker to give myself a fudge factor.
Let us know how things turn out!
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