Thread: French Polishing of Stewmac Kit

You can see from the photo what my next job is!!!

Greg

I can't see any pics....

Nice work Greg...exceptionally nice work. Youve done a good job around the body/neck join, always a P in the A area on a guitar for finishing.

Did you use the hard shellac neat or did you thin it out a bit. I think the stuff comes out of the bottle as a 4lb cut doesnt it?

If you've got time perhaps you could post up a brife description of the French Polishing procedure you used.....eg application technique, time between sessions etc.

The grain pores are still a bit visible on the sides but you might be able to fix this by doing a few more body sessions.

Cheers Martin

Looks nice Greg. I used hard shellac on my first acoustic and on two explorers, one I tinted the shellac black.

At first i was using a brush with OK results but I had to wet and dry it a lot to keep it flat and sometimes I sanded through which let water into the wood and discoloured it. It was a right P in the A as Martin puts it.

But I tried spraying it on and it is great. I used a bathroom heat lamp to help dry it and it comes up beautiful. As PaulB said, this stuff just wants to shine.

NOTE: Like you Greg I must have rushed the side grain filling. I used Zpoxy but the shellac soaked in in places. But on the back I did a very thorough job and at first it was flawless but about 2 months on and it seems to be shrinking into the grain a bit. It is very fine and does not detract from the look. In fact it kind of makes it look more organic in a way but retains the shine. But I think it might by sinking in where the bare wood was exposed. The pores are OK because they are full of Zpoxy. Something to think about if you use these products.
Dom

Originally Posted by zenobia

At first i was using a brush with OK results but I had to wet and dry it a lot to keep it flat and sometimes I sanded through which let water into the wood and discoloured it. It was a right P in the A as Martin puts it.

Dom, I assume you were lubricating your wet and dry paper with soapy water. If youre going through to bare wood then try using olive oil as a lubricant on your wet and dry. I do a light rub back with 1200 grit W and D with olive oil every 5-6 body sessions...just enough to take off the high spots.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

Dom, I assume you were lubricating your wet and dry paper with soapy water. If youre going through to bare wood then try using olive oil as a lubricant on your wet and dry. I do a light rub back with 1200 grit W and D with olive oil every 5-6 body sessions...just enough to take off the high spots.

Good idea. I was using soapy W&D. I am assuming it does not affect the ability of the next coat of shellac to stick? I think in the end good preparation and application means these kind of problems don't happen in the first place. But I think spraying is right for me. I could get thinner more even coverage that way.

Actually just finished an electric for Julie and she wanted it bright orange with chrome fittings. I got some good quality two part poly and it came up really really nice. Stinky to use but fantastic finish.
Dom

Dom,

The soapy water is only a problem when it gets into bare wood or it doesnt get wiped off properly before next shellac session.

What grade W and D are you using. I use 1200 grit and wouldnt go coarser than 600 grit. As already stated all youre doing is knocking off the high spots and ridges....it usually takes me no longer than 2 minutes to do a light rub before continuing with body sessions.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

Dom,

The soapy water is only a problem when it gets into bare wood or it doesnt get wiped off properly before next shellac session.

What grade W and D are you using. I use 1200 grit and wouldnt go coarser than 600 grit. As already stated all youre doing is knocking off the high spots and ridges....it usually takes me no longer than 2 minutes to do a light rub before continuing with body sessions.

Sorry, I meant, I assume the oil does not affect the shellac sticking. Very poor editig on my part. But I found that soapy water brings white residue from the sanded shellac into bare areas and left stains on the wood. Not bad but noticable. A bit of meth disolved the dry dust but like I said, getting prep right in the first place means you don't face these problems.
Dom

Dom,

Once youve finished sanding back just wipe off the olive oil with a clean piece of washed cotton T shirt material (I use this on my munecas). If theres still oil on the surface then use a bit of meths on the material and wipe again. A little bit of oil shouldnt be a problem..it'll rise through the shellac and come off during the next spiriting off session.

Cheers Martin

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

Did you use the hard shellac neat or did you thin it out a bit. I think the stuff comes out of the bottle as a 4lb cut doesnt it?

If you've got time perhaps you could post up a brife description of the French Polishing procedure you used.....eg application technique, time between sessions etc.

The grain pores are still a bit visible on the sides but you might be able to fix this by doing a few more body sessions.

Cheers Martin

I added about 50% metho when I was doing the swooge coat on the top and about 20% for back and sides and bodying up.I found the hard shellac a bit awkward to work with at first (Mind you this is only the second time I have french polised anything,so I am no expert!!) but the more I got into it the easier it was.

I let it sit for about 2-3 days between sessions I used Parafin oil in the bodying up sessions and sanding back.

After a few days,I got some BRASSO and polised it up.This is when it really came up like glass.

I have to say that the whole process was a big learning curve.I found when I was doing the French Polishing course,it was very easy to ask the teacher when things were not right.

I dont think I would bother with any other finish after doing this.I did learn a lot from it ,and for the first guitar,I am pretty happy.

As you said in one of my previous posts Martin ,there are many ways and ideas when it comes to french polish and I reckon you were right!

By the way,one of the first things I did was buy " A Polishers Handbook," by Neil, and I think I had a look at it every time before I started doing any work on the guitar.Great Book!