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Thread: Need advice

  1. #1
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    Default Need advice

    Hi
    Building an esquire
    I have started applying shellac to the (ash) body with a walnut stain under this
    Can I get an opinion on waxing the top to finish or just leave the shellac as a final finish
    Will have a black pick guard
    Thanks
    Greg

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  3. #2
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    I would not wax it, wax doesn’t do a thing to protect the finish in any way. It will just make the instrument look grubby and you will loose the nice finish of shellac. Just continue with the shellac, are you trying to get to a French polished finish?

  4. #3
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    Hi cal
    No not a brilliant French polish finish just a satin coverage that will show the grain a bit and protect the wood
    The guitar will only be for home use
    I tried to attach a work in progress picture but it won’t let me

  5. #4
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  6. #5
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    Nice work! Yep, just coat it up to the level of finish you desire with shellac and hit it with a bit of steel wool, just be sure to do the steel wool work with all the pickups and components far far away from the body [emoji16]
    Put up some more work in progress pics too, we all love ogling at builds in progress!

  7. #6
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    Nearly finished the back
    the ferrules were already fitted so they blended with shellac cover
    slight run on the left side so I rubbed it back and slowly build up the shellac coat again
    4B3FCD60-E049-4083-8AAB-55863B2CD3DC.jpg

  8. #7
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    Default Need advice

    Looks like it’s coming along. What shellac are you using and what mix ratio to metho are you using? The coats look a little thick, a few brush strokes in it. I usually go 50/50 or slightly more metho to keep the coats thin which reduces the possibility of brush strokes. Or use a cotton rubber made up as per Neil’s French polish book. Not trying to be critical, just trying to help.
    Oh, and what is the temperature and humidity like where you are? This can affect the speed of the metho evaporation from the surface and how much work time you have to get each coat on.

  9. #8
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    You learn as you go
    i bought a bottle of premix at Bunnings
    I found it easy to apply
    live at Mount Hutton, Lake Macquarie

  10. #9
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    Default Need advice

    And there is nothing wrong with learn as you go! I make heaps of mistakes and I never stop learning [emoji16]. Ok, you could thin it down a little with metho. Maybe go three parts of the shellac you have with one part metho. See if when it’s dry that there are less brush marks in the coat. I would wait for a few days before trying to sand the brush strokes out of it due to how thick that last coat looks. Being a bit humid where you are will play a part in drying time too. It will be a bit soft under the surface still which will clog up your sandpaper. Only hand sand as using power tools on it will build up surface heat and clog the sander quick smart. I would use nothing coarser than 240 grit, but even then check the paper regularly as you will get a build up of shellac on it and a little clump will build to a big clump quickly and scratch the surface on the timber. After the subsequent coats I would go finer in grit, 320 then a few more coats and down to 400. Remember to knock off the surface to remove any gritty bits between coats and clean with a cloth to remove the dust too.

  11. #10
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    Thanks cal
    i am off to Mudgee with work on Saturday
    so will let it cure till Monday when I am back
    i will try cutting it with metho for the next couple of coats
    would you put a ubeaut wax and buff with a rag to finish
    or dry rub with 0000 steel wool

  12. #11
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    I think I would still just do the steel wool, see if you like the finish of it. If you want to try the wax, coat another board the same way you have with this and test the wax out to see if you like it. I just do the steel wool method and I like the satin finish that I end up with. Choice is totally yours to make though [emoji16]

  13. #12
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    Thanks cal
    after I get the wood finish done my next choice
    matt black pickguard or tortoise shell?
    But that’s months away

  14. #13
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    Yep, I hear you! I have to get at least three ukuleles finished in the next week or two. I have a big job coming up and the shed will need to change a lot to accommodate the work and I won’t be doing much else for the 6 months to boot. Along with my paid employment gearing up to get me out of bed at 2:30am, it’s going to be a tough start to the year! Oh well, I can make more money but I can’t make more time [emoji16]

  15. #14
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    I didn’t like the shellac finish
    too many runs
    i have rubbed most of the body back
    now deciding
    re shellac body or true oil
    if I true oil do I rub back to bare wood or oil over the sanded shellac
    all opinions welcome
    it will be an esquire
    thanks
    gregD17121CE-13B6-44EA-A8D9-03016AF58714.jpeg

  16. #15
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    Greg, could I suggest that you may be loading up the brush too much? Did you thin the shellac down as I mentioned?
    You could put tru oil over the shellac if you wish, the shellac will be happy with anything over the top of it.
    I apply shellac sparingly with a brush, I also use it thinned down a lot. There doesn’t need to be lots on the brush and it will cover a fair sized area with each reload. The metho should evaporate fairly quickly after a coat, within 5 minutes or so.

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