Finish Question?

[getgo]

Tom, care to share with us the procedure for the awesome finishes that you put out day after day? I'm talking from "in the white" bare wood to wet sanding and polishing. I am mostly interested in a transparent colored finish or even a burst.

[tom]

fairly broad question, different woods have different procedures. here's the basics.
mask neck pocket.
if maple top, stain with assorted colors with sanding between colors.
cut top binding edge on maple.
spray washcoat on whole body.
paste fill mahogany and ash.
fill cavities with foam plugs to keep paint out.
wash coat mahogany and ash.
spray dual cure polyester sealer.
uv cure above.
sand with 240, should sand totally flat.
mask binding.
spray colors on back, bursts and such.
scrape binding.
spray clear dual cure polyester.
uv cure above.
sand with 280.
spray dual cure polyester.
uv cure above. sand with 30 mic, sand with 15 mic.
polish with menzurna wax 18 then g35t.
that's the basics. probably some steps i left out.

[Barry]

No wonder my Cobra looks amazing

[getgo]

Is the washcoat a different material than the dual cure polyester sealer or the same just over-reduced/thinned? Do the colors/dyes go directly on the maple tops or is there a wash coat used first there too? Do you sand between colors because the stains/dyes raise the grain? Are the colors aniline dyes or something that you have developed yourself? Forgive me if these are too many or too involved questions. I could explain how to refinish just about any type of metal but I'm all new to wood.:confused:

[tom]

the washcoat is a very thin vinyl sealer. it is a barrier coat for the oil based staines or fillers.
the stains aere right on the maple, and we sand between to remove some of the first color to make clearer the second color. like tiger eye gets brown then sanded off some and restained with an amber mixture.
some of the stains are oil dyes, some are leather dyes, some are alcohol based powered stains, and one is water based.
painting wood is way different than metal. half of our finish is just to get it flat enough to put the color on. i'm sure metal has it's challenges, but at least you don't have to deal with grain and moisture absobtion.

[getgo]

PHEW! I'm in for some major learning curve time. Right now, I'm restoring a 1935 Gibby L-30. Just a cool old arched top acoustic with the round hole instead of F holes. I want to do a Gibson style burst (of course) but use a poly clear. Kinda like a retro rod with cars. Looks old but has performance and comfort upgrades. I have stripped it and have started to research dyes. Good grief! There is Metal Acid/water soluble, metal acid mek soluble, Aniline dyes water and alcohol, lacquer based tints, and now, all the wonderful coctails tha you guys use to get such great results. Ohhhhhhhhh, My head hurts.:(

[AndyK]

fairly broad question, different woods have different procedures. here's the basics.
mask neck pocket.
if maple top, stain with assorted colors with sanding between colors.
cut top binding edge on maple.
spray washcoat on whole body.
paste fill mahogany and ash.
fill cavities with foam plugs to keep paint out.
wash coat mahogany and ash.
spray dual cure polyester sealer.
uv cure above.
sand with 240, should sand totally flat.
mask binding.
spray colors on back, bursts and such.
scrape binding.
spray clear dual cure polyester.
uv cure above.
sand with 280.
spray dual cure polyester.
uv cure above. sand with 30 mic, sand with 15 mic.
polish with menzurna wax 18 then g35t.
that's the basics. probably some steps i left out.

Is the mojo added pre or post menzurna wax?? :D

[tom]

mojo is applied at every step.

[getgo]

mojo is applied at every step.

---- yep!:) ----

[michaelomiya]

mojo is applied at every step.

been that way since 1986/7!:cool: :D