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Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Tiny Bubbles

Here You'll seehere pin tip sized bubbles. Nitro finish. It got hot in a case. They'll need a light amagolmater mixture applied to melt'm back into the surface. Im looking for advice on the recipe for said amagolmater....Straight retarder? Im not sure if Id need lacquer in the mix that I apply....Thank you! Colin O'Brien LittleCreek Instrument Repair, Nashville. Images

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Private member
are those blisters from the heat? Have any of them popped?
Private member DiscussionElectric Builds

alternative to mixol?

Hey guys, does anybody know of a good alternative to mixol? I use it in lacquer for mixing opaque colors and it's great but I've been on the lookout for something more affordable and haven't had much luck. Wondering if anybody here knows of anything. Thanks!

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Ian Davlin
It used to be the colortone pigments from stewmac that were quite good and didn't require a ton of material to go to opaque. It seems like we are left with just Mixol for guitar grade pigments that wo…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Aging Toner on a Sitka Spruce Top

I'm fast approaching the finish coating of 2 acousitcs. The sitka spruce tops are really bright. I'd like to tone them down a little and have been scouring the web for methods. Seems like adding amber toner in either the sand sealer or more likely the first set of nitro lacquer coats might be the the ticket. I see Stewmac has a Colortone stain called "Vintage Amber" that can be mixed into the nitro. Anybody have expirience with this pro…

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Private member
Hi Gerry, I recommend spraying a sealer chow it a light scuff and then one more sealer coat. If you are using lacquer, thin some 50% by volume and add TransTint or Colortone. Same dye and some of the…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

water based finishes

Hey everyone. I'm wondering if anyone has a good recommendation for a water based finish that buffs nicely. I currently use lacquer but I'd rather use something less toxic. One finish that's come up in my research is General Finishes Enduro line. Has anybody used that before?

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Private member
I switched from Nitro Cellulose Lacquer to Target Coating's EM-6000 last build. It was essentially equivalent to nitro without the long cure times or toxicity. And finish-sanded dry before buffing.…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Airbrush attempt went South

Just joined the group and have only built 3 guitars so far but just ran into trouble on my latest project. Long story short: I built a '57 LP Jr that came out fantastic but the neck was set incorrectly and was nearly unplayable. I cut off the body and made a new one and applied the burst and a few coats of clear before gluing in the salvaged neck. To finish up the neck joint with a bit more black, I dusted off my 20 yo Paasche airbru…

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I'm new here, so I'll have to figure out what/where that is, but if that's where it should be, then absolutely.
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Black Grain Filler Under EM6000?

I am switching from NC lacquer to EM6000. I also want to switch from black WB filler to blackened epoxy grain fill. My question relates to keeping the color in the pores and off the surface wood, and whether to vinyl seal before and/or after epoxy fill, I already know how to tint epoxy black. Could black grain fill style be accomplished with black epoxy as the grain filler and would a vinyl sealer be used at all, or just use EM6000 for…

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Private member
Karl - Funny you should mention it… my shellac order is out for delivery today. And thanks for the finishing schedule. In this most recent build, I find myself developing strategies that will avoid st…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

How about this giant fan for winter lacquer spraying?

Just curious on some thoughts if this fan would work to prevent me from poisoning myself and my family from spraying in my basement shop: https://a.co/d/8UPeRwk I have a basement shop with a door that goes outside. I don’t have a sprayer system, so am currently using rattle cans. Wondering if I set this up with a big 25 foot hose going outside, and put my workpiece right in front of it, if I could get away with spraying in my shop to acc…

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Private member
Re: Dale Fairbanks’ garage - I’ll add that’s a really valid concern. My town (Dale’s former town) has a well-deserved reputation for crotchety neighbors who like to complain. Many municipalities have…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Finishing Zircote

Hi Everyone. I am planning to finish my latest electric build which has a Zircote top. I am going to spray Nitro Lacquer. Is there anything I need to watch out for in spraying over such an oily wood? Thanks!

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Private member
Hi Robert: Nothing special to do with Ziricote. You should wipe it down with mineral spirits or naptha and then a light coat of thinned finish or sanding sealer is all that is needed before you start…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Yellow stain creeping from ebony dots

As seen in the picture. I gotta get this build done in one week and realized I didn’t have black plastic side dots so I whipped some up out of ebony dowel stock. For some reason a yellow stain comes out after I spray with lacquer. I sanded back one time already and respirated but here we are once again. What’s going on here?

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Private member
I talked myself through it. Sanded back and did a shellac wash coat then lacquer. Also added a white dot inside the black dot for fun. Looks good to me. Thank u :)