PDA

View Full Version : Cleaning out dirty maple



Diggydude
17-01-2021, 10:22 AM
While sanding and then handling the freshly sanded rosewood fretboard, some of the dark sawdust has found it's way into the grain of the maple. How can I clean this out? Just keep sanding it?

38840 38841 38842

McCreed
17-01-2021, 11:11 AM
I'd try wiping it down with a bit of naptha (shellite) on a clean rag. It might need a touch up sand after, but the naptha won't raise the grain much. Be sure to use fresh clean sandpaper. Not the same piece you used on the rosewood.

Diggydude
17-01-2021, 02:19 PM
Cool, just bought some. Will try it this coming week

McCreed
17-01-2021, 02:32 PM
It's handy stuff to have around for guitar work. Great for cleaning gungy rosewood fretboards and especially cleaning guitars with a nitro finish.
It's one of the best solvents you can use on nitro without dissolving it. (used sparingly of course)

Diggydude
18-01-2021, 12:19 PM
Hey McCreed, how should I be using this stuff? I gave it a go with a rag, just wet, not soaking, and it hasn't moved anything. Should I be soaking it? Do I need to do something immediately after?

McCreed
18-01-2021, 05:20 PM
Sorry just saw this...

Shouldn't need to saturate the cloth. "Just wet" sounds right, but if it's not coming off, and not having it in hand, I don't know I have any answers.

After looking at the photos again, it looks like it's part of the grain and that grain looks very open to me for maple.
What kit are we talking about here?

I see it has a 3x3 headstock and a majority of PBG kits with 3x3 headstocks (though not all) are mahogany necks. Looking at the headstock photo, it doesn't look "white" enough to be maple.

I may be totally wrong here, but that's what I'm seeing.

Diggydude
19-01-2021, 07:55 AM
This one is an AG-1, advertised as a maple neck. When in front of me, it does look much lighter than what is shown in the pictures.

You do make a good point about the open grain though, none of the other maple necks I've worked with are quite this open...

wazkelly
25-01-2021, 07:41 PM
Try wiping down with water on a just damp rag (not too wet) as this should raise and open the grain a bit and hopefully help remove the small particles. Once done, just do a light 180 or 240 sand on the surface to knock down the raised grain.

Cheers, Waz

Rabbit
25-01-2021, 08:53 PM
Shouldn't need to saturate the cloth. "Just wet" sounds right, but if it's not coming off, and not having it in hand, I don't know I have any answers.

Yeh, you want to go easy with naphtha..... otherwise known as lighter fluid. Small quantities in a well ventilated area is the way to go.......