Tele Body Sanding

Hi all,

So i received my TLA1 about a week ago and have started the sanding process however on one side the scratches from machining just don't seem to go away all the other sides are fine except this one side. No matter how much i sand i can't get them out and i plan on doing a natural finish....Im actually afraid I have sanded the body out of shape and they still haven't gone lol how much do i sand this thing...i completely exhausted the 180 from the pitfall sanding kit and had to get more!!! (to give you an idea i have been sanding this thing for about 16 hours 90% on the one side) I'm nearly there but I'm afraid if i keep going the body will just get so out of shape the one side

I have added some pictures below so you can see what i mean (2nd image is the good side probably spent 30 mins on this side)

Thanks in advance for any advice

Regards

Floki Attachment 8148Attachment 8149Attachment 8150

With the more complex and hard grain areas you will often really need to sand following the grain pattern to remove the heavier machine marks, before continuing with finer sanding. So, in that first image you'll probably need your sanding action to curve with the grain around the central point. Do one side of the central core, curving as you go front to back, then repeat the other side of the core. As the marks start to disappear move up through the grits and when fine enough you should be able to start running in line with the edge.

Pitfall sanding kit haha, seems like that some days, you'll be ok just keep at it

Weirdbits is on the money as I have also experienced similar with end grain on the edges.

Just need to go in the same direction as the grain for a while and in these shots that may mean a circular motion until the machine marks are gone. Once the machine marks are gone you can then run lengthwise along the edges with higher grits, nothing under 240 as you can easily add marks if sanding too vigorously coarser grits.

You can even have different end grain orientations from one body piece to the next. On my TL-1TB and my JBA-4 there was one piece that I had to sand at 90 degrees to the rest of the end grain sanding to enable me to get the machine marks out. If you are sanding in the right direction you will get noticeable results quite quickly.

Wot Weirdy sed :)

Nice chunks of tree in that body.. Heartwood cut on the quarter, a Luthiers dream!

Hey all,

Thanks so much for all your help and advice. I just feel like the body has gone out of shape and is no longer symmetrical with the amount of timber that's been taken off to get them out, they were quite deep.

I did try WeirdBits advice and it slowly coming together, thanks for that.

Floki

take your time Floki, you will get there