4 Attachment(s)
"Blue Heeler" Bondi Blue GR-SF1: Pt7 A Longer Wait, Cain't Wait No Mo', First Finish
A longer Wait
Waited another 2 days (10 in total) since the 3rd intensifying, intensely dissatisfying, unintentionally disrupting coat. But it was still sticky. Had a gutfull, so I told mah'self ...
Cain't Wait No Mo'
... and thus I hit the top's surface with some aerosol canned eucalyptus oil and a rag. Actually, first I tried using the steel wool. Not effective. It's like peeling those crummy rubberised coatings off headphones and guitar tuners etc. I left the eucalyptus oil on for barely several seconds, and only in relatively small patches. It cleaned the intensifier off nicely, fairly easily. The oil itself is relatively volatile and was being sprayed on lightly and not left to penetrate, I suspect (and hope) that it didn't harm the glues binding the ply layers.
Goodbye, stuffarama-inducing 3rd intensifier coat, and welcome back blu ... !!! :eek: Bondi Blue must've given up on ever being seen again ... and that's how it will remain. :(
Attachment 33737
In my internally quelled sub-rage-level discontent I started cleaning up the intensifier from the binding. I actually liked the blue-smoke of a filthy old diesel engine look for my binding. However, it was "inconsistently applied". Namely, accidentally and sloppily. I could've gotten away with it if too -- "if it weren't for those meddling kids" (Scooby-Doo)" -- and if I'd deliberately smeared what came into contact with it immediately.
Tried a blade edge. Surprised it worked to the extent it did. Couldn't be bothered (personality flaw) doing much and didn't have a decent blade for the purpose, so I tucked into it (against wise men's advice) with steel wool and 360 grit. I'm content with the imperfect result -- more on that later.
The eucalyptus oil clean-up left the body feeling nice and dry! Oh, happy day. :D I felt it time to smear a clear without any fear.
First Finish
So I applied a thin coat of finishing oil to the body and neck. I am happy with how that turned out. Also. I am a little :mad:. I believe I should've bypassed the intensifer altogether and gone straight to the finishing oil. I would have my little "Blue Heeler" (or faded denim jeans) and -- theoretically -- complete the job sooner with much less hassle, frustration, and self-doubt. The finishing oil is a satisfactory intensifier for the Bondi Blue stain kit ... but the kit's intensifier product itself is not suitable (imo) at all.
"Do you have any wise words for other kit builders?", you could mockingly inquire. No. good sirs and madams! I've broken so many rules of thumb, guides, suggestions, good advice, experiential snippets and gentle prods that I consider myself unwise as well as unworthy! I might try to write a "summary of sillinesses", though I've seen elsewhere on this site a good list of "do's and don'ts".
Here are a few of the first finish coats;
Attachment 33738Attachment 33739Attachment 33740
NOTE: Crikey, that top looks ... rustic. Didn't expect to age it 50 years. Further comments in the next thrill-less instalment;
NEXT: Pt8 I Hate It, I Love It
2 Attachment(s)
"Blue Heeler" Bondi Blue GR-SF1: Pt8 I Hate It, I Love It
I Hate It
There are some reasons why I hate it;
- it looks like the body has passed through a fire ... NOT unscathed
- that it was just rubbed down a little afterward and not cared for
- there are patches of stain/darkness inconsistent with the timber
- the binding looks older and damaged
- the f-holes are scummy with intensifier
I Love It
There are some reasons why I love it;
- all of the above
- AND the fact that it is so uglified and thus a little unique (see picture below)
"Ugly Bat Boy" the cat and just about any old Chinese Crested dog with some years on it
Attachment 33741
And another Chinese Crested for good measure. It's worth looking up ugly ones in a general browser search.
Attachment 33742
Additional Reason To Hate It
This next reason is a bit unfair to the guitar -- if I may anthropomorphise the kit -- and I feel twinges of guilt for airing my feelings about it in an open forum. But here's why I hate it;
Yesterday, I took my only steel string geet-tar to Chris Melville for a refret and comprehensive setup, as well as a couple of minor fiddly-farty bits needing attention. I'd paid $1500-ish (RRP ~$2200?) some 10 years ago for my Ayers ACSR (Auditorium Cutaway Spruce Rosewood). Chris indicated that the guitar was worth doing the work to because of existing solid construction and its potential to "sing" once he'd done what he does very well.
Meantime, he let wifey and I play with an Eastman that he'd done the comprehensive setup work on already. "Oh, my!" I thought to myself as every note rang out clear and true and with such volume/presence for such light action and plucking. Now everything else sounds like rubbish to me. Well, at least every other guitar in *my* household! :D ... :(
And that's why I hate it!
Additional Reason To Love It
But I still love this kit because I've invested my self in it -- whether competently or otherwise -- and my primary reason for buying it was actually to do the setting up myself. Well, that's still a little ways off at present, but I've bought the basic tools and practiced a bit on wifey's Kasuga "Hummingbird" clone. And I truly like that rustic look. I "caused" it. It's its own signature now.
Eventually upcoming: Pt9 More Coats
