Marze take 2 - TLA-1 Rosewood/maple neck

[wazkelly]

Hi Marze, running the drill in reverse might have prevented the splintering as that is best method used for enlarging pot holes to accommodate US made upgraded parts.

[Marze]

Hi Marze, running the drill in reverse might have prevented the splintering as that is best method used for enlarging pot holes to accommodate US made upgraded parts.

I did actually try that! The drill bit was very vicious. Just tore into the wood, even after trying to start with a 'guided' hole. Next time, different drill bit. I will keep that one for non-woodworking tasks.

[Andy40]

Wow, is that Ash or Alder? The drill bits tent not to tear the Ash on mine. but then again i was super paranoid and revered drilled a pilot hole about .5 mm in depth before forward drilling down to the tape.

Your ferrules should cover those gouges (I hope)

Good job on using the router.

[stan]

Nice work with the router/drill

[wazkelly]

Speed of the drill has a bearing on the outcome too as cranking it as slow as possible is always best on delicate surfaces. As Andy said the ferrules should probably cover things up and it's on the back anyways so not exactly the side on show most of the time.

[Marze]

OK, time for a long overdue update ... This may take several posts :^)

After sanding the body and neck back to 600 grit, I made a slurry of neutral grain filler and rubbed it into the body. I wanted it to pick up the blue and be a kind of opposite effect to popping the grain with black filler.


This dried for a few days then got sanded back with 600 grit. First coats of Dingotone were applied - Bondi Blue with a Black Stump burst with the result here:

[Marze]

The DT seems to take a very long time to dry/cure in my work area. It has taken about two weeks between coats and still I don't seem to get a nice hard and dry finish. It always seems to remain tacky. I have tried running a dehumidifier in the the room while the DT was drying and it doesn't seem to make much difference. Yes, I followed DBs instructions to the letter.

Anyway, MANY weeks later, 3 coats of base stain, 4 coats of Intensifying stain and 3 coats of finish stain, I have arrived here.




I had lots of trouble between coats as when I tried to cut back the DT with 0000 steel wool it would ball up and I ended up having to use 600 grit or 400 grit wet and dry to get the bits off. Thus so many coats.

The finish coat on the body always seems to leave streaky gaps between coats, I will keep going and see if I can get a nice even finish. Again, it is not seeming to dry and remains tacky, like a gel finish even after three weeks of drying. I am calling the resulting colour stonewash denim :-)

The neck however is a bit of a basket case. I not sure what I have done wrong, but the finish coat just doesn't seem to want to, well, finish. It looks like it doesn't want to stick. The surface is very blotchy. Not sure if the Dingotone likes the maple neck. The Bondi Blue on the face of the head stock, would just not sink in. So it is very pale compared to the body.

I am looking for advice as I am about to sand it right back and, as I have run out of stain, will order some new and try again.

[FredA]

Ouch... that's a shame...

[WeirdBits]

How fine was the neck sanded, up to what grit?

[Andy40]

I think you are right in your thinking weirdy, it looks like you sanded after the timber mate up to 600 grit? unfortunately the DT stain coats will not soak in enough as there is not enough "tooth" in the timber especially the maple neck. I would sand it no more than 320 grit on the body and 240 on the neck.

You should be able to get the maple neck darker than that creating a bit of tooth by sanding with 240 and then re-staining. I'd probably do more like 4 stain coats and 4 intensifying coats.

I never use steel wool on DT anymore. I think there is petroleum substance in it to prevent rusting which reacts badly with DT. plus its messy. a bit of 1200 grit & 2000 grit wet & dry on the intensifying coats and final coats (no sanding required in between stain coats) will work wonders lightly sanding with the grain in one direction once cured and before applying the next coat.

Let me know if you have't read my previous posts (somewhere in this forum) about applying ultra thin coats of intensifying coats and finals which aid with curing faster and non streaking.

BTW are you using DT neck finish coats on the neck or just general finish coats?