FrankeWashie's EXA 1 customised kit

[wazkelly]

Hey Franken, don't despair as that is how my EX-5 looked and suggest a light 800 wet sand to take any lumpy bits off and flatten things out and then apply one last intensifier, that is if you have any left. Others suggest scuff sanding with 0000 steel wool and I found that either took too much off or made things worse whereas the wet sand gave you a more even standard of finish to kick on with. Looks like you have mainly been dry sanding only and that has also introduced some surface scratches and clogging up your paper too and that is why wet sanding works out so much better.

Maybe PM Andy40 to ask what his special final coat technique is as I couldn't get it to work for me and switched to the stuff we are not supposed to talk about. Mind you, I was tempted to apply DT Neck finish for the top coats as it is supposed to be harder and therefore maybe not as many coats would be required?

Bottom line, if you are happy with the underlying shade and texture it can be salvaged with a choice of several different products to finish it off.

[FrankenWashie]

Thanks for that Waz though I think your bottom line about sums it up:

Bottom line, if you are happy with the underlying shade and texture it can be salvaged with a choice of several different products to finish it off.

I said at the outset that this was an exercise in Woodworking and finishing, I've done okay on the woodworking side I want to make sure the finish lives up to the effort I put in to that.
The final coats really showed up the shortcomings of my application of the intensifier so I really want to fix that and turn out something worth while.

So.. a Sanding we will go, a Sanding we will go, hi ho the merry o--- etc.

[wazkelly]

Light & easy touch is all you need as those intensifier coats come off way too quickly and still reckon best done wet to stop fouling up the grit paper.

[FrankenWashie]

What i found once the finals went on is that there were some really bad areas, areas where i had just been too heavy handed and some other crappy work. I have already stripped most of the body back, just getting to work on the neck, then I'm going to start again.

[FrankenWashie]

Okay so we have finally gotten unpacked and set up enough to start working on this thing again!

Taking on board some of the experiences of others, and having already tried staining it once, I decided some thought was needed in order to be able to stain without juggling full guitar, stain covered cloths and trying not to let it rest on anything.

So I knocked this together from materials on hand:

Its a bit rough but at least it allows me to access all parts of the guitar and turn it without too much trouble. In hindsight though, version 2 will probably use a bearing to ease the turn.

if you are wondering about the grey on the maple neck its a legacy of having tried to darken the maple with india ink from my first translucent Black stump attempt. the india ink worked okay, the finish less so.

On the whole the finish has gone on a lot more evenly, with the wipedown method pioneered by ...Andy40 I think? I was concerned that there were areas that might end up looking a bit ragged from the sand back but it all seems to be looking okay. Now to wait 48 hours.

[Dedman]

I do something similar with a dowel up the plug socket hole (said the bishop to the bar maid) and held in a vice.that body is going to look great once it gets clear coats

[FrankenWashie]

Thanks Dedman, I'm still pretty gunshy after the last cockup (Thats what SHE said!) so we'll take it nice and slow and see how we go. Thankfully the workshop has extraction and good airflow so we should be right. Just be nice get something finished for a change!

[wokkaboy]

love the jig Frankie, so have you recently moved house ? First priority is to get the workshop up and running, then cold beer, then bedding and eating haha

[FrankenWashie]

love the jig Frankie, so have you recently moved house ? First priority is to get the workshop up and running, then cold beer, then bedding and eating haha

If I wanted to sleep in my car then yes, your priority proposal is viable. Final fit out of the workshop though is dependent of the acquisition of some machinery and the relocation of several bicycles. Cold beer was of course among the first things sorted as were the beer fridge and the back up/high capacity beer fridge.

[wokkaboy]

sounds like its all under control Frankie !
What machinery have you got in mind ?