Kick's first build LP-1MQ Red Widow

[Drummerdude]

Kick it sounds to me like you will need to build up more tru oil in many more coats.. when put on correctly the coats are micro thin.. and if build up is required to fill in voids it could take 20 more more coats. Being veneered top you usually don't get it sanded as smooth as the solid wood. I know th pictures can be very misleading, but it looked to me like the grain slightly raised after you applied the finish. Some of the more experienced guys will maybe be more help but my thoughts would be to use a more traditional method to apply many more coats of oil to build up the finish and then go to Waz's method of achieving the final gloss.

But wait until the respond and good luck..

I am having good luck with it on my ash Bass but I am not trying to get a level mirror gloss finish like on my other two builds. That's why I sprayed polyurethane as it is much easier to build up sand flat and buff and polish..

[Kick]

I'll definately put on lots of more coat on it. And it already has more gloss on it then my last shown pictures. I'll take some new pictures soon so you can see the difference

[wazkelly]

Hi Kick, once you wet sand and it dries the surface will look dull as you have 'scratched' the gloss off through sanding. If there is enough depth of finish, as you move up to higher grades of grit they act more as polishing agents than cutting and eventually at around 8000 to 12000 grit on the micro mesh pads you should start to see the shine reappear. If not, don't worry as that is what the car polish is meant to do.

One trap to look out for is not enough depth of finish which caught me out on the Swampy Tele tonight as I was going hard at it with 1500 only to notice some edges starting to reveal grain underneath which means raw timber. Arghhh.......so close to the finish line but now I have to build up a few more coats to then sand off. It was looking good for entering in this month's GOTM too but that will most likely pass before being ready for final polishing again.

[Kick]

I will apply more coats before wet sanding again. The gloss has already returned but indeed, the more coats the better.

Sorry to read that you wont make it for this month's GOTM. Hopefully next month

[Kick]

So, what am I doing lately? Besides enjoying today the first day of our four week holiday I have been applying coats, applying coats and... applying coats.

There is a gloss, that's true. But I still see the little 'imperfections' in the veneer. Normally one should have done more sanding but as we all know (and I was warned for it!) the veneer is actually to thin to give it the sanding it needs to get it as smooth as a babies bottom. Perhaps it's the quilted maple or perhaps it is my incorrect method of applying the True Oil... Anyway, see the pictures.









Nonetheless, I'm very happy so far. I leave the back of the body and neck as it is now; matted finish. I like it very much so this is what it is.
Hopefully I can fill the little imperfections by applying more and more coats of the TO.

[Simon Barden]

You're getting there, Kick. Without having a really close look it's difficult to see if the ripples are in the veneer or TO coats. As the thinness of the veneer meant it was impossible to sand that really flat before applying the finish, then you've just got to put enough layers of finish on to be able to sand that back flat and then shine it up, but still leave enough finish on to protect the veneer.

It's obviously easier to get the wood as smooth as you can before applying the finish, but in this case, you simply couldn't do that. But you'll get there. Even if it takes up all of your holiday.

[Kick]

Haha, my wife handed me a list with 'things to do in your holiday' like installing a new split airco unit, making a new cabinet for the bathroom, installing a new extractor hood (is this correct?) and some more things. But I guarantee you that I will find some time to apply more coats ;-)

[Simon Barden]

Yes, extractor hood is correct.

I'm sure that you can fit all that work in around your TO applications.

[Thijs]

Looking good, Kick!

I do like the depth of the veneer & that white binding popping out

[Dedman]

try this, first thing in the morning apply TO, then just on dusk apply another. In the morning give it a light sand, apply another coat. Repeat and repeat. That leaves all day to do the jobs handed down by she who must be obeyed.