Quote Originally Posted by brandfbr View Post
This is looking amazing!
Can I ask why you chose to use both the oil based poly and the water based one? Was there a particular reason/different result you wanted or did you just have some leftover?
Thanks brandfbr.

The idea of the oil based first coats is to not raise the grain of the timber (like water-based coats would). I have been spraying water-based poly final coats on my last couple of guitar builds but found that the grain still raised a bit. So, this is another trial at trying to reduce raised grain.

Note: I also use a Ubeaut sanding sealer (shellac based) before the stain to raise the grain a bit (and it can be lightly sanded (de-nibbed)). I have also used Timbermate grain filler (water based) to grain fill and raise the grain. Others also wipe the timber with a damp (water or metho) cloth to help lift the grain.

This is probably only an issue when using a stain, on open grained timber. After staining, you do not want water-based coats raising the grain of the wood and making it rough, since you cannot sand it back too much as you may remove the stain layer.

For non-stained timber it is not a problem as you can sand the raised grain back and then add more water-based coats.

Seeing fender3x's work, I have thought that Shellac may be a better alternative to the oil-based poly first coats!