Andy40's LP-1SS

[wokkaboy]

yeah might as well use up the rest of the stain coat on the mahogany

[wazkelly]

Agree with Woks as one more stain coat and then 2 - 3 intensifies should give you that Merlot colour you are craving.

[Bungee]

Looks sweet! I am finding choosing a colour is the hardest part of building a guitar. I see so many great choices on other builds...

[Andy40]

So she's darkened up a bit whilst curing, so I don't think I'll add anymore stain just in case it goes darker with the intensifying coats or final coats.

Regarding DT. I'm a bit freaked out as to what happened with Wazkelly's and Darthdamo's recent builds. I am monitoring the temp and humidity constantly and have put a bucket of Damprid nearby to absorb air moisture.


Unfortunately for me, this is Brisbane and its almost constantly over 50% humidity, it got up to 70% this morning (until about April 2016) and the chances of it going over 35 at some stage of the day is highly likely (although we are in for some wet weather). I most certainly do not have a dust free environment either. I'm pretty patient but I can't wait for a change in season.

My other choice is to keep it in the air-conditioned room, seems to hold the temp at about 24 degrees and humidity between 40% and just under 50%.

OK so, in summary, no more stain needed at this time, going to wait the full 5 days to cure in the "hot" room with damprid. Then apply the intensifying coats but at that stage I need to decide whether to keep it in the hot and humid room or put it in the air conditioning for a less humid, more stable environment but it will be cooler (and attempt to explain why to the wife).

So, I am going to try DT before resorting to another finish, mainly because I really really want to. However, if it goes wrong I suppose I can resort to Wazz's fix or maybe shellac? does shellac even go over DT?

Any guidance would be appreciated.

[wokkaboy]

Hey Andy, looking good, is that a guitar rack you use for curing ? haha that will be full of builds soon mate !

I'd sand off the stain on the neck heel the part that will be glued, this should be bare wood. A good method is to draw a line of tape off where the heel will be glued, in line with the half circle route.

I've never used shellac so can't comment. I've had good success with tru oil over the DT stain. I didn't have much success with the DT clear coats

[Andy40]

Hey Andy, looking good, is that a guitar rack you use for curing ? haha that will be full of builds soon mate !

I'd sand off the stain on the neck heel the part that will be glued, this should be bare wood. A good method is to draw a line of tape off where the heel will be glued, in line with the half circle route.

I've never used shellac so can't comment. I've had good success with tru oil over the DT stain. I didn't have much success with the DT clear coats

Thanks Wokks, I'll sand the stain on the neck heel. Yeah that was my old guitar rack, now i have 7 wall mounted in my study/office/mancave, so i can fill the rack!

Mind you, my wife wont let me wall mount any guitars outside my study/office/mancave. She thinks its upper-middle bogan or something. I think that's unduly harsh, so I have a bet with her, I bet her that the next finish I had would be so good and such a work of art she would let me hang it in the lounge room. That's why i chose DT Krijini red over spalted maple.

A lot is riding on this one guys....but I guess if she doesn't think its good enough for the lounge room wall....I'll bet her that the next build will be so good and such a work of art she would let me hang it in the lounge room.

[wokkaboy]

haha good one Andy, sure this build will be good enough to hang in the loungeroom, you just got to hope your missus is a fair judge !

[stan]

Haha, looks good Andy, perhaps " straight to the pool room..."

[wazkelly]

Hi Andy, looking good and maybe you could get away with one intensifier coat but make sure it has been at least 7 days left to cure. Whilst it has been mostly dry in this part of Oz lately the next few days could be wet and strangely the indoor humidity readings are still quite low at my place on Sunny Coast, only 62% as I am writing this. What usually happens is when the Sun comes out again the humidity rises as moisture is burnt off, maybe not the most scientific explanation and merely just my observation. It is this part of the weather cycle that seems to prolong the curing process leaving the DT green for much longer and easily turns to muck if sanded or steel wooled too soon. Trust me, I have experienced this several times.
Woks has built more kits than anyone and from his comments get the impression it is easier to use TO for the top coats although it also has a habit of attracting minute dust or fibre particles too, as did DT on many occasions.
Lost count of how many stain & intensifier coats were applied due to sanding back 3 or 4 times, most recent after 4th TO coat using 1200 grit wet. Stripped a lot off but that was good as it also levelled out the layers already put down.
Doing the finish indoors with airconditioning may help with the build but I don't think my minister for war & peace would provide consent.

[Andy40]

Conditioned the fretboard with DingoWaxxxxxx

Before

After


silky smooze