TL-1HA first build

[McCreed]

What about air temps? It’s barely above 10DegC these days and I’m doing four coats a day with 3-4 hrs between - I wonder if the cool air means I should be leaving it longer between coats.

10° is getting pretty cool. 18-25 is optimal range, but I would think 3-4 hours between coats should be ok. However I've never used any finish in those kind of temps so I have nothing to gauge it by.

In "winter" here, we might get 6° overnight, but can warm up to 19-20 by 10:00!

In optimal conditions, hand-applying poly or Tru Oil, I can also get 4 (sometimes 5) coats per day on but I only leave it for 1.25-1.5 hours in between.

[dozymuppet]

Yep, I'm only doing 3-4 coats/day of homebrew poly, and we're averaging well over 25 (except for the past two days).

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[Groovyman32]

52 coats of wipe on poly - let’s hope it dries and I haven’t created a sticky mess




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[McCreed]

52 coats of wipe on poly - let’s hope it dries and I haven’t created a sticky mess

Given the cool temps you mentioned earlier, I'd give it at least 14 days, and if you can bring it in to somewhere warm while it's drying, it would be better than hanging in a cold garage/shed. Conversely, you don't want it too hot either. Baking it won't help!

Looks like you got it a lot smoother than previous photos. Good work.

[Groovyman32]

Thanks Mc - the photos make it look better than it is. There’s still a few rough areas. I tried one sand and two more coats to try and even it out. But it is what it is. I have to move on at some point.

I’ve got hanging in heated a conservatory. Generally it doesn’t get too cold but warms up quickly when the sun’s out. The forecast this week is looking quite sunny so I’m guess it might get into 25-30C.


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[Groovyman32]

Oh and I also added 2/3 coats to the cavities and pocket. I’m hoping this is enough to seal and water proof?


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[McCreed]

Oh and I also added 2/3 coats to the cavities and pocket. I’m hoping this is enough to seal and water proof?


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Should be fine.
It's not like you'll be using a huge volume of water that's going to fill the cavities during the wet sanding. It's just protection from any that may make its way into them. I always have a dry towel nearby and soak it up as I go when some pools in a cavity.
You need to wipe down the whole thing periodically to check your progress anyway. Nothing should have water standing on it for any length of time really.

[Simon Barden]

Condensation is always a risk when temps get down to 10°C or so, and small water droplets can mar the final finish. The good thing about lower temps is that you're less liable to get the surface layer drying over first and trapping wet poly behind it. But really this should be done above 14°C as a minimum to remove any condensation risk. Air movement is as useful as heat in helping the finish to dry, so a low speed fan gently blowing on the guitar can help a lot, as it moves any solvent-laden air away from the surface.

[Groovyman32]

Well, it's been hanging for two weeks now...

When I put face on it there's a very slight hint of a poly smell.

Is it ready?

[Simon Barden]

If if still smells, the theory is is needs to wait a bit longer until it stops.

However, you could start the sanding down process. That will increase the surface area of the poly so allow any remaining solvent to escape more easily. I'd hold off on the polishing until the smell goes, or another week has passed, whichever comes first.