Paulownia Precision

[fender3x]

I have now completed the grain fill. What you seen the pic, in the order of application is three coats of stain, then 3 coats of 1lb shellac, with 4 coats of grain filler on top. 5 coats of grain filler in a few places. may even use a little more as things progress if I see anywhere that it is needed. I don't think the shellac changed the color much, but three coats almost (but not quite) eliminated color lift using the grain filler. In a couple of places i used a little of the red stain with the Aqua Coat to enhance a couple of lighter areas. Mostly I just used it clear, however.



Comments about applying the filler first and then the stain got me to refer back to where I heard about Aqua Coat in the first place: Simon's SG builds: https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...t=10423&page=3

He got impressive results attempting a similar color after using the gran fill first, then the spirt based dye stain. As bad as my test results were using water based dye stain, his were good using spirt based stain. Simon used the the transparent grain filler the way most people seem to use opaque filler, and in fact he dyed his filler black.

Aqua Coat does not really feel like any filler I have used before. It feels more like a kind of a gel top coat that you put on with a credit card rather than a brush or pad. As it dries it is in places flat and in others glossy. In consistency it is somewhere between gell and teeny tiny tapioca balls. In the third and fourth coats there were places where it looked a bit cloudy after being worked in, but when it dries it is absolutely transparent, without any yellowing. This stuff "feels" like it is somewhere between a clear coat and a grain filler. The mfg says that it requires at least three coats of top coat to seal, but it is enough like top coat that I have been able to use it for very small top coat repairs. Once sanded and polished it is so transparent that I can't find the repair I did on a maple neck with it.

Now that I have it, I would definitely use it to fill under a solid color, and would be tempted to try it with a non-dye type stain. I am not sure I could justify the expense to buy it new though, unless I wanted it to go over a color.

[McCreed]

Good stuff! Thanks for the continued updates!

[fender3x]

Just a bit more on the finish. An odd thing happened on the last coat of Aqua Coat filler and some of the coats of top coat (General Finishes High Performance Satin). I got this weird sort of cloudy sheen from them...



You see it on the back and even more so on the side. [Edit March 13, 2021] I just realized than when I originally posted this, I forgot to mention that after about an hour with the topcoat and about 30 min with the Aqua Coat, there was no more cloudiness. It had turned crystal clear.

That said, the top and back are really well filled. There are a couple of places where there are some natural grooves that follow the figuring of the wood at the bass of the cutaways, but I decided I sort of like how they looked, and the filler has made them quite smooth.

I have now used up all but 1 or 2 ml of my Top Coat. It seemed pricy at $32/quart (.946ml), but I was able to do 3 bodies and necks with this amount. I have just 1 or 2 ml left. I suspect that someone with spray equipment or a steadier hand could do better. The mfg recommends 3 coats with a brush. I brush on 6-10 coats in order to be able to safely sand out any imperfections.

Likewise the Aqua Coat people recommend about three coats, I used 4-5 because paulownia is so porous. There is plenty of that left...enough to do 3 or 4 more bodies without being stingy with it. That was around $25 US for a pint (473 ml).

I also got a pint of General Finishes Dye Stain... $18/pint. I barely used any of that, even with the tests. A pint is enough for 10 guitars at least. I can't imagine what else I will use it on, but I am sure my wife will think of something. Still, cheaper than the rattle can color I have put this project's brothers and sisters.

Now the waiting... Mfg recommends 3 weeks. I will take at least 4 weeks since I used more coats than they recommend.

Did the neck too. Not exactly like the old Epi batwings, but an homage nevertheless ;-)



Won't be much action on this thread until then I suspect.

[fender3x]

The finish has now cured for about 5 weeks, so I took it out off the rotisserie, and popped the neck on to see how it would look. One of my daughters suggested 86'ing the white pickguard in favor of a black one. I think she's right.



Light's not great in my garage at night, and the pics are not that sharp, but you can kind of get a sense of it. It may cure for a bit longer until I have a few hours to sand (and sand and sand).

Pulled the bridge off the paulownia testbed. No issues after a month, even with 3+ weeks of that strung on top rather than through.

[McCreed]

Looks good!
It will look even better once you get polishing. Not sure about the pickguard thing. I like the black, but would need to see the white for a fair judgement!

[fender3x]

...
would need to see the white for a fair judgement!

I have seen similar color schemes from Fender, but usually black with a maple neck. Echoed by my aesthete daughter ;-)

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

[McCreed]

I have seen similar color schemes from Fender, but usually black with a maple neck. Echoed by my aesthete daughter ;-)

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

Hmmm... I think they both work, but def favour the black. It may be the lighting difference between the two photos, but the black seems to focus the grain more.

I should learn to never argue with youth!

[dozymuppet]

Yep, black wins for me.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

[fender3x]

She'll be happy you guys agree with her. I am happy not to have a dillema ;-)

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

[Simon Barden]

So just glue a thin skin of plywood on the front and rear of the body and you’ll be good to go.