Toshi's first build: PBA-4

[Simon Barden]

This is where you learn the benefit of masking off the fretboard with tape before working on the edges of the frets!

You can also buy thin stainless steel fretboard protectors to use when working on frets to save the fretboard getting marked. These are the ones I use: http://www.chrisalsopguitar.co.uk/sh...ard-protectors . StewMac also do them, but call them 'fingerboard guards'.

I know it's something else to buy, and the cost all adds up, but they are something I use a lot - especially when I decide its time for a guitar to have its frets polished again and I work up through the Micromesh grades and finish off with some metal polish.

[Nekogen]

Thanks for advice & information, Simon. Exactly, I learned important lesson here. these scratches will keep reminding me for it.

I did not know of this fertboard protectors and Micromesh grades... this is how pros make things without flaw.Certainly I have ordered protectors as well as Micromesh grades from online already!

[Nekogen]

Hi, could i have some advice?

I have been testing a stain and gloss finish on the small piece of wood. i filled grain with timber mate, and stained with purple. then coated with water based gloss varnish more than 10 times. it became good looking now.

Would it be better to apply a clear polyurethane lacquer spray on it and finish with fine sand&compound polishing or just polish this varnished finish?

The reason to use water varnish is that I rent a apartment room, and the smell and mess of solvent, thinners and oils may cause complaint from house owner.



Thank you.

[Simon Barden]

I've recently watched a YouTube video on an acoustic guitar maker using water-based lacquer finish using this stuff https://www.targetcoatings.com/produ...ction-lacquer/ - your Padico product is also a water based acrylic polymer emulsion. Here's the last in a series of 9 videos (most are of the man sanding the finish back in real time so not exactly exciting), but the finish looks really good to me.



So I'd just use the water based finish. Because you're not spraying it on, the finish will be less smooth as a result, so you'll need to use more coats to build up the thickness until you can sand it nice and flat (yes, more sanding!) but with still enough depth left to protect the wood.

Plus, because your varnish is acrylic based, it will react with a poly spray, so don't use a poly spray. If you used an acrylic lacquer spray, then all you would be doing is adding more of the same type of lacquer.

The important thing is to get it flat (you'd still have to do that with a sprayed finish but there would be less work). This is all wet sanding, so a lot easier than dry sanding. You need to sand the finish until there are no more glossy dimples in the finish. These are a lot easier to see if you hold the body up to a light at a 10° to 20° angle to the light. It can look OK if you shine the light directly down on it, so you need the light at a low angle to help highlight the high spots and put low spots in shadow. You can see the dimples and ripples in the finish in your test photos. You really want it to be mirror-flat.

Nothing too coarse for the sanding flat - you don't want to break through the finish by accident. I'd start with P320 wet 'n' dry paper, until most of the dimples had gone, and then move to P400 and sand with this until they're all gone. Use a wooden or plastic block for the flat areas. Then continue with light wet sanding, running up through the grades to maybe P1500 or P2000. The finish should then be ready for polishing.

The real secret of wet sanding is to let the wet 'n' dry paper soak in water for at least 12-24 hours. The paper becomes very soft, without loosing strength, and it then follows the body contours nicely, with much smoother results and is far less prone to taking more off the sharper edges/curves than the flat areas.

[Nekogen]

Hi Simon, I really appreciate your detailed instruction. I think this is exactly what I am looking for.You gave me a clear answer for all my doubt. I was not sure how many coat i had to go on and no idea of how to make flat and mirror surface from water-based varnish, even i doubted to use water-based product. But now all clear and make sense!

[Simon Barden]

Obviously in the video, the man was using a buffer wheel for the polishing. Very few of us have one of those (I don't, though I'd like one) but you can hand-polish to the same level - it's just a lot more work!

[Nekogen]

really wanted that buffer wheel, but surely not possible... I have Black & Decker polisher. quite heavy, strong and only one power range, hence not convenient for cutaway and sides. maybe will buy sponge buffer for drill driver though, either way, i have to go for hand work unavoidably.

[Simon Barden]

I've got a polishing pad for my orbital sander, but have yet to use it. Even with a circular buffing pad, once you apply a buffing or cutting compound, heat can build up quite quickly from friction, so you always need to keep the pad moving and not let it sit in one place.

[Nekogen]

Well noted, Simon. Thanks for advice. Yes, will do. i really dont want burn through varnish coating to reach the body itself...

[Nekogen]

Hi. Could some one help me give advice for an issue on the body veneer?
As I stained body with water-based dye 4 times, gradually the some grains became lumpy around pu cavity. Is this normal? I suspect i used too much water to stain wood that grains were inflated. does some one have same experience or solution or prevention for future?