A TB-4 Build whilst a BG-46 dries.

[Simon Barden]

This audience approves and gives a round of applause.

[Kick]

This audience approves and gives a round of applause.

*applaudes*

[ozzbike]

Why thank you...clappers.

Some more Tru Oil this morning. The body is starting to shine so much already looks great....the neck nearly a matt finish. mmmm. Maybe more is good.

[wazkelly]

Please sir, can I have some more?

[ozzbike]

I am happy at this point that the clear coats of Tru Oil are going on nicely. I do think that it is about time I level the coats as a couple of bumps are here and there.

My quandary is to wet-sand with what and at what grade?

I have seen Tru Oil used as the liquid with 600 to 1200 grit paper.

I have seen linseed oil used with similar grits.

I have seen the micromesh pads used with water...with a little dishsoap for slippies. (I have the 14 piece micromesh kit from sandpaperman.)

I am having my third attempt at getting an even finish with my BG-46 kit......okay...sanded through again.....PHARQ.

So this downunderbird will hang for at least three days now....and then I shall attack to de-bump...fluff....and one hair....the finish. Here is hoping I can make a choice of what to use first...and secondly I don't blast through the finish.

[Kick]

Wow, that is shiny! Looking good Oz!

[wokkaboy]

looking great Ozz. I usually wet sand with 1200 grit and if there is still any bumps then go to 800 grit on those areas. Then over those areas with 1200 grit. I wouldn't use 600 grit, I think that may leave tiny scratches

[wazkelly]

Hi buddy, I would start with 1500 wet using water with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid to soften the water. You might get away with 1200 but even 1500 strips off a lot. Presume you use a cork sanding block on the flat surfaces.

The shine on the round pointy bit of front lower horn is awesome as is the rest.

[Simon Barden]

Just remember that micromesh grits are different sizes to normal paper, 2400 micromesh is just on the finer side of P1500, so if using micromesh, don't use anything below 2400, or you will easily break through again.

[ozzbike]

I have been trialling some differing finishing methods of late on two builds:-

This one....obviousily and this other Big Girl over here.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...t=6444&page=25

Today I did some wet sanding on this Downunder Bird build....trials and tribulations and much gnashing of teeth has ensued.

1. Wetsand with high quality 1200 grit wet and dry paper in warm water with a dribble or two of dish soap.....BLASTED straight through again. Grrr.

2. Wetsand with high quality...read expensive.....1500 grit wet and dry paper in the same water as above....BOOM straight through on the top this time.....nice.....NOT.

3. Sanding process on the BG 46 using 2400 Black coloured micromesh pad....ouch again....again....again.

4. Back to the Downunder Bird with the TAN 3200 micromesh pad in warm water with dish soap....ah huh...we have a winner. Nice smoothing....shiny parts disappearing without stripping of finish and stain. Amazingly this looks like a START point for me from now on.

Now....I have used the wet and dry paper wrapped around a cork sanding block.....wrapped around a white rubber pencil eraser....held very lightly with next to no downwards pressure under the finger tips of my hand.

The micromesh pads are foam backed so both were just used with minimal downwards pressure and moved lightly in wet circles.

I have hit the necks up on the BG-46 with some 240 grit as the stain would not even go into the wood at 2400/3200. The stain has been reapplied.

I am waiting for the body and neck of the TB-4 to dry and I will wipe it over with some stain as it is. If it does not take...then again a light sand with 240 grit and on with the stain.

My Summary:-

1. The BG-46 is being clearcoat finished with wipe on polyurethane as I did not have a good outcome using spray cans and cannot justify the cost of a spray gun etc at this point. I am using poly as I have found that Tru-Oil produces a very yellow finish....over my blue stain....GREEN. The poly...even though quite yellow itself does not interact as much with the stain as Tru Oil....still have blue colour on the body and necks.

2. The manner I wipe either finish on makes the final product so much easier to achieve. Don't slap it on.....or if it is the earlier coats...slap it on....but make sure it is wiped off...spread out....or finished with a wipe in the direction of the grain.

3. Every two or three coats on TRU OIL I am giving the surface a very light scratch with 0000 grade steel wool. Making sure I brush and blow of the surface all over after this....I even wipe it down with metho sometimes.....light hit with a clean fine bristle paint brush....compressed air would be good too.

4. Every 6 or 9 coats I will now do the progressively finer micromesh pad wet sanding.

5. The poly may just get many light coats...no steel wool as of yet.....may have to consider for future....and then start at 3200 micromesh when I get the finish I want.

6. I may have to revisit 240 grit on the BG-46 body as I have some lighter areas around the edges where the stain has not been reabsorbed into the wood.

More to come....but this seems to offer the best outcome for me....see if it works.