2nd Build SHB-4

[fender3x]

Is that a hint of Voltaire?

I did a search on the quote and could not find attribution, but I did find this:

"Too many people spend far too much Time and effort varnishing the yacht, when they really yacht to be tending to the dinghy."

When you put it that way it sounds more like Groucho Marx, although I could't find him attributed either.

[jugglindan]

I did a search on the quote and could not find attribution, but I did find this:

"Too many people spend far too much Time and effort varnishing the yacht, when they really yacht to be tending to the dinghy."

When you put it that way it sounds more like Groucho Marx, although I could't find him attributed either.

I was vaguely thinking of the ending of Candide, when the main character Candide essentially gives up hoping for a better world to live, rejecting the unrelenting optimism of his tutor with the conclusion that we really should spend time tending our own garden.

Thinking about it now, I am not really sure what I was thinking then!

[Simon Barden]

That it was time to mow the lawn?

[blinddrew]

Interesting philosophical discussion aside, 3000 wet sand and polishing later and I'm calling this done:


Looks ok on general inspection but if you look a little closer it's still a bit orange peely




But I'm not convinced by the thickness of the poly so I'm calling that done.
Frankly it's a lot better than I've been expecting with this guitar on a few occasions...

[Simon Barden]

Well it certainly passes the 3-feet-away test, so well done. If you had a buffing wheel (my dream acquisition but I don't have the space), you could probably get it a bit better, but not a lot.

Take the rest of the day off and celebrate.

[blinddrew]

Actually a couple more polishes has pretty much done it. Aaaaand then i've gone and marked it all when I've drilled the holes. More polishing tomorrow, with a tiny bit of sanding, and then we're onto assembly and soldering.

[McCreed]

Looks good. I think you've done very well there. I've certainly done worse .

Aaaaand then i've gone and marked it all when I've drilled the holes.

This is one reason why I'm a big advocate for drilling holes pre-finish.
I know, I know... people go on about the wet sanding/water in the holes etc, but my reply is always "bee's wax"!
Drill the holes; apply the finish; plug the holes w/ bee's wax; wet sand/polish; done.

The wax is extracted when you turn a screw in, and what's left behind acts as a lubricant for smooth turning screws.
I have a strat body on the bench now that I plugged yesterday for wet sanding today.

[blinddrew]

Yeah, next time...

[ThatCluelessGerman]

Great idea, actually! But how is staining with the holes filled with wax? If you get a tiny bit of wax on the surface, it surely won't take any more stain?
Or do you do it even pre sanding?

[McCreed]

Great idea, actually! But how is staining with the holes filled with wax? If you get a tiny bit of wax on the surface, it surely won't take any more stain?
Or do you do it even pre sanding?

You don't fill the holes until you're ready to wet sand. So the finish has already been applied and cured.

EDIT TO ADD:

Here's a screenshot of a post I made recently re: hole drilling and my process -