First kit build .. is this OK?
Hi, I'm building a TLA-1S spalted maple kit. In one place there is a fair bit of tear-out from the thicknesser-planer, and it looks like the factory has applied some filler, and maybe some glue. Now I don't want to sand the veneer, but am wary of the glue causing blotchiness in my stain. Do I go ahead and apply a conditioner/filler, lightly sand, and proceed to stain? Or see if I can send it back?
Last edited by Browny1010; 29-12-2020 at 11:19 AM.
HI Brownie, depending on the extent of the glue/filler issue, you can sometimes work around it using goof off and some careful work with a small wire brush. If the patch is really big and in a noticeable area then less so.
It helps if you post photos of the problem area, there are a lot of builders who have worked through similar issues that might be able to assist.
FrankenLab
Hand crafting guitars, because Death Rays are expensive.
Hey, Franken, thanks for replying. Managed to upload pics ... Would you offer an opinion? I'm a fairly experienced woodworker, but don't want to invest in a bad starting point if the better course was to see if I can swap it out. Cheers.
Glad to see you got the pic posting sorted.
Whilst some imperfections can be expected with spalted maple, I would be displeased if that were my order.
I believe what I can see there could be worked out, but for a first-time build, it poses some extra challenges IMO.
It would be worth sending the pics to Adam and getting his opinion.
Making the world a better place; one guitar at a time...
I agree with McCreed here, looking at the photos I would raise it with Adam.Originally Posted by McCreed
The other thing I'd do is wipe down with White Spirits or Gum turpentine and see if you have further glue bleed issues. If it's just a case of the tear, then potentially you could fill it and have minimal issues, if you've also got lots of glue spots then the problems mount. Especially on a first build it's not ideal.
FrankenLab
Hand crafting guitars, because Death Rays are expensive.
Hi McCreed, as suggested, I sent the pics and an email to Adam using the service email address, then rang on the Pittbull number a couple of time to leave voicemails ... all with no response. They processed a second order for tools and stuff last week, so someone is on deck. But no reply to my issue ... any ideas?
The PBG guys are usually pretty prompt with their communication. I have no other email addresses to offer you.
I would say just be patient and I'm sure someone will be in touch. (easier said than done I know)
Making the world a better place; one guitar at a time...
OK, an update. I never did hear back from Pitbull despite repeated phone messages and emails. All I wanted was confirmation that glue (CA glue) had likely been applied, and advice as to how to proceed with staining.
I've now assumed that the blotches are CA glue, and sanded it back, after filling the punky tearout bits with matching water based filler. I started at P320 and block sanded up to P600 all over. Reasonably happy so far.
But now. I know that if I just apply my Colortone stain, it won't take in the CA glued areas. So I need to add it to a wipe on gloss poly, so that it sits on the timber, and doesn't rely on even take up by the grain. So my question is: what poly can I mix with Colortone stains? F&W, for example, advise against mixing their own stains in their own oil-based gloss poly. Are Colortone stains water or oil based? Any advice welcomed, cheers!
Last edited by Browny1010; 09-02-2021 at 07:43 PM.
Thanks Franken, I bought some Goof Off, and carefully tried it, and also isopropyl alcohol. Neither of them improved things much, which led me to believe that CA glue had been used, to stem the tear-out problems. Not a nice thing for Pitbull to be doing, as it now means I can't simply apply a wood stain then varnish/poly over it, as the stain won't be absorbed by the CA impregnated area. Disappointing, to say the least.
Last edited by Browny1010; 09-02-2021 at 07:53 PM.
Sorry to hear about this. I had a similar disappointing issue with my first kit, too.
I found this on StewMac's website regarding ColorTone dye:
"For applying transparent color-tinted coats, ColorTone stains can be mixed directly into virtually any finish: nitrocellulose lacquer, shellac, waterbase finishes, and catalyzed varnishes or lacquers."
Do some experimentation with scrap wood, CA, and maybe some acrylic spray lacquer. If you can't get anything to mix right over the CA, you could theoretically spray the whole top with acrylic (CA glue is acrylic), then tint shellac and go over the acrylic with it - since StewMac says Colortone mixes with Shellac, and Rocker says Shellac works over acrylic:
I got that information from Rockler:
https://www.rockler.com/seal-toy-pro...-acrylic-paint
Last edited by Joe Garfield; 25-03-2021 at 10:54 AM.
*Pictures may be rotated due to my proximity to the equator.
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