How to finish tru oil

[wazkelly]

[QUOTE=I'm fine with a guitar that's got battle-scars (my yardstick is my naturally battle-scarred 1970 Strat), so the Tele has a very long way to go...[/QUOTE]

Agree, they are to be played more than looked at and as you add your own dings and scratches that all adds to the character of the build.



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[Dikkybee007]

I have never used more than 3 coats of any finish on a guitar and still comes up like glass. Hiding a poor technique by using too many coats of finish is allowed but seeing as some finishes are hard to come by and some are expensive I don't see why I would throw money away and waste time when I would rather be playing. I sand to 240 as I have found anything over this is not needed as I then fill with a sanding sealer, my favourite is Feast Watson. I put the coat on so it looks wet using a sponge rubber brush and then when dry I rub over with a very fine Scotch Brite. I then apply, if needed, a second coat and repeat the rub with the Scotch Brite. I then give it a coat of Tru oil and again make it look wet, if you rub it in so it looks dry then the coat is too thin. A very fine rub with the Scotch Brite, don't rub hard enough to go through the finish. I then repeat and see if it needs a third coat but normally it doesn't. I have used it on 3 guitars and found not a real big fan as on the neck I have found once my hand starts to get sweaty it doesn't slide along the neck as well as on the guitars I have finished with poly. I normally use a slightly coarser grade Scotch Brite on the neck to give it a slight matt finish as I have found it allows my hand to slide easier than if it was highly polished. I never wet sand with water I just use the Scotch Brite and polish by hand with a automotive cutting compound. I went over to the Scotch Brite as using water to sand has caused problems in the past with swelling and I like to apply my finish on my guitar before I route or drill any holes. Once you get your technique right you will find the amount of finish needed will get less and cheaper. Get a piece of cheap pine and use it to practice on and you will find out how to do the finish that matches your skill base. Much better to use a practice piece to make you mistakes on than repeatedly sanding your guitar.

[HarmonIser]

@ Dikkybee007
Cheers - good to hear alternate ways to finish.
That last piece of info, I'm taking and running with it. Particularly, as finishing is such a new thing to me.
I believe the mantra "measure twice, cut once", so this "Much better to use a practice piece to make you mistakes on than repeatedly sanding your guitar. " will join it, in my workshop self-talk.

[IngridM]

Thanks for all the advice in this thread. Does anyone have any suggestions for getting more of a satin finish with tru-oil? What would be the finishing procedure after, say, 20 coats?

[dozymuppet]

I believe if you wet sand up to 2000 (800 > 1200 > 1500 > 2000), then stop there and don't use any polishing compound, you should get a fairly satin look. That's where my current project is at.

[wazkelly]

Sounds about right.
2000 grit wet sanded will allow for a super smooth finish but not glossy. That comes after using cutting compounds and lots of polishing.

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[IngridM]

Waz, just confirming - the cutting compound/polishing is what creates the glossy look, so if I'm not after that just don't do that?
Thanks for the instructions dozymuppet.

[McCreed]

...the cutting compound/polishing is what creates the glossy look, so if I'm not after that just don't do that?

Tru Oil will have a glossy finish even without polishing just like a gloss polyurethane (allegedly one of TO's ingredients). Wet sanding and polishing with a polishing compound simply enhances what's already there.

By just wet sanding and not taking it to the next level, you're actually de-glossing it. I prefer gloss on my body finishes so have not attempted going for a "satin", however, IME 2000 can start to get a very noticeable sheen to it, so you might want to evaluate with each grade and decide if it's what you're looking for. 2000 might be too shiny for you. YMMV.

Also worth mentioning that the process laid out above does not really create a satin finish. It is really just a de-glossed finish as I said previously. It will feel different to a gloss, but a true satin finish starts with the material being applied. In basic terms, a satin poly has added solids to change the way light is refracted by it when dry. The solid content also changes the physical feel of its surface (which I like on necks).

[IngridM]

I'm loving all the information, expertise and science. Thank you - it's all super useful McCreed and Waz.