HCs Goldtop Les Paul

[housecat1977]

So, it's about time I made a build thread for my latest project.
I've had the LP-1M for a while now but due to promising the minister of war and finance that I'd wait until my holidays to start it, I have only just started.

I have done a mock build and aside from having to adjust the depth of a couple of the volume holes, it looks the part. I like to pre drill all holes before anything else too. It just helps in my mind to prevent slipping with the drill when it is finished and having to repair it.

Since early December, I have been busy sanding almost every night and am now ready for staining the back before I hit the front with some gold paint to make an effort at doing a gold top LP in a similar strain to the Slash Goldtop from2008.
The back will be stained in red mahogany with a high gloss over the top.

I am just about to use some sanding sealer to help close the grain on the body and this is my first spot for questions, what is the best practice for using it?


Pics to come soon

HC

[housecat1977]

So first pic is the kit out of the box
Second is the back of the body finished sanding
Third is with the sanding sealer applied.

It looks like a glue mark in the middle but is just the way the grain goes.

I applied one coat of sanding sealer then gave it a sand back with 320 but sanded through in a few places so I have given it another coat of sealer and will just give it a light sand before I start sanding. Any tips for this? I hope I'm on the right track.

[Analyst69]

Hi HC

Look forward to seeing the Goldtop. I've always wanted one and toyed with the idea of building one (cheaper than a real one), but have a few other builds queued up first.

From what I understand (and done) most stains seem to require you to put the sanding sealer down and then sand until its almost all gone from the surface (acts as a grain filler). I used it on some solid colour acrylic painted builds, and just brushed it on (a little heavily), let it dry and then sanded like mad...seemed to work. If you are using the Wudtone mahogany, I'm not sure how that goes with sanding sealer though.

I have also done some grain filling with Timbermate filler (watered down to a runny paste), which seemed to work quite well. I actually liked this approach as the timber mate was more of a dry sanding experience than the sanding sealer (a little more dusty, but a bit more like sanding timber). You might just need to make sure the stain you are using will attach to timbermate (or mix some stain into the paste to get the colour right).

Not sure if this helps also not sure if what I am doing is right

Look forward to seeing your build progress.

Cheers

Darren

[Analyst69]

Okay, I just did a little more reading. Consensus seems to be that the sanding sealer will inhibit the stains ability to penetrate the wood, so, assuming the internet is right ( )you will want to sand back to expose bare wood after sealing (and therefore, only really get the advantages of some grain filling from the sealer.

Cheers

Darren

[AJ]

You can use timbermate in a watery paste first, then after sanding that back, it should take the wood tone or other stains quite well. you could also add a bit of stain/ woodtone color to the timber mate paste also ..

[housecat1977]

thanks for the info guys.
the product I'm using is all Feast Watson brand. the sealer was recommended for under its stain. the problem is that it doesn't give a good description of how far to sand the sealer back on the instructions.

would I keep using 320 or 240 grit to sand off the sealer?

[housecat1977]

here is a pic of the head cut to shape. just a Gibson style design, nothing too speccy. maybe the next time I'll do a gordan smith graduate style head.

while I was test fitting the tuners, I found there was about 3mm too much wood on one side so a quick date with a coping saw and a file set that right. if you look back at the first post you can sort if see it in the pic where everything is laid out.

[jarrod]

Wow a Gold top, that will look dam special man

[housecat1977]

so after a hectic start to the year and work, I have found some time to spend on my pretty.

After sanding off as much of the sanding dealer as I could, I have started the staining process.

very happy with how it is looking and the red mahogany is coming up a treat.

next step will be the clear coat then a couple if weeks wait before I start on painting the goldtop and gluing it all together.

fun times ahead

[Bass Guy]

Looking yummy, HouseCat.

I had a minor disaster with Feast Watson stains on an earlier build. I put a poly spray over the top of it and it reacted badly and bubbled weirdly. A cool effect on its own, but not what I was after at the time.

Not sure what you have in mind for the final coat, but I would check what will go over the finish before going for it- it'd be a shame to ruin a Goldtop finish.