EX-5 Build Diary - My First Build Bridge Pilot Hole Question

[MusicStudent1]

Here are some observations:

1. Any damp cloth you use to wipe down your guitar is going to contain trace amounts of surfactants from the laundry soap used to wash the cloth. I just tried rinsing, wringing, rinsing over and over. And I still see suds in the little dish I use to squeeze the water into. Apparently this either does nothing harmful or most likely helps anything water based adhere to the wood.

2. I’m pretty sure I’ve been applying grain filler, sanding it off, reapplying, sanding again, over and over. Same with sanding sealer. It seems the best way to use these products is to sand really lightly because after about 10 hours of cumulative total sanding between coats over the course of a few weeks, my kit looks only marginally different than when I first opened the box, ha ha! Maybe all that work will pay off with the first color coat.

3. I’m debating whether or not to apply a Krylon white primer coat once I’m done with the sanding sealer. That stuff is pretty good and I think in order to see a smooth surface, that’s going to be a necessity.

Since my EX-5 kit doesn’t look any different, there’s no point in posting photos. Will post when something significant happens.

[MusicStudent1]

Quick question...anybody use Stew Mac’s Sanding Sealer? I’m letting the stuff cure for days after spraying, warming the can before spraying, shaking it, etc....then, I go to do a light sand with 320 grit paper, after a full cure and it all seems to come off!

Check out the neck after a coat last night. This is the 3rd coat for the neck. Obviously I was down to bare wood because I raised the grain when I sprayed the sealer. You can really see it in the neck photo especially if you enlarge it. The body seems almost passable but I’m sanding to bare wood in spots there even though I’m being careful.

I’m about out of the stuff so I’m thinking about using black color nitro next as a primer coat..unorthodox but it’s either that or use automotive primer. I’m not satisfied with the smoothness of the wood. I’d like to prime with a color, sand, repeat, etc. until the surface is smooth. I wasn’t planning to sand the 1st color coat but can tell if I sprayed it now, it’d look bad unless I used thick coats of clear afterward and that’s not what I want. The sanding sealer was supposed to be a smooth barrier coat but it’s not working hence the idea of using black lacquer as a primer and barrier coat.

Thoughts, opinions? I’m guessing you guys are going to say 320 is to course but everything I’ve read says keep it at 220 so the lacquer will “bite” into the wood. 320 is finer than what’s recommended so I’m going to have to think about this some more.

[Fretworn]

I haven’t used sanding sealer before, but my understanding is it will come off and leave just the pores filled and level with the surface. Some one will correct me if I’m wrong.

[JohnH]

I haven’t used sanding sealer before, but my understanding is it will come off and leave just the pores filled and level with the surface. Some one will correct me if I’m wrong.

That's my understanding too - I only used it once before on a table I re-finished, and I sanded it right back to wood. It came out really well.

[MusicStudent1]

That's my understanding too - I only used it once before on a table I re-finished, and I sanded it right back to wood. It came out really well.

I'm sure the sealer is working as intended. I sanded it this morning with 320 grit, wiped it down with mineral spirits and finally have the 1st primer coat on! Finally, some progress!

I used Krylon white flat spray primer. That stuff is good. I intend to sand probably over 50% of it off before the first color coat.

[MusicStudent1]

I primed the body and neck this weekend. It turns out, I used the wrong primer so now I am stuck with acrylic Krylon. My primer isn't compatible with the nitro lacquer I'd intended on using so different paint was bought today. I did sand the body very smooth with 320 grit paper:



I found that mineral spirits melts my new primer so the wiping with mineral spirits phase is over. I live in Houston, Texas and sprayed outside today and got a pretty bad orange peel in spots due to the humidity. I think some rough spots are maybe not orange peel but raised wood grain because they're in areas where I sanded the primer down to bare wood. Since I'm not using explosive nitro anymore, the next coat will be in my paint booth in the garage. I'll be wearing my paint mask with the filters.


These photos are deceptive....the body looks bad. I am disappointed.



I'm going to let it cure for 72 hours, sand smooth, and wait for drier weather. Then, I'm probably going to recoat using a fresh can of paint in my little garage paint booth.



I'm a little disappointed but I know this can be fixed. Wet sanding, re spraying, clear coating....I'm looking forward to the part where I break out the screwdrivers and soldering iron!

[MusicStudent1]

The body looks dusty but it's been scuff sanded with 400 grit paper and wiped with a naphtha soaked cloth. It's smooth, dry, and ready for another coat. Normally, most don't sand the color coats but I had rattle can spitting, orange peel, and raised grain issues on the first try due to bad weather.

I'm thinking about dehumidifying my paint tent with a hair dryer and spraying in there while its temporarily hot and dry.....if it's stupid but it works....it's not stupid.

I learned wood is not like metal or plastic. If you prime then sand, you can't sand through the primer coat or the grain will raise! I did not know that before this journey into instrument construction, lol!

The game plan is to spray, sand, spray, sand, repeat, until this thing looks good. I don't want to bury it in paint. The idea is to get a thin high gloss finish so the wood can breathe and resonate like the quality instrument it was meant to be!

The neck back will be finished in semi gloss like a BC Rich Ironbird Pro (I think I played an Ironbird Pro in a music store with a matte finished neck a few years ago...that was brilliant!...) the headstock will be gloss black. The chrome is going to be anodized...that's going to be interesting.

The neck is ready, I just need dry weather...more soon my Aussie bretheren!

[MusicStudent1]

Spraying in the little tent avoided the spitting problem. I only got a few runs and some wrinkling to sand out. I think I'm going to spot spray the areas I have to sand instead of re coating the whole thing.

I hope that the clear coat will smooth all this out....we shall see.

[MusicStudent1]

As a player, I’ve always wanted a smooth flat / matte or satin finish on my neck....now I’ve got it!

[MusicStudent1]

The first two color coats of acrylic lacquer looked bad and I took 400 grit paper and sanded and resprayed. It looks like the 3rd time’s a charm (or however that saying goes...). This afternoon after work I repainted the neck satin again and the body high gloss. I still had some drips at the neck joint but I think I can fix that with spot painting.

The weather has been below freezing so no progress has been made in a week or two. I am looking forward to clear coating and polishing this thing but am happy it looks ok so far: