Deepest Somerset

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Dave M
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Deepest Somerset

Post by Dave M » Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:28 am

Just to show that we haven't all gone to sleep in the UK's Southwest, this is a build that was badly delayed over the summer due to gardening duties.

I have finally reached 320 grit in the great sanding, having found numerous 'topographical defects' as Trevor so nicely puts it. And this time I made sure the machine heads all fit before spraying lacquer rather than mess the headstock up after.
What's everyone else up to? Or is it too hot down there to sweat in the workshop?
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TallDad71
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by TallDad71 » Thu Feb 02, 2017 2:09 am

Thats so pretty Dave. I often think it is a shame these instruments need to be 'finished' with an oil, wax or lacquer when they look as pure as that.
Alan
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kiwigeo
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by kiwigeo » Thu Feb 02, 2017 10:47 am

Neck number four on the parlour guitar. Neck rake was not quite right so have had to rout out the bolt down tenon and adjust neck pitch before fitting a new tenon :?
Martin

Dave M
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by Dave M » Fri Feb 03, 2017 7:21 am

Well Martin I nearly said on the F It thread that you are going to be real good at necks. Anyone in South Aus with a problem with necks just go talk to Martin!

Tall Dad while it's true the Spruce has been yellowed a bit by the lacquer, the ripple Maple looks grand under a finish. As an (amateur) player I do appreciate a pretty much bullet proof finish which is why I stick with nitro rather than try to learn French polishing.

I have finally got to fine sanding the lacquer on this one, having had to take off the whole finish from the top because of a lack of spraying skills. I'm a bit like Martin - damned good at removing finish. You need to know about taking lacquer off talk to me!
Just wish I was better at putting it on.

As an aside you will probably noticed that the cutaway side has a bit of cross ripple. Having had such a hard time getting the sharp cutaway shape bent I really didn't want to mess about trying to correct this. I decided it was a hand built guitar and this would be a feature! I had thinned that side down to 1.8 mm so really didn't have much room for manoeuvre. I have done some work on my bending rig so hope the next one will remain flat across the width.
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Craig Bumgarner
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by Craig Bumgarner » Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:26 am

Nice work Dave! The rosette looks very interesting and nicely done. Care to post a straight on shot of it?
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TallDad71
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by TallDad71 » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:36 am

If you ever do fancy learning French polishing then I recommend Robbie Obriens video course on it. It is excellent and almost filmed in real time.

My experience is that French polishing is quicker than spraying especially if you aren't a professional sprayer. A guitar takes about two days to complete with shellac. With lacquer it takes a good month, especially when you have to strip it back to wood so often because if a bad application.
Alan
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kiwigeo
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by kiwigeo » Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:11 am

TallDad71 wrote:If you ever do fancy learning French polishing then I recommend Robbie Obriens video course on it. It is excellent and almost filmed in real time.

My experience is that French polishing is quicker than spraying especially if you aren't a professional sprayer. A guitar takes about two days to complete with shellac. With lacquer it takes a good month, especially when you have to strip it back to wood so often because if a bad application.
A full French Polish in two days??? What method are you using?? The spit coat and (pumice) pore filling alone take me a couple of days and I wouldn't get in more than two bodying sessions in the space of a day. I rarely get an FP job finished in under a month.
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TallDad71
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by TallDad71 » Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:16 pm

A month!

Wow that sounds like a different method to the one I use.

Two days didn't include the pore filling, I favour using a spit coat, end grain sawdust and my finger for that. But again that takes a day to get right.

When I say two days I mean 8 till 5 each day so a fair few hours. Not too sure what a month of that would give extra.
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kiwigeo
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by kiwigeo » Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:19 pm

TallDad71 wrote:A month!

Wow that sounds like a different method to the one I use.

Two days didn't include the pore filling, I favour using a spit coat, end grain sawdust and my finger for that. But again that takes a day to get right.

When I say two days I mean 8 till 5 each day so a fair few hours. Not too sure what a month of that would give extra.
When I say a month that's time from start to finish....alot of that time is waiting for the finish to gas off and harden a bit inbetween bodying sessions. I won't get in more than two bodying sessions per day and after 4-5 bodying sessions I do a cut back with 800 grit wet and dry and oil before continuing the bodying sessions.
Martin

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TallDad71
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by TallDad71 » Sun Feb 05, 2017 3:39 am

I see what you're saying, I was of the opinion that the alcohol disapated quickly enough to get multiple bodying sessions done in succession. When you build with shellac you don't make layers like you do with varnish which you hope will bond together. When you finish multiple bodying sessions you are still left with just one coat.

Hence I can do five full bodying, pumicing, levelling sessions in a day. Sore arm mind!
Alan
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Dave M
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by Dave M » Sun Feb 05, 2017 8:19 am

Sorry Craig but it is a commercial one. (Obviously chosen with care!) I have been concentrating on my building skills so far saving the time on rosette making. I do intend to do the rosette for my next build which is going to be a cutaway classical.


I am on grit 2400 micromesh on this one so should be done with polishing tomorrow. Neck and bridge glueing, nut and saddle. Should be stringing up soon. Will put up some pics when done
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kiwigeo
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Re: Deepest Somerset

Post by kiwigeo » Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:06 am

TallDad71 wrote:I see what you're saying, I was of the opinion that the alcohol disapated quickly enough to get multiple bodying sessions done in succession. When you build with shellac you don't make layers like you do with varnish which you hope will bond together. When you finish multiple bodying sessions you are still left with just one coat.

Hence I can do five full bodying, pumicing, levelling sessions in a day. Sore arm mind!
You can probably get away with more bodying sessions over a shorter period of time but if you don't let a coat harden a bit you run the risk of dragging it off with the next bodying session. If you're using a non-drying oil for pad lubrication then there's also the risk of not letting the oil rise to the surface and you may end up with trapped oil in the finish. This is one reason Ive gone to using walnut oil which tends to blend with the shellac.

One thing you quickly discover with french polishing is that there is no one standard technique.....we eventually develop our own techniques largely by trial and error :)
Martin

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