Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Another one completed and pretty happy with the result.

High figure blackwood with an extremely stiff Sitka soundboard. Indian Rosewood fret board with a compound radius.

Indian Rosewood and Blackwood trim, with a low sheen French Polish finish.

Gotoh machine heads and Worth Brown high G strings.

Such beautiful work and tremendous output Allen

Hi Allen,

Another great looking uke! I like the low sheen finish, would you mind sharing how you achieve the low sheen look?

Garry.

Pore filled first, then 1 lb. cut or there about of blond dewaxed shellac. I make my own.

Brush on about 10 coats over a day. Next day level sand with P600 dry being as careful as possibe not to cut through. Repeat again.

Let dry for a couple of days and sand back with P600, and then French Polish with a rubber. Did this over a few days.

Manipulate shellac into any remaining low spots and continue as if you were going for the high gloss. Which is actually what I ended up with and it looked fantastic. But this client doesn't like shine.

Light going over with P2000 to get any spots that were high and then 0000 steel wool and wax.

Thanks Allen,

I have mostly sprayed in the past but now looking for a way to get a reasonably hard satin finish without upsetting my neighbours. Don't mean to be a pest but do you have a preferred wax?

Garry.

I haven't found a wax that I'd not be able to live without yet. The one I'm using right now is a paste wax I got at Bunnings. But once it's finished I'll be looking for something else.

Allen I use a Liberon product Black Bison (clear ) old tin I have had for years still a nice finish silicon free mostly used on small stuff and a nice Tenna you have there

Thanks again Allen.

Garry.