# need help with finish on my guitar



## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

i have built a guitar and i have put about 11 coats of poly on. my problem is its not perfectly smooth and you can see small brush marks. im using a oil brush and it does good but not good enough. when the light glare hits it u can see the flaws and i want it to look perfectly smooth. please help


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

imo 11 coats of poly is way too many
the only way to eliminate brush marks is not to use a brush. even the best brush job will reveal brush marks. but i spray almost everything.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

do you know of a way that does not use spray. i dont have a way to use a spray gun.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

ive been told i can buff some how but im not sure what they were talking about. thanks


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

ya if you want to go that route. start with 220 and sand to take out the brush marks. then work your way down to 320 and then mech buff with a micro finishing compound. i use 3m products. the poly must be cured not just dry. you want to make sure you dont over buff in one area or put to much preasure cuz you will heat up the poly and then your stripping. you can try buffing by hand but that will be a lot of work.
if your going to hand buff take the paper down to 600


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

ok thanks sorry for the last dumb question whats mech buff?


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## mitch (Aug 19, 2011)

A machine buffer. How are you sanding it? The only way I know of to get rid of the brush strokes is to flat sand them down.Buffing will help but depending on how heavy the brush strokes are it could take a bit of time. Also be careful if you use a buffing wheel...it can grab an edge and send your guitar flying.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

im using 220 and 320. if you go to my pics you can see a picture of it. so i should sand it down real smooth then go straight to the buffing?


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## mitch (Aug 19, 2011)

LP Jr. with dual humbuckers huh! Nice! Well from looking at your picture I think you would be at the buffing wheel for quite a while. If it were me I'd take a flat sanding block to it starting at about 220 grit and get most of the work done. Then start moving up through finer grits. Clean it off and look at it in different lighting to check your progress. It easy to get sand thrus around the edges and the sides so just be mindful in those areas. I sand my guitars (I've only built 3) all the way up 8000 micro fiber...that may be overkill to most but I like the way it turns out. I've got a shot in my pics.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

ok thanks i have enought coats so i know i wont go all the wat thru. after im done sanding do i go straight to buffing or do i have to apply more poly then buff


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

and ur strat looks pretty sweet


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## mitch (Aug 19, 2011)

Just go to buffing. How long has it been since you put the poly on? You should let it cure a bit before buffing.


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## mitch (Aug 19, 2011)

Oh, and if you ever build another guitar Steward MacDonald and a company named ReRanch both sell Nitro in a spray can. Stuff works pretty good and you don't get those pesky brush strokes.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

about 24 hours since the last coat. so i guess in a day i will start sanding then go to buffing.


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## mitch (Aug 19, 2011)

Ya probably don't have to wait on the sanding part...just the buffing. If you want a nice looking guitar take your time on the flat sanding and try to get it as perfect as you can. Makes a big difference. Probably at least 50% of the work on a guitar is the finish. If you go to the Re Ranch web site there is a lot of info on guitar finishing.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

is it bad to sand thru alot of those poly layers? bc i want it not as thick i just had to keep adding to try to make it smooth?


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

your fine until you sand throu8gh the first coat.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Hey jack where can I get that 3m micro polish I went to lowes and they did not carry it??


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> Hey jack where can I get that 3m micro polish I went to lowes and they did not carry it??


normally you wont find it in the box stores. go to a automotive paint supply. most of them will have it. dupont---ppg are some of the bigger ones. at least here in ca.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Is there anybody out there I can call or give my number 2. I have a couple more question but it kinda hard to ask like this. If so that would really help. Thanks


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Ok I will buy some 2morrow thanks jack. So that microfinish is made for cars? Online there's alot of 3m microfinish compounds. I just dont want to get the wrong one


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> Ok I will buy some 2morrow thanks jack. So that microfinish is made for cars? Online there's alot of 3m microfinish compounds. I just dont want to get the wrong one


this is the stuff i use
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=13800&BASE

other micro finishing compounds may work just as well. this is the one i use.
just out of curiosity, what poly did you use, if you said i dont remember.
the thing about poly is the more coats you apply the longer it takes to cure. now thats cure not dry. im thinken with 11 coats brushed on, your looking about 3 weeks to cure. and that depends on alot too. the poly u used, and how thick your coats were, and if the coats were good and dry b4 next coat.
if you take some 280 and lightly sand and it powders up ( white ) then your good. if not i would wait.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

I used rust-oleum and I've sanded down a few layers today and it was white.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

you should wait at least a week before polishing, the thinner the varnish coat is the better your guitar will sound, so don't worry about sanding.

I'd wet sand to 2000 before polishing


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

ive sanded up to 600 right now


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

the only thing that is hard to do is, its hard to see if im going to go thru the poly. its still sanding white so i figure im good


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

lowes only carrys up to 600grit sand paper


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

will this work jack Amazon.com: 3M Imperial Microfinishing Rubbing Compound 39001, 16 oz: Automotive i cant find the kind you use for sale online bc that link u sent its $316.22 for a little bottle


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> will this work jack Amazon.com: 3M Imperial Microfinishing Rubbing Compound 39001, 16 oz: Automotive i cant find the kind you use for sale online bc that link u sent its $316.22 for a little bottle


i dont see why not.
and thats actually 316 for a case of 12


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

ok thanks, just a question is that stuff really $300 bucks


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> ok thanks, just a question is that stuff really $300 bucks


thats for a case of 12


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Ok wow I'm retarded


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## mitch (Aug 19, 2011)

Check at Auto supply stores for finer grit paper and micro polish(I think Jack said this earlier). Clean the dust off your work often...helps keep the paper from clogging up and easier to see what your doing. I'm not sure about poly but I use a bit of naphtha on a rag to help clean off Nitro.


edit:Never mind...I see jack's got you covered


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

at this point you dont want to wipe with any type of thinner. it will soften the poly. if you pull up the msds it will tell you what grit the polich is intended to buff out. the finner the paper the less work the compound has to do.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

what works the best to remove the poly dust from the sanding?


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> what works the best to remove the poly dust from the sanding?


air or just a soft rag. you can also wipe it down with denatured alcohol lightly dampened rag.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Ok I have been sanding and it still sand white but it makes it super hard to tell if I went thru the poly. I'm 99% I have not but it's hard to tell. Is there a way to test it to see if I have went thru? Something I can pit on it?? Thanks


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> Ok I have been sanding and it still sand white but it makes it super hard to tell if I went thru the poly. I'm 99% I have not but it's hard to tell. Is there a way to test it to see if I have went thru? Something I can pit on it?? Thanks


you can wipe it with a damp cloth. prefurably denatured alcohol. it evaperates real fast so watch while you wie


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

What will I be looking for when I wipe that on to tell me if the poly is still there


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> What will I be looking for when I wipe that on to tell me if the poly is still there


you should see a diference in the finish. most the time flat looking. but it will soak in/dry faster than over the poly


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Ok so if it's got a coat of poly it will kinda give it a shine and not soak in


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

denatured alcohol doesnt really soak in it evaperates quickly. but yes to your statement. the area's sanded through to the stain/wood will dull out quicker. but you really dont want to burn through your finish. that will open up a hole new can of worms.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Ok thanks I don think I did it's just really hard to tell just by eye site


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

it comes with experience. ive been finisheing for 30+ yrs and im still learning.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Hey jack big request could u provide me with a link u may know to buy some finishing compound. I have looked all over the web for one to buy but have had no luck. The ones I find r unavailable and the others r a little different so I don know if they will work. If not that's ok but if so that would help me out a ton.


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> Hey jack big request could u provide me with a link u may know to buy some finishing compound. I have looked all over the web for one to buy but have had no luck. The ones I find r unavailable and the others r a little different so I don know if they will work. If not that's ok but if so that would help me out a ton.


not a problem. i get alot of my stuff from jamestowndistributors.com.
they are my go to suplier when i cant get it localy. whitch is turning out more and more as california is getting rid of all the good stuff.


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

I called them today to ask if they sold them individually and they told me they don't carry that stuff at all anymore


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

rexabrown87 said:


> I called them today to ask if they sold them individually and they told me they don't carry that stuff at all anymore


wow that sucks did you try the automotive paint stores
there may be a new version of it now. i would emagine any automotive micro finishing compound will work
you just want to make sure its wax free


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

.......


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

.......


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

i just bought this today http://www.tcpglobal.com/AutoBodyDepot/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemNo=MMM+6085


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

jack u may know this. i have sanded now to 1500grit and its super smooth, but when i look at it with a light reflection u can c shinny spots. its kinda odd bc its perfectly smooth but u can c the poly in some spots more than others


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

you know at this point i would try this. use a vinyl sealer, 2-3 real good coats. get it in a rattle can since you dont have pray eq.
this stuff http://www.google.com/products/cata...=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=11938733997225573286

sand with your 1500 wet with just a 1/2 drop of dishwashing liquid. then clean real good with a wet rag (clean) wip down with a lightly dampened rag with denatured alcohol. then get a rattle can of clear coat. lacquer maybe. and apply several coat of that. i think it will be easier for you and i think yo will like the results better than brushing. i cant recomend a rattle can finish i dont use them much


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

Still needs to be buffed


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)




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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)

does anybody know where i can find a les paul neck head blue print? i need to shape the head of the neck but i cant find a blueprint for the design......


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## rexabrown87 (Aug 29, 2011)




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