# Spalted maple guitar top



## troyw (Dec 31, 2010)

*Spalted maple guitar top - HELP!*

Hello All,

I have a new guitar project that I want to begin and i'm trying to get some info on spalted woods. I know that it has to be stabilized but I would like to do a hand rubbed finish on it and do not want to use what more of the folks in the guitar forums are using (CA or Epoxy) if possible. I fell like putting either of those under an oil based finish would be like putting lipstick on a pig.

Are there any other alternatives that I can use to accomplish the sealing and stabilizing?

I've been told I could use try-oil thinned way down and keep applying it until the spalt stops drinking it op but I wonder if it will cure hard enough to insure the wood is strong enough to last the ages...

The back is African mahog - I know that will ned grain fill so if there is a solution for both with one product, that would be great.

Here are a few photos.









Any feedback or advise would be greatly appreciated as I'd like to get out and pick up my supplies and get started ASAP

Thanks!


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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

danish oil penetrates and sets hard check it out :thumbsup:


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## troyw (Dec 31, 2010)

Thank you Woody!

Would love to use something like that...I could even use the wet sanding method with the danish to fill the mahogany correct? then I could do it all with one product and not have to worry about compatibility issues. I've also heard that danish oil does wonders for popping the grain and this has some really nice figure in the maple.

Would that be your recommendation? 

Like I said all the guitar guys are saying I need to use Epoxy or CA :nuke:and that just seems a shame to me to put that on such a beautiful piece.

Anyone else want to chime in here?


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## cantari (Dec 17, 2010)

Very nice.

Nice depth of field in the photos too!


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Troy,
great looking wood. I don't like the idea of ca or epoxy either. Is the spalted maple solid, or soft and punky? I have a couple of carvin basses. One has their standard glossy finish. I'm not sure what it is, but it is very durable. The other has a tung oil finish. The tung oil leaves no shine, at least in this case. It is very slick though, makes for nice playing, especially when it's hot out and you're fingers are sweaty. They don't seem to stick to the tung oil finish like they do on the glossy one. 
Are you looking for a glossy finish or not? 
Mike Hawkins


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## troyw (Dec 31, 2010)

Hi Mike,

I do want more of a tung oil look on this one i think. I use it and Tru-oil on my necks and love the feel. I wanted to use it on my last build but it was my first and I had lots of problems so I finally through in the towel and shot nitro. 

Because this one looks so earthy I thought it might be better to go with the more woody look of the oil base finish. I do want that chatoyance out of the maple though so if it doesn't look good enough I can always top coat it with something in a more glossy varnish, I'm thinking. Maybe something like waterlox. 

My biggest dilemma now is how to avoid making it a plastic top and still have that spalting to be stable. it's not REALLY punky and has a softness similar to a balsa wood or a bit harder.

I know that tru-oil dries very hard. ( I know this because I had to sand back that first strat like 3 times!) So i'm wondering if I thin it 50/50 and let it keep soaking into that top if that would do the trick? Then i could continue with it as a top coat. Hell, I can even fill the grain of the mahog by wet sanding with the tru-oil and making a slurry. I'm just so unfamiliar with the spalting aspect and info out the is limited to EPOXY or CA -which we're on the same page about.


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

You'll need to address the softness of the wood with some type of hard finish. That is why you were given advice of using epoxy or ca. Oil won't give you the hardness needed for the punky areas. Epoxy can be sanded with a high grit paper to lose the gloss if that is what you are worried about.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

I was under the impression that most luthiers recommend nitrocellulose lacquer.


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## troyw (Dec 31, 2010)

I need to clarify....when I say "oil finish" I'm not talking about pure oil...I'm talking about a polyymerized oil such as tru-oil (which I know gets very hard cause I've had to sand it back a few times and it's a bitch) Let's face it, if it's made for gunstocks and guys are out there dragging it through the mud and trees, etc...then it must be pretty tough stuff.

I just wanted to make sure that you guys didn't think I'd just throw some BLO or pure tung on this thing.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Wow, that is some seriously cool wood put to really good use.

Paul


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## Rick C. (Dec 17, 2008)

That's sure some beautiful wood:thumbsup:. Good job on the book match too.
Your spalted maple looks a little soft in spots,Whatever you use just remember one chip will make you say *^%#, @$*!! and.
For a once in a lifetime design use a once for a lifetime finish.
BTW my gunstock is pretty beat up(nuttin' pretty about it) after 20 years.
definitely want to see pics when it's done:thumbsup:


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## troyw (Dec 31, 2010)

any suggestions? I'm off to woodcraft soon to pick up supplies.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Troy,
The other thing you might want to try to bring out the character in the wood is maybe an initial coat of shellac. Not sure if the tung oil could go on over that though. Do some checking. It would be fine if you end up going with a lacquer finish.
Mike Hawkins


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## troyw (Dec 31, 2010)

Well, after much stewing over it and not finding the answer I wanted. (ie something that isn't plastic) I've thrown in the towel and decided to just go with either Epoxy, Minwax wood hardener, or CA 

I read about the minwax stuff and it says you can stain it after so I'm guessing maybe it doesn't completely seal the pores. If that were to be true that would be the best bet for the oil/varnish finish like TO or Tung oil finish.

Hate to give in but I'm not getting much help other than those options.


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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

yes mate it is the good oil only problem with it is it sets fast and you can mix it with poly urethane 50\50 for final coat maybe and it does make the grain jump out


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Hey Troy,
Did you make the whole body of the guitar from scratch? Also, you mentioned a guitar makers forum, got a link for it? I would like to read up some on it. Sounds like a neat project.
Mike Hawkins


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## slabmaster (Mar 30, 2008)

*forum*

Here you go Mike. www.officialluthiersforum.com


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## DFRESH (Oct 22, 2010)

Please post pictures of your progress, that should look amazing when finished.
Doug


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## troyw (Dec 31, 2010)

firehawkmph said:


> Hey Troy,
> Did you make the whole body of the guitar from scratch? Also, you mentioned a guitar makers forum, got a link for it? I would like to read up some on it. Sounds like a neat project.
> Mike Hawkins


Here you go Mike

http://reranch.com/reranch/viewtopic.php?t=40763&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Ignore all the "guitar guys" because they're crazy. You shouldn't be using epoxy or CA on a guitar. Neither are particularly good finishes for that type of use. I used KTM-9 on two of our guitar projects and Danish oil on my "baby tele".
(Thread here: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/couple-works-progress-11625/ )
Nytrocellulose is another one many luthiers use, but I haven't tried it. If you want that hard, shiny, finish like you see on new guitars, it's the way to go. It takes a huge amount of buffing and such, though. Personally, I liked the water-based KTM-9 but for something like your spalted top, I'd definitely go with the Danish oil. It's easy to use, and will bring out the quilting I think I see in that top as well as protecting the wood and giving it a nice hard finish, without the high gloss.


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