guitar build, finish advice needed

[Pete24v]

Hi all, I'm doing a guitar build from Warmoth parts. Everything is ordered and should be shipped soon.

Is a total La Cabronita guitar, with a 3 piece alder body. I went for no finish on the body as I want it to look natural, like an old N4 I used to have.

My question is, what do I need to do to actually finish the body? I've heard about true oil, or tung oil. I'm a total novice in this department!

Thanks for any help

Pete

[juansolo]

Wez is your man for oil finishes. It's something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH_h-CHWPqE

[Philly Q]

It did feel a bit like "When a Stranger Calls" listening to the audio on that clip.....

Guitar looks great, though!

What I'd like to know - Wez if you're reading - is a list of recommended actual products for oil/wax finishing.  I know Tru-Oil is a specific branded item, but when you mention "Danish Oil" or just "Wax" I go into Homebase, see all the different stuff they have and immediately get very confused.  :?

So could you mention the actual brands and specific types of oil and wax you use?  Oh yeah, and grain filler (if recommended) for things like swamp ash.  Pictures of the tins would be good!   

[WezV]

i was just thinking the same thing about the vid  ;)


I thought i did mention brands quite often - at least where it matters
Birchwood-casey Tru-oil.   most searches for tru-oil bring up this brand so probably dont mention it.  bets to buy this stuff online



Rustins Danish oil.  used be able to get thsi from wilkinsons but now they sell their own brand stuff, as do most DIY shops.   slightly different smells but they all work in a similar fashion so i usually just say danish oil


Briwax natural- i always mentions this one by name, it dries quite hard whereas the DIY shop own brands tend to be a paste that and stay feeling slippy.  briwax is widely available at most DIY shops


and liberon steel wool - no other brand will do

[WezV]

and the reason i avoid other brands of steel wool,

here we have colron 0000, colron 00000 and liberon 0000

[Pete24v]

Thanks for the replies, this looks more involved than simply rubbing on a few coats of oil!  :?

[WezV]

Thanks for the replies, this looks more involved than simply rubbing on a few coats of oil!  :?

you can just do it that way.   rub on a few coats of oil then flat it off and de-nib with the wire wool etc.  it will give you a perfectly serviceable finish


i tend to go a bit further with repeated stages of wet sanding, buffing and waxing to give a much more developed finish.  I have been accused of making the process more complex than it needs to be, but nobody who has ever touched one of my oil finishes would agree with that, and really its just simple steps repeated a few times with no real risk of screwing up permanently

[Pete24v]

Whats 'flatting off' and 'de-nip'?

[WezV]

once you have wiped the oil on and it has dried you will have some imperfections.   the odd bit of dust or a run or two or just a bit that is uneven.   flatting off is sanding with fine grade sandpaper to level out any runs or irregular sections.   de-nibbing is rubbing down with the wire wool to remove dust or fuzzy sections.   you can do either of these, both of these, or none of these.  you can do it dry, or use oil to lubricate the flatting off, or wax to lubricate the de-nibbing

[Pete24v]

think i'm getting a clear idea now, if i was to put this in stages, would it be something like this?

1 - Lots of tru oil rubbed in, excess wiped off, leave for a day.

2 - 2-3 more smaller coats of tru oil, with 4 hours between coats

3 - rub over with sandpaper/wire wool  - possibly with oil

4 - guitar is finished!

Thanks

Pete

[Pete24v]

One last thing!

What grit sandpaper do I require throughout?

Pete

[WezV]

pretty close

1. preferably sand the guitar to a high grit first - minimum of 400 grit with wet &dry paper(halfords are usually the best place to get high grits.

2. one liberal coat of oil rubbed in with a rag from an old shirt, hang for 24 hours

3. lighter coats rubbed in with a few hours drying time between  OR wetsand with the oil and a higher grit of wet &dry.  either way buff off the excess after 10-15 mins then leave till next coat.  repeat till happy

4. wet sand with oil and immediately buff off OR rub down with wire/wool wax and buff

main difference between the tru or danish oil is the tru-oil will build on the surface and danish wont really.   so danish oil benefits from the final wax more than tru-oil where it really is optional

I am doing one a bit differently at the moment as its stained and i wont be able to wet-sand without going through

6 liberal coats of tru-oil later


bit too shiny for my tastes as it is, it will get denibbed with wax and wirewool for an even satiny finish

[juansolo]

8)

[Philly Q]

Thanks from me too Wez!  I knew about the Liberon Steel Wool but always get confused especially about the wax - there seem to be lots of different Briwax products (and American sites always mention stuff like Minwax just to unsettle me further...)

I will try to make a note of this thread for future reference!  :D

[Pete24v]

Thanks WezV, that is brilliant.

Am going to try it just with tru oil, then make the decision after i've lived with the guitar for a few weeks whether i go danish oil and wax.

Thanks muchly! will report the results.  :D