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Thread: Guitar build number three...

  1. #31
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    Thanks, Phil. The Sapele is really looking nice, IMHO. I will say that finishing a guitar with a set neck is a lot harder than a bolt-on! As to your question, yes, once the finish settles down, it will be leveled and brought up though all the levels of micro mesh before buffing. The back of the neck will get knocked back from gloss to something more matte which is what most players prefer...gloss is too "sticky" for the back of the neck.
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  2. #32
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    I have all my clear coats on at this point...it will be "resting" for awhile and then it will be time for some "elbow grease" to level and refine the finish with Micromesh before buffing it out. So I'll be hanging it out of the way tomorrow to hopefully avoid any accidents between now and then. I also have most of the clear coats on the "refinished" build number two (burst) that did get damaged. I'm spraying the same finish on some boxes for a client's holiday order, so that body will be ready for micromesh and buffing at the same time as this guitar.

    IMG_6140.jpg

    Photos after overnight cure and masking removal...

    IMG_6148.jpgIMG_6149.jpg
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 11-27-2019 at 7:29 PM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #33
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    May 2008
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    Jim, I am wondering what gun you are spraying with? HVLP gun?

    Your work is always fantastic and this looks like a fair bit of orange peel on the finish. Am wondering if that is by design, but since you mentioned sanding and buffing it out by hand I am not sure. I bet you could get a smoother finish to start if desired.

  4. #34
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    Carl, in the past year, encouraged by John T's positive comments, I upgraded to the QualSpray AM-6008 HVLP with the 3M PPS system. The latter provides a pressurized disposable container for the finish which in turn allows the gun to be held in pretty much any position including up-side-down. The "orange peel' is partly because of my aggressive use of the finish to build it up and my inexperience. It looks like more than it is, however, due to reflections, and it will be gone relatively quickly when I hit it with 800 and then work up through the micro mesh before buffing. I do believe that I'll eventually get to a better result "off the gun", but even so, it will still not eliminate the need to "finish the finish".
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #35
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    Well...long time no visit with this one. CNC was cutting chair seats for a client, so I took the opportunity to FINALLY do the micro-mesh dance with this build. I'm pretty pleased with the end result, too.

    I had a small amount of orange peel, so I started out with some 600 wet and dry (wet, of course) to level that away and provide a smooth surface to polish up with the micro-mesh.

    IMG_7355.jpg

    Let's just say that after this step, it's smooth but no longer looks as impressive. LOL And then we "do the thing"...from 1500 up to 12000.

    IMG_7356.jpgIMG_7357.jpg

    And end up with this...

    IMG_7358.jpgIMG_7359.jpg

    I'm liking that...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #36
    Looks great, Jim! Will you buff it out from where it is or leave as is? Personally, I like the sheen a bit less than the full on super high gloss but that super high gloss really catches your eye. Really nice figure in the body, too.

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  7. #37
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    I'm still debating on doing a polishing or not.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #38
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    I polished...

    IMG_7390.jpg IMG_7389.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  9. #39
    And a fine job you did, Jim! Looks nice. What's next on this one?

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  10. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Falkner View Post
    And a fine job you did, Jim! Looks nice. What's next on this one?

    David
    I had to order a different bridge for this build due to a miscalculation on the scale when I designed it...I now need a top-loader. Once that's here, I can do the final work on this instrument and hopefully, it will sound like a guitar. I have another build currently in progress that I haven't posted about..."brotherhood build" event in the TPDRI forum...a taste:

    IMG_7324.jpg
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #41
    Now THAT is going to be gorgeous!!

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  12. #42
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    Thanks, David. It's a clear white pine core capped front and back with Koa that I scarfed out of the $2 a pound bins at Hearne Hardwoods last fall. Double bound with black binding. And the body came in at an extremely light 3.155 lbs. (interior relieved)

    IMG_7301.jpg
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #43
    Not too bad at all, Jim. I just love Koa; my Takamine that I play in our Praise Band is an all Koa guitar and it's gorgeous.

    Will this remain stable with the White Pine core? It's going to move differently than the Koa, I would imagine.

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  14. #44
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    The Koa is only 3mm thick "veneer". No worries.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #45
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    I have a bunch of setup work to do, but otherwise, this beast is built. Lined it with copper foil, replaced the jack with a Switchcraft that threaded into the Electrosocket jack mount properly, installed the tuners and got it strung up. Wow...I love locking tuners. Easiest I've ever had to go from unstrunk to in tune (prior to stretching) ever! Once I do the setup stuff, I'll get the "beauty shots" that the folks on the TPDRI guitar forum appreciate and will also post them here, too.

    IMG_7493.jpg IMG_7495.jpg

    IMG_7496.jpg IMG_7497.jpg

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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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