No pics today, but I did get some work done on a couple of ongoing projects. First, I wiped on the last coats of tung oil onto the Highline Legato. To get the coats as smooth as possible, I made an applicator by inserting a folded, lint-free cloth into a section of material cut from a pair of nylon pantyhose. The nylon prevents the cloth from depositing tiny fibers onto the surface as the oil is applied. Next, I poured a liberal amount of the tung oil directly onto the top of the guitar's body and used the applicator to quickly spread it around the top and sides. Then, I covered the guitar with a large plastic storage container to keep dust away. After 12 hours of dry time, I checked the results and was delighted by the smooth, glass-like shine. Tomorrow, I may repeat the process with one more coat. I'll have to look at the body in the daylight to see if another coat is necessary. Once the top and sides are done, I'll repeat the process on the back.
While the Legato cures, I'll proceed with the Envirocaster necks. So far, I have sanded both to 220 grit and wiped on a protective coat of boiled linseed oil. In the next day or so, I'll install the frets. In the next update, I'll share some progress photos. Stay tuned!
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I want to say awesome job on the surge of updates, I seriously check this page everyday! Also I had another question concerning finishing. You've finally made me question my finish of choice... apart from the evil nitro (haha). It seems that your finish of choice is tung oil, how would you recommend that in contrast to other finishes (durability, ease, and preference). I've done my past two bodies with poly and was quite pleased with the results...the hours of wetsanding really showed haha. Also, do you wetsand tung? or is the glassy shine just from natural buildup?
Thanks!
I like tung oil for a more natural wood finish. For a really glossy, mirror-like finish that mimics nitro, I like water-based lacquer (Target Coatings EM6000). As for tung oil, there are two types; pure and polymerized. Pure is great for when you only want two or three coats and a matte sheen. For a glossy sheen without wet sanding, I use Formby's Tung Oil Finish in high gloss. You can certainly wet sand polymerized tung oil, but if I'm going for that look, I'll just use water-based lacquer. Also, you'll notice I used boiled linseed oil on the Envirocaster necks. This was done only to reveal potential rough spots and sanding scratches. There were none. The necks will get a few coats of tung oil, which offers better protection from moisture.
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