Official Luthiers Forum!

KTM Factory info is from LMI.

Thanks J.F. for the water bath idea, makes perfect sense!

I was warned that toning the finish would cause problems but not how or why, so either I agree with you because that does not sound right (lack of info), or because it would just be so much easier to not have to fiddle with a blotchy dye job. I have had no problems with dyes so far, and am more worried what brushing the finish may do to the dye job.


I did test the dye on some swamp ash, and wiping it on I could not get it into the open pores no matter how hard I squeezed and rubbed, so it is already proving to be a ich. It does enhance the grain nicely on the ash though. Maple is way easy in comparison. I am going to redo the experiment, and use a tooth brush on the stubborn areas to overcome the surface tension of the solution.

I kind of want to do both: dye the bare wood, and tone a few coats of the finish. Toned finish has a groovy glow about it dying the wood can not achieve, and makes for a subtle but good effect when using two colors, one on the wood, and the other in the finish.


I hate those foam brushes!

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If what you see is what you get, then Stevie Wonder ain't got nothin'!

Acetone...and one of the cheap Grizzly guns is fine.

If you order a new one...see if you can't also order various orifice sizes at the same time. Having options on size provides great latitude getting liquids with varying viscosity to lay down nice.

I have a half dozen HVLP gun laying around...a collection begun decades back.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

I keep meaning to ask... does the sealer itself provide a degree of hardness on the the top? (assuming you apply it to the top)