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Matt Shumway
 Post subject: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 6:39 pm 
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Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 1:41 am
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Today after coming in from mowing the lawn I sat down to play a bit with my newly built guitar. I was, at this point, still a bit hot and sweaty. After about 10 minutes I went to get up and noticed that I had steamed a bit on the back of my guitar. I wiped off the water but noticed that I had, what looked like to me, raised the grain in that spot, and ruined that part of the shellac finish on the back!

This is a walnut back, and everywhere in that area that there was a little black line in the grain, it looked like it had raised up and pushed the shellac up with it.

I sanded it down with 400, then 1200, then went over it with some Meguiar's and fortunately it seems to be back to mostly normal.

My question is, it is normally that easy to ruin a french polish? Did I do something wrong in finishing it that it could get messed up that easily? I never did do the grain raise with alcohol then sand back like what is mentioned in the Millburn tutorial on french polish.. could that be the problem?
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fingerstyle1978
 Post subject: Re: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:00 pm 
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Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 4:15 pm
Posts: 1701
First name: Joey
Last Name: Holliday
City: Palmetto
State: Florida
Zip/Postal Code: 34221
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
How many coats did you use?

I am no expert so I defer to the others who know, but I would like to avoid such a scenario in the future if at all possible. My La Patrie has a "custom" polish on the top, backs and sides with a matte finish on the neck. I love that guitar. I'd like to know what exactly that "custom" polish is though. It's very thin, yet it seems durable. Maybe a lacquer?

FP is great for the top because it is so thin, but for a guitar that I will be playing a lot, I'd probably like to go with something a bit more durable. at least on the backs and sides. Not sure how successful mixing and matching finishes is though. It works on my La Patrie but they may both be lacquer for all I know. I just know that I love that guitar.
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Haans
 Post subject: Re: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:41 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Think of all the old furniture with waterglass rings. Same deal.
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David LaPlante
 Post subject: Re: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:55 pm 
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heat+moisture+new unhardened finish (can)=problem
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Matt Shumway
 Post subject: Re: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 8:58 pm 
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David LaPlante wrote:
heat+moisture+new unhardened finish (can)=problem


How long do you think it will take the shellac to harden as much as its going to????
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Matt Shumway
 Post subject: Re: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:03 am 
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Filippo Morelli wrote:
fingerstyle1978 wrote:
FP is great for the top because it is so thin, but for a guitar that I will be playing a lot, I'd probably like to go with something a bit more durable. at least on the backs and sides.


Well that or treat the guitar with the respect the finish needs. A bazillion classical guitars are all french polish. It's not an issue of whether one plays them a lot - rather of how one plays them. Being all hot a sweaty, then sticking your body against the guitar is not recommended in any circumstance and especially with a french polish guitar.

The good news is that an FP finish is more easily renewed than any spray on finish.

Filippo



Yes well, lesson learned I guess. Didn't know FP was that wimpy! idunno
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Haans
 Post subject: Re: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:09 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Filippo Morelli wrote:
fingerstyle1978 wrote:
FP is great for the top because it is so thin, but for a guitar that I will be playing a lot, I'd probably like to go with something a bit more durable. at least on the backs and sides.


Well that or treat the guitar with the respect the finish needs. A bazillion classical guitars are all french polish. It's not an issue of whether one plays them a lot - rather of how one plays them. Being all hot a sweaty, then sticking your body against the guitar is not recommended in any circumstance and especially with a french polish guitar.

The good news is that an FP finish is more easily renewed than any spray on finish.

Filippo


Exactly. Think of all the times granny slapped you up the head for not using a coaster...
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sanaka
 Post subject: Re: I steamed my guitar!
PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 2:41 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:05 am
Posts: 168
First name: Rob
Last Name: Thompson
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Haans wrote:
Exactly. Think of all the times granny slapped you up the head for not using a coaster...

If you search, I think there are plans for a giant big-sweaty-dude guitar coaster made from a double layer of 3/4" plywood with green felt laminated on one side and an array of carwashing sponges on the other. You'll need to build a circle cutting jig, however.

;)

Peace,
Sanaka

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...imagine there were no hypothetical situations...
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