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I've got some gloss Nitro I'd like to flatten for necks. Can anyone tell me how much flattening paste I want to add? I'm looking for the result to be a satin finish, or close to satin.

Thanks

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Here are the volume ratios from an old Sherwin Williams manual:

Lacquer % Flatting Agent %
100 / 0 High Gloss
97 / 3 Bright Rubbed Effect
95 / 5 Medium Rubbed Effect
92 / 8 Dull Rubbed Effect


I've routinely used the 95/5 mixture to get the degree of semi gloss one would find on an old Martin neck from the 1960s.
Of course your materials may be different so you should experiment to get the results you want.

Thanks David,
Your info was helpful. I read another data sheet that said the paste should not exceed 15% of the mixture. So based on what you have told me I think I'll start by experimenting with mixing no higher than 10% paste.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

I simply use the gloss and when I'm rubbing it out, stop at the appropriate sandpaper grit. For gloss I start with 800, then 1000, 1200, 1500, and then 2000 Abralon pads before going to the buffing wheel. I get a nice satin if I stop at 1000 or 1200. Semi-gloss after the Abralon pad. Try it and see what you think.

Chuck

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"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong"
- Joseph Chilton Pearce

Hi Chuck,

I have tried that in the past, it works ok. But what I found with that method is that overtime with playing the finish becomes glossy again from the player's hand moving back and forth over the finish. I've also experienced this with some premixed satin lacquer I have tried. I'm hoping that this new mix of my own will hold it's satin feel even after it gets played in.

Josh

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Dont count on it Josh ... since you are using gloss as the base (which pretty much all satin is), eventually it gets shiny ...

I have been using 'dull' lacquer for necks on a few, and its good, but if you 1200 it and buff .. its shiny. nature of the beast ...

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I wondered if that might be the case. Oh well, I guess the customer can always restore the satin feel if they wish with some steel wool or fine sandpaper.

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com