Official Luthiers Forum!

For you guys using the Target finishes, what's a realistic finishing schedule? I know you're supposed to use 1000 to build and color, but honestly I haven't read anywhere that anyone has had any success doing this at all. I read about all sorts of problems with the 1000 moving around too much, colors puddling, etc. I want to be able to shoot nice sunbursts the way I currently do with tinted shellac.

So what are you guys really doing to finish instruments with the EM1000/6000 products? I would prefer to be 100% waterborne but if I have to spray shellac to get the colors right I will. I still haven't built my booth so I can make it explosion proof if necessary but I really don't want to go there if I don't have to.

I spray EM6000 3 coats/day (1 hr apart) every 3 days. This is basically Gerald Sheppards schedule I used with Ultima that I continued with 6000. I spray 6000 over shellac sealer and don't use EM1000 at all. If colour's needed, I've sprayed water dye on bare wood or tinted the lacquer (or both). (I've never tried tinted shellac). After 18 - 20 lacquer coats, I let cure (longer the better) before level/buff.

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Dave
Milton, ON

I use shellac for sealer and for color if needed. No 1000. EM600 goes on 3 or so coats per day, about 1/2 hour between coats. I do coats on subsequent days. After 12 to 15 coats I level sand with P600 dry. Then another 10 or so coats. I was wet sanding with mineral spirits up to 1500 then buffing but plan to change this. Not sure what I'll do next time. I would rather dry sand because it's much easier to avoid sand-through.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

John,

I have used way fewer coats with the 6000 and been fine. I must be spraying a heavier coat, I have never needed more than 12 total. I am trying the 7000 now.

Also, in CT you can get the Graves pure alcohol so while you still want to clear the fumes some there is nothing really toxic about them, it is just booze and shellac. People have had problems with the Target shellac but no one (as far as I know) with proper home mixed.

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

I shoot 3 to 4 thin coats a day on consecutive days. Given my schedule though, I usually end up with a day or two off in the interim. For an acoustic, I build up about 10 coats on the top and 15 to 16 everywhere else.

I have had very good success with Em1000 in shooting color, having done two bursts, and I am shooting a bursted LOO next week. I like it as I can use a higher color ratio than with em6000. I usually put down a couple of clear coats, then follow with the color, shooting it with such low volume that it is practically going on dry. Once happy, I top with a dozen coats of em6000.

With these guitars I hand rubbed the base color, but then sprayed the darker color around the edges.




Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

Very nice, Ken. It's good to hear that someone's having success with color and EM1000. I tend to shoot the shellac color coats very dry as well...almost get a pebbly texture actually....but the sealer coat of shellac fixes all of that. I have some here I'm going to play with tonight or tommorow. We'll see how it goes.

-John

I hand rub shellac, pore fill with pumice, and rub one more coat of shellac. I then fix any surface defects that are obvious at this point. I spray EM6000, 3 coats a day, a half hour apart, or when the surface is dry enough to be handled. After a total of 6 to 9 coats, depending on how the surface looks, I wait a day for the surface to harden then level with 320 or 400 grit sandpaper. I then shoot 3 or 4 more coats. The final leveling is with 800 grit paper (dry) a week after the last coat. Then I polish. Usually, my total coat count is 9 or 10, infrequently 12. This serves me well and does not make a thick finish. I am very happy with the EM6000.

--Bob

Not to hijack, ,
but, how does the 6000 look on darker woods?
I didn't like the KTM-9 for the reason it didn't make the dark figured woods look their best.
I actually stripped an electric, because it didn't look like I wanted.
Used General wipe on poly,
and BLING!