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So I'm not totally happy with the TruOil finish on the soundboard of my recently completed #1. I appears that I did not put enough coats on the softwood and the finish is noticeably lacking. On top of that I buffed with a wheel loaded with carnauba wax and then a thin coat of conservators was used for final hand buffing.
THE QUESTION: can I go back and apply more coats of TruOil after what I have done? Does the wax needed to be removed and if so, how?

Thanks in advance for your help!

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Naphtha will remove the wax and you should definitely remove it. New coats of TO can be added at any time after the wax is removed and should adhere perfectly.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

+1 to what Tony said, + I'd level sand (dry) with 600 or 800 grit before I started putting on more oil.
By the way, did you wetsand the TruOil to level it? If you did, there's a reasonable chance for witness lines.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

+1 more with what Tony said but do several light washes to get rid of the wax. 600 grit light sanding and you are good to go.

Bob

Thanks for the input guys! Very helpful. Yes, I did wet sand...hopefully that won't screw it up too badly.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

You should be OK as long as you don't sand through the additional coats after they dry.
I use TruOil frequently, and I've had better results skipping the wetsanding through the grits. I level sand(dry) every three or four coats, and after I get sufficient thickness to get all the shiny spots out at 800 grit, I put on one last coat as thinly and evenly as possible. After I'm satisfied with the last coat, I'll let it dry for 3 or 4 weeks before polishing it out. This give me a "soft" gloss, not quite the high gloss that reflects everything, but to me it brings out the character of the wood better.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

I've heard that It's not advisable to use Tru-Oil on tops, anyone contest or agree with this?

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

Some people feel that its tendency to soak into the wood is a problem. Lay down a wash coat of of shellac first and you're good to go.

I did just as you say and it still led to a top with noticeably less luster than the back...At least according to my limited yet recent experience. If I did it again I would put on two extra coats to the top. FWIW

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Yes, extra coats are a good idea. Also, I sometimes use a fast drying alkyd sanding sealer between the shellac and the Tru-Oil. A couple of coats well sanded back is a big help with softwood tops. Most of the sanding sealer goes away, leaving a better surface for the Tru-Oil.

I could not tell the difference on my one top finished with Tru-0il. Guitar sounds great. The Sycamore back and sides had more effect on tone than finishing with Tru-0il. Also, the Tru-Oil seems to hold up very well.

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Waddy

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Tru-Oil works fine on tops, and doesn't really "soak into" the wood that much. Wipe it on thinly, heating the oil by holding the bottle under hot running water helps tremendously in getting it on thinly. Two or three coats should be enough to begin to see a gloss over the entire surface.
Putting a seal coat of shellac will reduce that to one coat usually, but it does alter the appearance slightly. Oil directly on the wood brings out the grain a little differently, I usually prefer that appearance. It's only the first one or two coats that are actually soaking into the wood anyway, and by putting those coats on thinly with a minimum of excess you can keep it to a minimum if you are concerned about it. Sanding it a bit smoother also helps some, I usually sand tops to 600 grit before starting the oil.
Don't forget to raise the grain first if you put the oil directly on the wood.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

This may very well be a question that betrays my sheer ignorance...but is it unadvisable to spray lacquer on a guitar with existing multiple coats of TruOil. I suspect the answer is a loud and clear "NO" but I'm asking anyway.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

You are correct, it's usually a bad idea to put a harder finish over a softer one.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon