Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all,

I couple of weeks ago I started a thread where I explained my issues with using Crystalac pore filler. (The thread is here). In a nut shell, it explained how it was hard to see when there were spots of Crystalac left to be sanded, which showed up as milky spots once the first coat of finish was applied. Well, I found my solution, thanks to CSI!

Black light!

Since the stuff is white, I thought it might be highlighted by black light. So I went and bought a cheap black light unit (18$) and voilà!

Here are two pictures, the first where you see a neck (only one half of it is sanded), onto which it's tough to see where there are spots of Crystalac left to be sanded, and on the second, the same neck under the black light.





You can clearly see the stuff highlighted in the wood pores, and although they don't show that well on pictures, you can also see the remaining spots to be sanded. You can see the neck heel is full of it since it hasn't been sanded yet.

I thought I'd share this. Partly because it may help others in my situation, but also because it's kind of cool!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Groovy!

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com