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My next build is a classical, Spanish neck, and I plan on using a wipe on oil (Liberon Finishing Oil, drying time 5 hours)
I can visualize it hanging up with coat hanger wire though the tuner holes after getting the (slowly drying) oil on it or something similar.
But how could you handle it to get a complete coat on in one go, without getting my paw prints in the finish?
Or does one wipe a coat of the finish on the neck, let that dry and then do a coat on the body, wait for that to dry, then repeat?
That would be 10 hours a coat just drying time, basically just one coat a day.
Any other suggestions?

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Colin, I believe you are saying that you have an assembled guitar, with a Spanish heel. Correct? I was in that same boat years ago when I built my classical and decided to varnish it. It was clumsy and tricky for me. But I DID hang it through a tuner hole and I worked from the top down. I believe it would not be much different with a wiping finish. Wearing a rubber glove (don't contaminate the neck with your hand oils), wipe the entire headstock area first. Then hang it carefully. Then hold the body with a pinch through the sound hole while you apply finish to the neck. Just keep working your way down. If you can't figure a way to hold the whole thing stable for a "once over", then you will probably need to do the neck/head first, then the body some hours later. And then, of course, repeat the process until you've built your desired layers.

Now, I am pretty sure that someone a WHOLE lot more experienced than I am will chime in and describe a much better way to go about this. And that will be great with me! I learn better ways every time I check into this place!

You got it. I have finished several instruments this way with Liberon Finishing Oil. I made an S shaped hanger out of 3/8" steel rod which hooks onto a rope that hangs from the ceiling. Don't worry about getting your hands and fingerprints on the instruments, but yes you should wear gloves for your personal safety. Just be sure every area you have touched is wiped down before you call it good. Don't listen to what the can says about drying time. That short of drying time is just a sales gimmick I think. You get a better build and sheen with less coats if you allow all the VOC's to off gas between coats. Usually one coat per day with a fan blowing on the instrument is sufficient.

Here is my method: sand the instrument to 600 grit. Apply one light coat which will bring out missed sanding marks. Allow the coat to dry overnight with a fan blowing on it (blow it out the window with cross ventilation, this stuff has a lot of VOC's), go back over the sanding marks, apply another coat, look for more sanding marks, allow to dry overnight with a fan, clear up the sanding marks (you may have to double up coats over sanded areas to blend the finish with the rest of the instrument), repeat coats once per day until you get the desired sheen.

My method of application is to do the top, then back, the sides, let it sit propped up to where only an edge of the body touches the workbench, allow it to dry enough until it almost gets tacky, wipe down excess finish with a clean dry rag, now while holding the neck wipe finish onto the headstock then hang on the hook, then finish the neck while carefully holding an edge of the body if necessary (rub off any fingerprints). Let the neck and headstock dry until tacky, wipe down, then let it sit with a fan on it. Repeat daily. Note that the more coats that go on the quicker the finish will get tacky so you have to move progressively faster with each coat. The first coat I let sit for 7-10 minutes then by the last coat only 1 or 2 minutes. If it tacks on you too much just wipe with a little Naptha.

Rosewoods are more challenging to get a good build and sheen with wiping varnish, but a vigorous wipe down before the first coat with Naptha until no more oils come out of the rosewood helps. Spruce is thirsty and likes more coats.

Good luck.

I finished the body and the neck separately. Much easier to handle that way. I used Tru-Oil though, and it dries much faster than Liberon.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Finish the body while holding the neck. Finish the neck and head while holding the fingerboard through the soundhole (as was suggested). Hang the guitar to dry on a peg through the tuner hole.

I do it as eric does with behlen rock hard varnish.

I do it as eric does with behlen rock hard varnish.

If the fingerboard covers the top of the soundhole (as most classicals do) you could make a "hanging stick" that would lie along the fretboard, "hook" around the soundhole (with an additional small "C" clamp to secure it in place) and a cord to hang it from the ceiling. First coat the neck, then hang on the stick (securing the clamp), then coat the body, using the stick to hold things steady.
I have sprayed finishes while hanging the instrument from a string with a peg through the tuner hole, but the last bit where you can't find a good place to hold the thing steady becomes a bit of a dance.

Thans a lot guys, some good suggestions there.
After posting I had a
Maybe I could try an F clamp though the soundhole, clamped onto the fretboard extention with suitable cauls inside and out.
Oil the top and headstock face first, then turn it over and hold the F clamp's bar in my parrot vice and do the back, sides and neck.
I'll do a mock up first with my classical.

BTW, What happened there Waddy? You've not been sniffing at the nitro again have you?

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Rubbish photo, but the f clamp holds well, and still gives good enough access to oil the top.

My parrot vice has a heavy ply mounting, normally screwed to a bench when I use it, but can support and balance a classical easily. I'll probably fix it to a larger ply board for extra security, and then the whole thing can be rotated as I go along.
Looks like I've found my way..

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.