Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 2:14 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Sanding after Zpoxy
PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:23 am 
Offline
Mahogany
Mahogany

Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:14 am
Posts: 47
City: Colorado Springs
State: Colorado
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
After reading around and watching several videos I can’t find a consensus. Do most folks sand back down to wood after zpoxy filler, leaving pores (hopefully) filled, or just scuff sand and then move on to shellac coat and/or finishing?

Thanks

Jon


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Sanding after Zpoxy
PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:31 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 am
Posts: 6232
Location: Virginia
I learned the epoxy fill method when learning about French Polish from Milburns somewhat famous tutorial. He filled the traditional way with pumice till he discovered how good 5 minute epoxy works. Anyway he sands or scrapes back to wood. I only ever have done it once on a Uke but I sanded back to wood. It seems to make sense to me. It's pretty much the way a traditional oil based filler would work. You fill and try and scrape as much off as you can then sand away back to wood leaving the pores filled.

I think there are two ways to skin this cat though. Because a lot of folks strive to keep a thin epoxy layer on so that the epoxy is basically a base coat.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Sanding after Zpoxy
PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:55 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:21 am
Posts: 3288
First name: Brad
Last Name: Combs
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
If you sand back to wood you lose the grain pop that something like Zpoxy provides. So if you want that grain popping warm amber under your finish then leave a thin coat on. Otherwise take it back to wood. Just make sure you do one or the other. If you accidentally sand through on a small spot it will stick out like a sore thumb. Ask me how I know. :D

_________________
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cbcguitars


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Sanding after Zpoxy
PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 11:53 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:46 pm
Posts: 2124
First name: Freeman
Last Name: Keller
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I use Zpoxy whenever I want to really pop the grain. I usually put one or two coats on and sand back to the wood, then another coat that was thinned with denatured alcohol. I try to leave this as the first finish coat. This guitar has Zpoxy fill and waterborn finish (KTM-9)

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Sanding after Zpoxy
PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 1:17 pm 
Online
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:47 pm
Posts: 2422
First name: Jay
Last Name: De Rocher
City: Bothell
State: Washington
I do basically the same as Freeman. Two to three coats (depending on the pores) squeegeed on and sanded back to wood after each coat. Then a final wiped-on coat of z-poxy diluted 1:1 with alcohol to highlight the grain.

_________________
Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Sanding after Zpoxy
PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 1:53 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:37 am
Posts: 4777
bcombs510 wrote:
If you sand back to wood you lose the grain pop that something like Zpoxy provides. So if you want that grain popping warm amber under your finish then leave a thin coat on. Otherwise take it back to wood. Just make sure you do one or the other. If you accidentally sand through on a small spot it will stick out like a sore thumb. Ask me how I know. :D


I was going to share the same thing. One of the things I love about Z-poxy in particular is the color pop I get from it. Due to that effect, I don't sand back to bare wood. I level it with 400 grit or something finer. If I sand through I do the thin wash coat of a 50/50 mix of epoxy to alcohol.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Sanding after Zpoxy
PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 3:09 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:35 pm
Posts: 2951
Location: United States
First name: Joe
Last Name: Beaver
City: Lake Forest
State: California
Focus: Build
I put on 2 coats for small pore wood and 3 for bigger pores, over bare wood. I space the coats as close together as possible, meaning I put another coat on as soon as the previous is hard enough to handle (better bonding between coats). Level sand once fully cured , maybe three or more days, then if the finish is nitro I start with vinyl sealer followed closely (an hour or so) with nitro. If the finish is going to be waterborn I just follow the cured epoxy with finish, no shellac.

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: banjopicks, J De Rocher and 46 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com