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Polishing bone.
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=50669
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Author:  geetarman77 [ Fri May 25, 2018 7:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Polishing bone.

So I was using a dremel with the polishing wheel and using the little red block of compound that comes with the dremel.

I polished at around 15-20k rpms setting.

What did I do wrong? Image


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Author:  meddlingfool [ Fri May 25, 2018 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

Bone has pores. Looks like you drove compound into them.

Try getting a different colored compound. I use the same Dunn colored menzerna I use to buff out gloss...

Author:  geetarman77 [ Fri May 25, 2018 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Polishing bone.

meddlingfool wrote:
Bone has pores. Looks like you drove compound into them.

Try getting a different colored compound. I use the same Dunn colored menzerna I use to buff out gloss...

Ok...I was just making sure I wasn’t doing something wrong lol

I’ll get white compound.

Thanks


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Author:  Freeman [ Fri May 25, 2018 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

I usually sand to 1000 or so, then polish with medium Mequires compound. I had one customer complain that the nut was too shiny - I think he said it looked like plastic.

Author:  geetarman77 [ Fri May 25, 2018 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

Freeman wrote:
I usually sand to 1000 or so, then polish with medium Mequires compound. I had one customer complain that the nut was too shiny - I think he said it looked like plastic.

Hmmm I’ve been meaning to pick up some mequires. Too shiny eh? Maybe on a prewar Martin [WINKING FACE]


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Author:  Chris Pile [ Fri May 25, 2018 11:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

Try buffing with white toothpaste...

Author:  sdsollod [ Sat May 26, 2018 8:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

I like to use micromesh...

Author:  Jules [ Sat May 26, 2018 9:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

geetarman77 wrote:
I’ll get white compound.

Thanks

You could try using Micro Mesh. No compound needed and it will polish to a high gloss.

Author:  Conor_Searl [ Sat May 26, 2018 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

I use the micro mesh too. Mines a little dirty from polishing frets (I should probably replace it,) and it will occasionally leave the bone looking a little dirty, but I find the dirt comes right off with a final wipe of guitar polish and it looks as shiny as I'd ever want it when its done.

Author:  Haans [ Sat May 26, 2018 10:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

Never found a need to polish a nut or saddle. Sand to 800 grit and done.

Author:  dzsmith [ Sat May 26, 2018 11:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

I like unbleached bone. I has less of a plastic look.

Author:  geetarman77 [ Sat May 26, 2018 11:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

Jules wrote:
geetarman77 wrote:
I’ll get white compound.

Thanks

You could try using Micro Mesh. No compound needed and it will polish to a high gloss.

I’ve never used it. I’ll try that too.


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Author:  jsmith [ Wed May 30, 2018 11:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

I lay a coat of water-thin superglue over the surfaces of nuts and saddles, then sand off the excess before polishing. It's solved the pore problem for me.

Author:  Haans [ Wed May 30, 2018 4:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

dzsmith wrote:
I like unbleached bone. I has less of a plastic look.


Not only that Dan, unbleached bone is quite a bit stronger than bleached bone. Bleaching turns bone to mush...

Author:  Chris Pile [ Wed May 30, 2018 6:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

Quote:
Bleaching turns bone to mush...


Not quite. But it looks nicer, and it's not as greasy as some unbleached nuts.

Author:  Haans [ Thu May 31, 2018 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

Well, you are right, doesn't turn it into Quaker Oats...bleached is more like ivory. Wears faster than unbleached. You can tell by filing the string slots. Might not look nicer, but doesn't look like plastic and is natural looking.
Wouldn't know about greasy, I never bought my unbleached bone from the butcher shop.

Author:  Tim L [ Thu May 31, 2018 1:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Polishing bone.

I sand to 800 then hit it with some Pol polish (similar to Simichrome) on a paper towel by hand. I don't want it getting hot, that may be a leftover from working with ivory, but it works for me.

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