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I posted pics of this last fall, but I have since reworked it based on input from a professional musician. I also didn't like the color of the sunburst so I redid it. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out except I have an issue with the finish. I used nitrocellulose - waited 4 days a proceeded to level and polish. I have many fine scratches in it. I used 400 and 600 grit to level, and micromesh 1500 through 12000 to polish, even some polishing compound and swirl remover. Maybe I did this too soon?? Any ideas on how I can salvage the finish? Do I need to put some more coats on it?

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Looks good!

Awesome guitar, i'm working on a Gibson Brydland knockoff right now. I love the cutaway and the sunburst.

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Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

It does look very nice! I don't use nitro, but I'm fairly certain that 4 days isn't long enough for the finish to cure. I believe common practice is to wait at least 4 Weeks after the last coat to buff out the finish. Nitro shrinks a good deal during that 4 weeks. If you have enough finish left, I would expect you could just wait a while for the finish to cure and then buff it out. Otherwise, it's back to the spray booth for ya. I'm guessing you are not the first guy around here to have this problem, and can expect some more specific advice.

Aaron

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Aaron Craig

Can you tell if the scratches go into the color? Because it seems to me that you could just spray another light coat or two of clear. I would wait two weeks before trying to buff it though. It looks good. Is it laminated?

Jason I don't think the scratches go into the color. I'll wait a few weeks and try and buff. Failing that I'll spray another coat or two. Thanks all

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

I'm not familiar with micromesh grits but the jump from 600 to 1500 sounds too big. I'd try to throw 800 and maybe 1000 in there. At that point, you can go straight to the buffer with brown compound.

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http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

Hey Ricardo

Not an answer to your question, but I'd love to see some build pictures if you have them.

Neil

I used nitrocellulose - waited 4 days a proceeded to level and polish

Might want to add another 26 days to that schedule and try again.
600-800-1000-1200 (wet/dry, not MM) and buff.

Neil, unfortunately I did not document in pics this build. I pretty much followed Benedetto's book except I used laminated top/bottom plates from Acme Archtops. Regards Rich

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Ricardo,
Your guitar is very pretty. I love it. But I agree that you polished it before the nitro was cured. It's better to wait at least a couple of weeks. I waited four weeks on a mandolin last winter. I also agree that you might be able to polish those scratches out now, because your nitro has had additional time to cure. It's worth a try. If they don't polish out, then you can possibly shoot a few clear coats, cure them properly, and then polish those out. If all else fails, you can do a second refinish, but I bet it won't come to that. With regard to micro mesh pads, don't skip ANY GRITS! You will be fine. In all other respects, that's a very nice guitar! Congratulations!
Patrick

I've been using the micromesh pads with good success. If I read the instructions correctly, the 1500 MM is slightly coarser than 600 paper. Sounds screwy, but it seemed to be true as I was sanding. The MM does a great job if you handle it right. I use the larger pads and have started using the MM pads for my random orbit sander.

And FWIW, I let my nitro finishes cure a full 3 weeks before I go near them.

Thanks,
Tom

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I spent most of my money on women, guitars and whiskey, the rest I wasted.