New Spin on Weather Checking..?

JoeShell1110 · 06-30-2008, 02:27 PM

OK. So, since most of us do NOT have a separate freezer big enough to place a guitar into, I have been wracking my brain trying to think of a safe way to weather check my R0.

I came up with this:

On a Hot & Sunny Summer day:

Fill a keg tub (One of those big tubs with the rope handles), garbage can or barrel 2/3 with water and 1/3 with bags of ice.

Let the water chill until ice cold (the point where your hand stings if you keep it in there for over a minute).

Slide the body of your guitar into a pillowcase and then into 1 or 2 contractor grade (2 mil or better) garbage bags

Submerge your guitar (woohoo) into the icy cold water and leave for 8-10minutes.

Remove from ice water and place your guitar in a guitar stand in direct sunlight for 20 minutes.

Repeat as necessary

When desired finish acheived, load beer cans of choice into ice water and celebrate.

Anyone (or everyone) think I am out of my mind...??

My goal is to let the wood expand & contract faster than the nitro-cellulose.

The blow dryer and upside down air can method effects the nitro-cellulose not the wood and you get a more window shattered effect.

Whereas when you use the cold/hot method, you get long checks across the whole body of the guitar (looks more real IMO).

Any comments?

Mike60 · 06-30-2008, 02:31 PM

...no beer?

JoeShell1110 · 06-30-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike60

...no beer?

Good point. See edited version.

glimmertwins · 06-30-2008, 02:44 PM

I would be scared to do that to my guitar ;-)

...for what it's worth, many hunters & farmers have the full length freezers around. I live in an area where there are quite a few hunters so it isn't too uncommon to have a bunch of deer meat stored in a deep freeze in the garage. You might see if you can buddy up with some hunters in your neck of the woods and see if they can let you put your guitar on top of their stored meat for thirty minutes or so.

Mike60 · 06-30-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeShell1110

Good point. See edited version.

put beer in first.guitar later.

dwagar · 06-30-2008, 02:52 PM

I bet one of those can hold a LOT of beer.

***FLICKOFLASH*** · 06-30-2008, 03:38 PM

Why not use dry ice

Led Zep Fan · 06-30-2008, 03:50 PM

The box freezer worked like a charm on my R8.

JoeShell1110 · 06-30-2008, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Led Zep Fan

The box freezer worked like a charm on my R8.

Yes, I LOVE the way yours came out, but I don't have a box freezer. What the heck do I do now..??

asmith9509 · 06-30-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeShell1110

Anyone (or everyone) think I am out of my mind...??

Since you asked- yes! I understand the desire to enhance the aged look of the instrument, but we're talking about a guitar that costs several thousand dollars. Any of us who have ever worked with hardwoods know how unstable they can be, especially after extreme temperature changes. Part of the reason that these finishes check is that they age and become less plastic- it's not just temperature changes. You may find yourself with a nicely warped neck, or even a cracked instrument.
Call me overly conservative, but I wouldn't take that risk with such a nice guitar.

Skynyrdpicker · 06-30-2008, 06:39 PM

Will this work on a poly guitar? Cool ideas though

Mike60 · 07-01-2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwagar

I bet one of those can hold a LOT of beer.

...an awful lot of Kokanee,for sure.

General Disarray · 07-01-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skynyrdpicker

Will this work on a poly guitar? Cool ideas though

Would but it wouldn't look 'right'. Poly checks in a strange way!

Eggy · 07-01-2008, 12:30 PM

Poly is evil stuff. It's something that can be super unpredictable. It might check or it might fall off in big chunks.

Mike60 · 07-01-2008, 01:06 PM

yes unpredictable,especially if it's applied on thick...

JoeShell1110 · 07-01-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asmith9509

Since you asked- yes! I understand the desire to enhance the aged look of the instrument, but we're talking about a guitar that costs several thousand dollars. Any of us who have ever worked with hardwoods know how unstable they can be, especially after extreme temperature changes. Part of the reason that these finishes check is that they age and become less plastic- it's not just temperature changes. You may find yourself with a nicely warped neck, or even a cracked instrument.
Call me overly conservative, but I wouldn't take that risk with such a nice guitar.

Well that just scared the Bejesus out of me..! I guess I may have to go with Option B, sending it over to RS.

Does anyone know if RS uses a razor or Hot/Cold for their PBL (Played But Loved) checking..?

rsguitarworks.net - RS Aging and Guitar Refinishing

Joe

06-30-2008, 02:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
JoeShell1110 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lawn Guyland, Noo Yawk (use appropriate accent here) Posts: 174 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	New Spin on Weather Checking..? OK. So, since most of us do NOT have a separate freezer big enough to place a guitar into, I have been wracking my brain trying to think of a safe way to weather check my R0. I came up with this: On a Hot & Sunny Summer day: Fill a keg tub (One of those big tubs with the rope handles), garbage can or barrel 2/3 with water and 1/3 with bags of ice. Let the water chill until ice cold (the point where your hand stings if you keep it in there for over a minute). Slide the body of your guitar into a pillowcase and then into 1 or 2 contractor grade (2 mil or better) garbage bags Submerge your guitar (woohoo) into the icy cold water and leave for 8-10minutes. Remove from ice water and place your guitar in a guitar stand in direct sunlight for 20 minutes. Repeat as necessary When desired finish acheived, load beer cans of choice into ice water and celebrate. Anyone (or everyone) think I am out of my mind...?? My goal is to let the wood expand & contract faster than the nitro-cellulose. The blow dryer and upside down air can method effects the nitro-cellulose not the wood and you get a more window shattered effect. Whereas when you use the cold/hot method, you get long checks across the whole body of the guitar (looks more real IMO). Any comments?

06-30-2008, 02:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mike60 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: reflectorland,Canada Posts: 2,815 Thanks: 0 Thanked 13 Times in 8 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? ...no beer?

06-30-2008, 02:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
glimmertwins Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Austin Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? I would be scared to do that to my guitar ;-) ...for what it's worth, many hunters & farmers have the full length freezers around. I live in an area where there are quite a few hunters so it isn't too uncommon to have a bunch of deer meat stored in a deep freeze in the garage. You might see if you can buddy up with some hunters in your neck of the woods and see if they can let you put your guitar on top of their stored meat for thirty minutes or so.

06-30-2008, 02:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
dwagar V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 2,595 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? I bet one of those can hold a LOT of beer. __________________ ------------ Don my favorite toys (one wants to be a '59, the other is a '59):

06-30-2008, 03:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
*FLICKOFLASH* GLOBAL EMO MOD Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Hagerstown,MD USA Posts: 9,593 Thanks: 31 Thanked 105 Times in 35 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? Why not use dry ice __________________ http://www.marshallforum.com/ http://www.geartalk.com/forums/index.php http://www.gpickups.com/forum/ http://www.sevenstring.org/

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06-30-2008, 03:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Led Zep Fan V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,591 Thanks: 18 Thanked 22 Times in 10 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? The box freezer worked like a charm on my R8.

06-30-2008, 06:39 PM	#11 (permalink)
Skynyrdpicker Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,145 Thanks: 28 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? Will this work on a poly guitar? Cool ideas though __________________ --------------------- Xaviere XV-500 LP copy Xaviere XV-870 Strat Epiphone '58 Explorer S101 EFT-22 Tele Alabama Dobro and more to come! Check out my MySpace!

07-01-2008, 12:30 PM	#14 (permalink)
Eggy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cumbria UK Posts: 439 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? Poly is evil stuff. It's something that can be super unpredictable. It might check or it might fall off in big chunks. __________________ My videos - http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=Eggy777

07-01-2008, 01:06 PM	#15 (permalink)
Mike60 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: reflectorland,Canada Posts: 2,815 Thanks: 0 Thanked 13 Times in 8 Posts	Re: New Spin on Weather Checking..? yes unpredictable,especially if it's applied on thick...

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