Hi everyone! I;mn totally new to finishing and only semi skilled at woodworking so please bear with me! I'm working on 2 Single cut JR's and trying to figure out how to get the pore filler and dye applied to get some good looking results. I built a bass with last year and did an oil/wax finish but want to step up my skills.
the guitars are Sapelle which from what i've read and been told is pretty much like Mahogany, readily available and affordable for good boards. I'm using Famowood walnut colored grainfiller and bright red transtint aniline dye disolved in alcohol. I want to clear coat them with come nitro but I've not gotten there yet, I am just using some spray on Spar Urethane for not just to see how much it might darken. I'm using dye because somehow it got stuck in my brain that if I ever want to do bursts I should get used to using dye. if that's not the case please let me know. I am using the walnut grain filler because I have read somewhere on this forum and in other places that Gibson used a grain filler that was darker than Mahogany... hence the walnut.
I've tried a couple applications of the filler and dye now and have had some mixed results. my first test run went realy well, but I spent a total of about 30 minutes on it... no sanding, barely let anything dry. yesterday I did a test on a bigger piece of wood and got some bad results. the grain filler didn't stick very well and the dye color washed out and was spotty. I think it's because I didn't mix the grain filler to a wet enough consistancy, and that I put the dye on too wet. the grain filler was clumping up as I was applying it, and I think that it didn't penetrate well and was largely sanded out.
I read afterwards that the dye should be wiped on almost dry with a cotton cloth. I was putting it on pretty heavy and letting it dry like you would with an oil.
so, in the next few days I'm going to try this again with wetter grain filler and dryer applications of the dye. I have also read that sanding sealer should be put on, but some articles say before the grain filler and some say after ( I think it's to prevent the stain in the grain filler from darkening the wood).
If anyone can set me straight on this it would be a great help. If i just can't get it to work I am more than happy to go with a solid color like pelham blue, but ultimately I'd like to do some flamey maple archtops with some nice lookin 2 and 3 color bursts so I thought these 2 guitars would be a great place to start!!!!
the guitars are Sapelle which from what i've read and been told is pretty much like Mahogany, readily available and affordable for good boards. I'm using Famowood walnut colored grainfiller and bright red transtint aniline dye disolved in alcohol. I want to clear coat them with come nitro but I've not gotten there yet, I am just using some spray on Spar Urethane for not just to see how much it might darken. I'm using dye because somehow it got stuck in my brain that if I ever want to do bursts I should get used to using dye. if that's not the case please let me know. I am using the walnut grain filler because I have read somewhere on this forum and in other places that Gibson used a grain filler that was darker than Mahogany... hence the walnut.
I've tried a couple applications of the filler and dye now and have had some mixed results. my first test run went realy well, but I spent a total of about 30 minutes on it... no sanding, barely let anything dry. yesterday I did a test on a bigger piece of wood and got some bad results. the grain filler didn't stick very well and the dye color washed out and was spotty. I think it's because I didn't mix the grain filler to a wet enough consistancy, and that I put the dye on too wet. the grain filler was clumping up as I was applying it, and I think that it didn't penetrate well and was largely sanded out.
I read afterwards that the dye should be wiped on almost dry with a cotton cloth. I was putting it on pretty heavy and letting it dry like you would with an oil.
so, in the next few days I'm going to try this again with wetter grain filler and dryer applications of the dye. I have also read that sanding sealer should be put on, but some articles say before the grain filler and some say after ( I think it's to prevent the stain in the grain filler from darkening the wood).
If anyone can set me straight on this it would be a great help. If i just can't get it to work I am more than happy to go with a solid color like pelham blue, but ultimately I'd like to do some flamey maple archtops with some nice lookin 2 and 3 color bursts so I thought these 2 guitars would be a great place to start!!!!
