Finishing

[mr_nice_guy]

I am getting down to the finishing stages of my wreck clone. Had my neighbor plane the boards down to 3/4" and box the boards, he did the taper with his table saw and I routed off all the corners with a 3/8" roundover bit. My friend happened to be getting his faceplate made out of curly maple so he got his woodworker to punch and countersink one for me as well. I'm waiting on 8 picture frame clamps I ordered to arrive at which time I will glue and leave for a day or two. But I was impacient and could not wait to get a taste of what it would look like. I sanded down the faceplate with 100 then 150 and stained with a golden pecan. It looks beautiful. I have done all sorts of woodwork and finishing over the past year but mostly pine projects and one red oak project. I either used a thick coat of polyurethane or jel poly. This one is special as it is for my wreck clone and it is beautiful curly maple. What I need help with is what should I use after the golden pecan? should I poly it, some sort of lacquer or a combination? another other interesting ideas? Thanks.

[mr_nice_guy]

Well, I guess I'll just put a thick poly coat on it to make it shine. Many thick poly coats. Is there any reason to really use any kind of special lacquer? 3D look?

[mr_nice_guy]

Also, I won't be to the lacquering/poly stage for about a week or two as I dont even have it glued yet.

[Distortion]

It really depends on how you plan on applying the finish.
If you plan on brushing the finish on either poly or lacquer based products work fine.
If you are going to spray the finish poly can be used, but it doesn't go on as well as lacquer.
I personally like lacquer because I spray my finishes, and touch ups down the road are pretty easy with lacquer.
Well easier than a poly finish.
On the other hand poly finishes are more durable.

[mr_nice_guy]

thanks Distortion, durability isnt that important as my Express will most likely never leave my upstairs garage apartment. For this one it will be brush on as I have a compressor but no sprayer and no knowledge of how to spray things. Is Minwax Clear Drying Lacquer okay? It says it won't leave brush strokes. Is there anything more suitable for projects such as this than Minwax products? I have used General stains before.

[mr_nice_guy]

or maybe a lacquer in a spray can? I don't like to use these though because they leave the finish thin and with a brush I can glob a thick coat on without looking sloppy.

[Distortion]

If you are going to brush on the finish I have had great results using General Finishes products.
The way I do it is to use Seal-A-Cell clear http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=5189
first and rub on a couple of coats then immediately wipe off the excess with a clean rag. This process pops the figure of the wood and seals it.
Once the first step is done you can use Arm-R-Seal .My choice is the Gloss version.http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=7259
for the clear protective coating. You can apply as many coats as needed. I find it advisable to do a light sanding of the cabinet between the coats of Arm-R-Seal.
One thing that many guys do wrong is not raising the grain of the wood before applying the first stain coat.
Raising the grain and then sanding it smooth makes for a much smoother finished product.
One thing nice about using these products is they can be tinted or stained to achieve different custom colors.
I have found the best way to apply these finishes is to use a clean cotton cloth applying the finish in one direction only. Make sure the applicator is fully saturated and as flat as possible so the finish flows on smoothly.

[mr_nice_guy]

in the description, Seal-a-Cell is to be used without a stain. If I were to use it on some curly maple, would it tint the wood at all? What should I use to color it with these products?

[Distortion]

Using Seal-A-Cell will bring out and enhance the grain and apperance of the wood it is applied to.
When used on Flame Maple it brings out a slight amber tint to the wood.
What I like to use are the Trans Tint dyes. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1718
It can be used with most oil, alcohol, and water based finishes. A little bit goes a long way..
What you need to do is try some different finishes and decide what looks best for your needs before actually applying it to your cabinet.

[mr_nice_guy]

okay Distortion, almost done, just a few more questions. I was at first going to use a transtint dye with alcohol, but it dries way to quickly to get an even finish without a sprayer. Would the transtint dye work to mix in a little with the Seal-a-Cell and apply with a foam brush? Would it dry too fast to get an even finish? Thanks for all your help distortion.

[Distortion]

Would the transtint dye work to mix in a little with the Seal-a-Cell and apply with a foam brush? Would it dry too fast to get an even finish? Thanks for all your help distortion.

It should work fine, but like I stated earlier in this thread, I prefer to use clean cotton rags.
You could try it with a rag and foam brush to see what works best for you.

[mr_nice_guy]

nvm, I was relating back to when I was using General gel stains and topcoat. rags would work better in this case.

[Moid]

First post here, but I've built a hardwood cab for a Lightning clone and have handbuilt several guitars from scratch, and refinished others. I recommend you go to the Guitar Reranch website and read their instructions. I personally use Parks Sanding Sealer and McFadden laquer, but their products in spray cans will do a nice job. The secret to any good finish is the prep. If you take the time to fill and level the surface, your final finish will be great. You don't need a buffing machine. I've polished out a guitar with Micro Mesh abrasive cloths. Stewart McDonald has good products also. Good luck with the project.

Moid

[Distortion]

I agree with most of what Moid says.
Stew Mac is a great place to get gear related stuff. One thing I have found is sanding sealer is definitely needed with porus woods but not all woods. Maple is one wood that turns out very nicely without it. Mahogany on the other hand definitely needs sanding sealer.
I am lucky enough to have a large dual wheel buffer with 14" buffing pads.
There is no doubt that prep is key to any wood project, but sanding any project to a mirror finish with Micro Mesh pads can make your hands fall off.. The buffer on the other hand allows a true glass like apperance without sanding for hours.