GFS kits and parts (get yer wallets out!)

[Structo]

Minwax makes a wood hardener that I know a couple guys at ReRanch used.
It's not a miracle worker but apparently helps.

Another trick is to use super glue as a filler.

The wood you have probably isn't open pore wood such as swamp ash but the super glue is supposed to suck into the wood a bit and harden it.

Use an old credit card like a squeegee and use regular super glue, not the thick stuff.
Then block sand it with 320-500 after it dries.

Don't breathe the fumes as they can be nasty.

[stelligan]

Built a partscaster for my nephew last Christmas with one of their finished bodies with this wood. Light as a feather and surprisingly full bodied tones. He is a youngster and Tom DeLonge fan so it ended up like this.
[img:384:512]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-v4VN ... G_5047.jpg[/img]

Good luck on the project. Can't wait to hear how it sounds.

[Baxtercat]

Mmmmm... I want a flying V. I do, also have some Tung Oil kicking around that I want to do something with.....

This is like building an amp because you have 2 extra knobs in a drawer. lol

Har...good take on the syndrome.
At this point I have so much noise making stuff over here, but always end up w/ a few leftover parts calling out for another project.

[Structo]

Pretty sure the neck is going to get a Tru-oil finish. Not sure about the body yet. I've heard this wood is a lot like balsa (i.e. dents with the fingernail) and gets beat to shit easily. I'm not so worried about this, I just want a finish that looks nice and I don't think a natural finish will look good on this wood.

Tom that stuff seems pretty cool. What about local hardware store options? Any way to get a professional looking finish for cheap? I can deal with basic colors if I can save money.

You can buy all the cool colors of nitro lacquer at ReRanch but they are expensive.

http://reranchstore.stores.yahoo.net/fencuscol.html

Yes lots of guys use Duplicolor for the color coat.

You can get Deft Sanding Sealer in a spray can.
The Deft clear coat which is nitro gives some people problems with slow cure times but I have used it on a
couple guitars and thought it worked fine.

Another one is Minwax nitro clear.
It comes in a black can. This supposedly dries better but I haven't used it as it is not available around here.

You can find Deft at Home Depot.

So the steps would be:
Block sand the bare wood with the grain up to 400 (dry).
I use one of those black rubber 3M blocks that you can get at paint departments.
Blow off the dust or wipe with Naphtha.
Spray about four coats of sanding sealer letting it dry between coats. (and hour is generally long enough).

Let it dry over night and block sand with 400 lightly.
This will even out the sealer.
Then spray another couple coats and after dry block sand with 600 lightly.
Careful not to sand into the wood.
This step is to level out the wood and to seal the grain.

Then you can spray primer if you wish or go straight to color coat.

Only spray enough coats of color for an even appearance. You don't need to spray a whole can on.

Duplicolor is about the only color coat I can recommend because it is acrylic, where as paints like Krylon or Rustoleum are more of an enamel base.

Remember Fender switched over to acrylic paint when the car industry did.

But, you can still clear coat with nitro lacquer.
Just start out slow and dust on the first few coats to avoid any reaction.

If you want a decent looking paint job I recommend that you spray two full cans of clear coat.
Nitro shrinks a lot and you want some room for wet sanding without sanding into the color coat.
Actually, you remove about 1/3 of the clear coat when wet sanding.

A good rule to follow on the clear coats is the rule of three's.

Three coats a day for three days.

The secret to using spray cans is to make three passes for one coat.

That is, spray a light coat overlapping your strokes from side to side over the whole body.

Then the second pass is just a bit wetter over the whole body.

The third pass, you want an even wet look but be careful, it will run easily.
That is one coat.

Once one coat is on, let it dry for about two hours before applying the second coat, then the third.

This all sounds very complex but it isn't.

Another thing you should be aware of, if the humidity is over 55%-60%, you can get a white haze in the finish called blushing.
It is the lacquer absorbing moisture from the air.
Usually it is best to stop spraying and let it dry a bit.
Most of the time when the humidity lowers you can spray a light coat of clear lacquer over it and the blush will disappear.
They do make Blush Erasers in spray cans, which is a solvent that amalgamates the lacquer enough for the haze to fade.

Once all the clear is on, hang the body in a warm dry place for 30 days.
Yes, 30 days or the lacquer won't be hard enough to withstand wet sanding.

When wet sanding start with 800 wet paper on a small rubber block like an eraser.
Use a fairly light touch and let the paper cut the lacquer.

Then work your way up the grits (800, 1000, 1200) to 1500.
Then you can use a polishing compound to buff out the light sanding marks.
And finally a swirl remover to make it shine like glass.

This may be overwhelming to you but I've built five parts casters along these lines and they all turned out great.

you just have to have patience and take it one step at a time.

You should read this a few times.
Just be aware that some of it is referring to using a spray gun so just take in the part about prep work and the painting schedule.
http://www.reranch.com/101a.htm

[Baxtercat]

Well done Tom.
Oughta be a sticky, or cut and pasted into a .doc, or something...for the next time someone asks on the 'net how to finish a guitar body.

[Structo]

Thanks, yeah I used to do this kind of stuff when I worked and had spare change.

I left out quite a few details but it should get someone started.

[Cliff Schecht]

Tom thanks a bunch. I've ended up doing the body in a blend that my buddy mixes up (essentially linseed oil and some sort of varnish that's supposed to harden up quite a bit after everything soaks in). So far the wood has taken a nice honey color as we wet sand more and more of this stuff into the wood. I'll post pics when it's done, it's been a while since I've been able to work on this guitar (been getting REALLY busy again, hopefully for the last time in a little while!). I mentioned in my other thread that I bought the parts for a new Tele and have started getting stuff in the mail, so I'll probably finish that Tele much quicker than I will this Strat.

With that said, I'll be cutting out a couple body blanks from some big pine boards a buddy and I found and, after we finish chainsawing the big elm stump we found in half, will be making bodies with that as well. So I might be painting a few of those up. Thanks again for the great info!

[Structo]

Sounds good Cliff.

Be sure to post some pictures as you go along.