WOT: Need woodworking advice, building a guitar Options

[ninefourteener]

I figure I ask questions about all of life's aspects here...... why not try this one?

I'm building my "dream" guitar..... this isn't some half-assed attempt at "fixin up" some old beater..... all the parts I've bought for it are brand new, or mint condition if I had to purchase old stuff.

This includes all gold hardware.... Floyd Rose Lo-Pro trem, Gotoh tuners, string tree, pickup rings, knobs, switches, etc. Plus the body, the neck, etc..... So far, I'm up to nearly $600 in this thing..... just in parts alone.

Its an Ibanez RG550 replica.... I'm stuffing it with 3 (yes, THREE) EMG Humbuckers... and even creating custom gold cavity cover plates out of reflective acrylic plexiglass for the back.

ANYWAY....... My question is........ I bought the body from a Luthier in Brazil its a "marupa" body with a 1/4 inch thick "Angico" top..... this guy was really good, but then he disappeared off the planet, so I have no way to contact him. Apparently, he covers his guitar bodies with a "nitrocelulosic base" for shipping protection purposes.

I'm ready to start routing, sanding, and building....... how the hell do I get the wood clear without sanding too much? I don't want to sand too deep if I don't have to. Is there a certain chemical I can use? I want to basically "strip" the wood clean, but not damage the wood, because I plan on staining/poly, etc.

take a look at what I bought if it will help:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

[JB 914]

http://www.woodcraft.com/

i would check if they have one close by. or you could call them. i've used them before and they were very helpful.

[ArtechnikA]

if it helps, "nitrocellulose" is good ol' lacquer.

lacquer thinner should remove it, but i have no idea what it would do to the wood (over and above what the solvent in the lacquer has already done.)

i'd probably just sand it...
if you were in California, you'd have to go to another state for decent lacquer thinner anyway...

[TimT]

Id sand it off, I cant imagine any type of holding finish will have been applied to thickly.

who knows what chemical strippers may do to the grain of the wood, or to the adhesive he used to laminate the wood together.

[bondo]

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 7 2005, 01:24 PM)

if it helps, "nitrocellulose" is good ol' lacquer.

I thought nitrocellulose was gunpowder?!?!

[Joe Ricard]

Brake cleaner gets off Gorilla glue.
Thats all I know. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif)
Nitrocellulose IS gun powder.

[bjorn jacobson]

As long as the nitro is clear you can use automotive paint stripper and not have a problem with grain discoloration. Any opaque finishes will leave color in the grain.
Don't leave the stripper on any longer than you need, you'll se it working almost immediately. If the finish is extremely thin it should take only minutes for stripper to disolve nitro laquer. After the finish is removed use 800 grit sanding lightly WITH THE GRAIN to clean up the residuals. Going against the grain will leave sanding marks that will show up later in the finish.

Good Luck,

BJ

PM if you have any other questions.

[rick 918-S]

My advise.. box up the whole werks and ship it to miles. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smash.gif)

[tat2dphreak]

QUOTE (Joe Ricard @ Jul 7 2005, 03:37 PM)

Brake cleaner gets off Gorilla glue. Thats all I know. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif) Nitrocellulose IS gun powder.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif)

I know an easy way to clean it off... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/blowtorch.gif) dunno about saving the wood though (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/owned.gif)

[redshift]

Why are you stripping off a sealer? are you planning to stain it?

Aircraft stripper, or a paste furniture stripper. It gets everything out of the pores, if you are staining.

What is your goal? Color?


M

[goose2]

Nitrocellulose is plain old organic lacquer. Try rubbing with WHITE rag soaked in lacquer thinner, turning the rag often to keep a fresh surface. Try not to flood any glue joints any more than necessary. The coating should disolve pretty easily if not too thick. A light sanding with 320 grit first just to scuff the surface will help the thinner cut the lacquer. Chemical strippers are risky for wood color and adhesives. If the rag isn't aggressive enough, try a fine scotchbrite pad soaked in lacquer thinner. If you're still not getting anywhere, you can soften the coating with the thinner and use a cabinetmaker's scraper very carefully with the grain. Practice with the scraper first on some scrap if you've not used one before.

Is there a reason you need to remove the coating? With a light sanding, nitrocell laq. can make a good sealer for laquer topcoats. I could go on for hours about this, it's been a big part of my business for 20 years...restored old furniture, boats, cameras, instruments. PM me if I can offer more help.

[ninefourteener]

Thanks for all the help folks..

To answer a few questions.......

Yes.. the coat is VERY light...... but the body really doesn't need much sanding, which is the reason I wanted to chemically remove it.

The reason?? Yes, I do plan on using a custom colored stain. Not paint, but stain. Then, covering it in as many coats of poly as I can.. till I get the glossiness I want

[Dead Air]

QUOTE (ninefourteener @ Jul 7 2005, 02:01 PM)

...stain. Then, covering it in as many coats of poly as I can.. till I get the glossiness I want

[QUOTE]

How about 15 coats of laquer? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[Mark Henry]

QUOTE (Dave Eddy @ Jul 7 2005, 07:16 PM)

QUOTE (ninefourteener @ Jul 7 2005, 02:01 PM) ...stain.  Then, covering it in as many coats of poly as I can.. till I get the glossiness I want [QUOTE] How about 15 coats of laquer? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

Single part laquer will crack, in time, if you put too many layers on.

[carr914]

Follow Goose2's advice on removal. I'll comment on the stain & poly. I work for ZAR. We've been a premium stain and the 1st company to manufactor polys in the US. We make 25 premixed colors of stain & also a tint base to make any other color. As far as polys go our we make antique flat, satin, semi-gloss and gloss in both oil & water base. Our semi registers higher on a meter than most others gloss, so our gloss is like a mirror. The one down side to any poly is that it can come away with a plastic look especially in a gloss finish. I would recommend our Wipe-on Semi Gloss Tung Oil. It's easier to apply and gives a warmer varnish look. You can hit with steel wool between coats and apply the number of coats to your desire. It's durable and hard enough for your needs. It's a poly with Tung Oil vs just Tung Oil which you would need to reapply. For a dealer near you go to www.ugl.com

T.C.

[ninefourteener]

Hello again folks!!

My project is well underway. I've finally gotten all the parts I need to complete this project, so I spent all day routing out the guitar the way I wanted it.

I attached the neck, so it actually looks like a guitar.. finally

I sanded it, steel wooled it, and ran ovber the whole thing with a blowtorch, because I like that "distressed" look. Then, applied a pre-stain treatment to it, then I stained the body, and the headstock with a "Provincial" finish.

I ordered an Ibanez logo online, and once it comes in, I'll attach it, and poly the entire thing.

BTW.... it looks INCREDIBLE!!!! I'm really happy with it!!

MY QUESTION: I've heard a couple times that pure poly can crack after time. But I really want the finish to be a SUPER-HIGH gloss, and appear super thick. What should I use? What brand?

Also, I know I need to steel wool between coats, but what should I use to apply the poly (Or whatever I use)?? A brush? A foam Brush? A foam roller? I've heard all 3, so any advice would help

Thanks all!!!

[rhodyguy]

cigar box, yardstick, and assorted rubber bands.

k

[TimT]

you will get the best finish if you spray it

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

[tdgray]

I can see it now.

NEW THREAD (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

Help I got WD-40 on my brand new guitar... How can I get it off. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[ninefourteener]

QUOTE (TimT @ Jul 22 2005, 07:07 AM)

you will get the best finish if you spray it (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

Spray it?? Can you spray Poly?

What kind of spray "stuff" should I use?? What brand??

The guitar isn't finished... but I can post pics this evening of what I've done so far