Finishing the Body
These guitars look incredible with a clear finish to highlight the pattern of the maple tops. The sur- face can be stained prior to finishing or a trans- parent pigment can be added to the finish. These instructions will guide you through a very basic fin- ishing process. Books describing different guitar finishing techniques are available through luthier supply catalogs, or through your local library. Clear finish materials and books on finishing can be ordered through Grizzly Industrial. Finishing a guitar is a difficult task. If you are unsure of your skills; do your research, practice on scrap wood, or take it to a professional.
Components Needed | Qty |
Guitar Body | 1 |
Tools Needed |
|
Temporary Wood Handle | 1 |
Masking Tape | Varies |
Tack Cloth or a Clean Rag | Varies |
Finish and Tools for Application | Varies |
Wet/Dry Sandpaper #600, #1000 grit | Varies |
Buffing Supplies | Varies |
To finish the guitar body: |
|
1.Mask off the neck pocket. Press the masking tape tight against the edges of the pocket so the finish does not seep under the tape.
2.Screw through the neck pocket screw holes into a long piece of wood to use for a handle during spraying. Drill a hole in the end of the handle for hanging from a hook.
3.Wipe the entire guitar body with a tack cloth or a soft clean rag to remove any dust.
4.Thread the hook through the temporary han- dle and hang the body in the finish room.
5.Apply several thin coats of the finish, follow- ing the manufacturers instructions. Multiple thin coats usually produce a better quality finish than one heavy coat.
6.Sand the entire body with #400 grit wet and dry sandpaper after at least three coats of finish have been applied. DO NOT sand through the
7.Apply more finish, sanding between coats, until the finish is the desired thickness.
9.When the final coat has dried at least a week, preferably a month, remove the tem- porary handle and masking.
10.Wet sand the finish using #600 grit wet and dry sandpaper on a sanding block, followed with #1000 grit wet and dry sandpaper.
11.Buff the finish by hand or with a buffer, start- ing with a medium polish and work up to a high gloss polish.
NOTICE
Dust particles suspended in the air will settle on wet finishes, causing less than sat- isfactory results. To avoid this problem:
•Leave the finishing room undisturbed for 24 hours prior to applying the fin- ish.
•Avoid making unnecessary movements upon entering the finish room.
•Apply the finish to the desired guitar parts and immediately leave the finish room.
•DO NOT return to the room until the specified drying time has elapsed.
Model H6082, H6083, and H6086 Heirloom Electric Guitar Kits |