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Just curious....

Does anyone use Tung Oil as a finish on the box? I have done a number of necks with it and they feel silky smooth. I have also used it on a couple of furniture projects in the past and given enough coats it is difficult to tell from nitro. I have never heard of anyone finishing a guitar body and was wondering if there is a reason.

Cheers,
Bob

I've used it on the box and it worked well. It seems hard enough on the back and sides but not tough enough for the top. I used micro mesh to bring out the shine.

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Wipe-on poly diluted 1:1 with varsol . Satin finish.

Bob

This is one that I tried and started using early last year:

http://www.cornelissen.com/lefranc-pict ... 13189.html


It's an old fashioned Copal picture varnish. Might be a bit on the soft side for many makers and is probably similar in hardness to Epifanes (without accelerator). It's certainly harder than Tru Oil, similar expense as well. Thin in consistency but a very beautiful varnish IMO. Rather like Tru Oil it gives a slightly softer looking gloss.Lovely smell too!
I've just tried this:

http://marinestore.co.uk/Hempel_Classic ... 750ml.html

A pure Alkyd Spar varnish with Tung Oil. Alkyd resin has a reputation for great clarity. This is the type of resin that replaced much of the natural Copal resins that existed in most coach type varnishes. Again, I suspect that it won't get as hard as some makers want. I've recently used it in a side by side test comparison with the Lefranc.

I use the polyester stuff from cureuv.com. I'm making it work but I'm not sure that I'd recommend it. I use it because of the zero VOCs and I'm in my basement. Hmm, that sounds kind of negative so I should add that I've tried many other finishes and have found that, despite its quirks, this is the best finish yet that I can do in house. I also do a hybrid finish for those that want a French polished top.

Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

Cardinal Nitro. Expensive, but worth it. My friend Brad Nickerson uses Hirsch nitro, which he swears by, and seems very similar in formulation to Cardinal. Also very expensive, though. He gets it from an auto paint supply house in Jersey. If I wasn't so impressed with Cardinal, I'd be tempted to try it.


Ken Jones
Mountain Song Guitars

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Mountain Song Guitars www.mountainsongguitars.com

I mostlly use bernyl facett precat lacquer from becker acroma and because I use a variety of ICA polyurethanes on certain cabinetry and doors I tried ICA PF5051 polyester on my last 2, it is incredibly hard and sands beautifully. This product is water clear and supposedly non-yellowing. I will use it more in the future. Both of these products are self sealing, fast, and yield a thin non cracking final finish. I have done one shellac FP soundboard, you know, "Somogyi does it".

Catalyzed polyester for pore fill...sometimes also for topcoats....both Simtec products. Simtec has TWO topcoats...one is incredibly hard, and requires it's own schedule of polishing compounds. The other is softer, and polishes much the same as nitro...I use the softer one although at some point I want to figure out the correct compounds for the harder stuff. This provides the best bond and the most durable finish I've used. About the same durability as catalyzed urethanes.

Nitro (Mohawk instrument lacquer) over vinyl sealer (Mohawk) over polyester sanding sealer pore fill (Simtec).

Most recently tung oil with no pore fill....which is like going on vacation compared to anything else.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Oil varnish, which I brush. I've tried Behlen's RockHard, Ace, and Pratt and Lambert No. 38. My favorite so far has been the Pratt and Lambert. I use a base coat of wax-free shellac, Zinsser SealCoat.

I've been a user of KTM 9 and KTM 4 before that. I tried KTM SV on my last build but had enough problems not to use it any more. Could have been my fault but still....

On my next I am planning to try cardinal nitro unless I see some negative?

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

That's interesting Tim. I use that product on cabinets. It's great. You use it in high gloss? I did a guitar once with one of their post cat products and it turned out very well but the guitar is on the other side of the country so I don't know how it's holding up.

I use Mohawk Nitro over Mohawk vinyl sealer. Works well but has pretty low solid content and of course no one likes the long curing time. I just did my first oiled neck. I used a mixture of oil polyurethane, boiled linseed, thinner and Japan dryer. It will be stung up in a couple of days and I'm liking it a lot so far.