Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello all.

I'm a newbie builder - currently working on #2.

I suspect that most if not all of you have experience with sanding through lacquer.

I've gone all the way to the wood in some spots & I've learned that spraying lacquer on these bare spots doesn't work very well. I think it's soaking in too much so I assume I need to re-seal these areas.

I'm using Deft aerosol cans. Is it ok if a little sealer gets on top of previously sprayed lacquer or do I need to carefully mask before I re-seal the bare spots?

Thanks,
Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Getting enough lacquer on the surface is difficult with aerosol cans. It may seem like it's soaking in, but it's probably just not a heavy enough coat. If you just spray the sanded through area, you may get "witness lines" when you polish out the guitar. Keep spraying the whole guitar with emphasis on the thin spots. I would expect to need up to 10 or so coats with aerosol cans. I wouldn't try to re-seal the bare spots.

Good luck,
Chuck

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"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong"
- Joseph Chilton Pearce

It won't help on this project, but I have found that the best way to avoid sand-throughs is to do a REALLY good job of sanding the instrument before spraying. I block sand the entire guitar now & make sure to minimize high / low spots before I shoot the lacquer.
I second Chuck's comments on spray bomb lacquer.

I think Chuck nailed it with the thickness issue when using aerosol cans.

I did my initial 6 coats, waited a few weeks then started sanding down the orange peel when I broke through. I could still see a little orange peel right next to the area where I went through which tells me that I don't have enough lacquer down yet.

Thanks,
Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Another reason not to use so-called "sealer".

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Howard,

You lost me. How did the "sealer" cause any problems?

Or are you saying not to use sealer after you've started putting down lacquer?

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

"Sealer" isn't necessary with lacquer. It's good (I guess) at hiding stuff, but good preparation is all that's necessary. Adhesion of (nitrocellouse) lacquer to wood is excellent. I'd recommend sanding all the Deft off anyway. It's kinda brittle for instrument use, and prone to checking and crazing. Behlen has rattle cans of instrument lacquer. You can get it from Stew Mac, Grizzly, or Klingspor woodworking.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

Woody has a great point. Stew-Mac also has their own brand - ColorTone - and they suggest 4 to 6 cans for a guitar.

Good luck,
Chuck

_________________
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong"
- Joseph Chilton Pearce