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I've redone my "final" coat of Zpoxy pore filler several times. It appears I'm not getting an even coat everywhere but I am getting a thin coat. Always a few shiny spots left and by the time I've sanded till it's flat, I have sanded enough to remove some of the amber color of the Zpoxy in spots. Sometimes only a few spots and sometimes several.

Suggestions? I'm sick of sanding! <smile>

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

stop using a squeegee, look up the painting method that was posted here awhile back....using a hair dryer and some foam brushes you can lay down perfectly even coats without thinning the zpoxy...

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MK5acoustics.com

For the record, I'm not thinning this final coat. Also, I've tried heating the Zpoxy before applying and I've tried applying with both a squeegy and a 2" foam brush (once). I heated the zpoxy in microwave before applying with foam brush (good or bad).

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

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MK5acoustics.com

I found it best to use two brushes at a time one to put down the z poxy then go back over with a second to smooth and soak up any excess...using a hair dryer constantly ....

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MK5acoustics.com

Do you preheat the Zpoxy then spread, heat after spreading on the guitar, or heat while spreading?

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I just turn on the hair dryer heat the mix a little the spread it on using the dryer constantly...on a large surface like the back use the squeege, I use a cc, just to spread it a little quicker then use one brush to paint it on , working quickly then pick up another brush to go back over and absorb any excess heating as you go...once you get the hang of it you will go " why didn't I try this before"!!!!! another thing that is great about this method is applying to the neck , goes on perfect and at no time do you get any zpoxy on your hands.....

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MK5acoustics.com

I would say that by heating the epoxy first then applying it, you are getting a very thin coat. Then you get sand through. (All this you know of course)

To avoid this I usually mix small batches of epoxy, enough to do the sides or back, but not both. I warm the wood with a hair dryer, just warm, not to hot. This gets rid of moisture helping to avoiding amine blush. Apply the epoxy to the warm wood and squeegee it. Then I warm the epoxy with the hair dryer and lightly brush the lines away. You have to do that quickly. The epoxy will go quickly from just right to bubbly and to stiff.

I apply another coat in about three or four hours, and again in another four hours if needed. By applying the coats quickly in that fashion I've read they will bond better between coats.

Sand it out the next day and hope for no sand through!

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I agree Joe. I've not had this much trouble before and I started pre-heating the Zpoxy before applying for the first time on this guitar. Maybe that's the root problem.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Darryl,

You probably are right about the heating. If you haven't seen Todd's video's they are excellent.

I just add a little blow drying and a foam brush to smooth out the whole mess saving me some sanding.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

What I found is if I carefully applied some slightly thinned Z-poxy to the sand through areas and allow the cure before doing the next coat really helped though it will not be perfect but probably much better than any other method I tried. As Todd said, don't sand through and you will not have a problem I have switched to west system for the last 4 guitars and it works much better for me though the cure time is much longer. I intentionally sanded through on a test panel and did the area recoat thing and it was invisible. I find the time is a problem but the results are worth the wait, there is always something I can do while I am waiting.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Thanks for the tips everyone. I've watched Todd's videos before using zpoxy on my first guitar. I think I will watch the last one again before 're-applying the "final" coat. Also, I'll try not pre-heating the zpoxy this time.

Final question, can I get by with sanding the zpoxy with 320g instead of 400g or will it cause finish problems later?

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Thanks again.

Any thoughts on sanding the zpoxy with 320g vs 400g? Will it create problems later?

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

FWIW, I recently applied four coats of Zpoxy finishing resin, sanding almost level between coats. In an attempt to get it perfectly level after the fourth coat, I did end up sanding through to bare wood in several areas, while leaving Zpoxy in the pores in those areas. After a coat of shellac, I could see no difference in the areas which I had and hadn't sanded through. This was on sapele and black walnut, so I can't say it will work on other woods.

I have used the shellac a time or two to recover from a small sand through. It can work quite well, as Mark said, depending on the wood.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust