Finishing

 

The end is in sight!!!!! Here's what I did since the last step:

1. I did my final scraping and sanding of all the rosewood. I first used my cabinet scraper to scrape away any irregularities, glue, etc. Then I sanded with 120-grit sandpaper wrapped around a cork-lined wood block. Next, I dampened all the rosewood to raise the grain. After 30 minutes, I sanded with 220-grit and wet to raise the grain again. Thirty minutes later, I sanded once again with 220. I used the scraper to knock off the sharp edge of the ebony bindings and then used sandpaper to smooth it over.

2. Next, I used the same sanding process on the neck. I then mixed up a solution of denatured alcohol and powdered aniline dye. Using a cloth, I stained the neck with the solution.

3. Next came the pore-filling. First I taped all the non-rosewood/mahogany parts with thin strips of masking tape. I mixed a little artists' oil color (burnt umber) with Jasco paste wood filler (it has kind of a custardy consistency), to form a kind of chocolate-brown color paste. I brushed it on the rosewood and mahogany with a foam brush. After a few minutes, it turned hazy and dull. Using a piece of burlap and then paper towels, I wiped the filler off, wiping across the grain to force it into the pores.

I'm going to be using the LMI water-based finish (the older FSM one). I could have used a water-based wood filler, but I like using the oil-based filler much better. From past experience, I have found the water-based filler much, much harder to remove. As long as I wait long enough (I'm going to wait about three days) for the filler to completely dry, it is fine to use with the water-base finish.

As you can see, besides filling the pores (to provide a smoother surface for finishing), the paste wood filler also lends a richer color to the rosewood. With the LMI finish, that color will become even more striking.

 

Oops --- forgot to mention this! I also inlaid a couple of abalone strips into the bridge, to add a little more interest to the top.

 Go To..
 
  1. Beginning the Neck
  2. Making the Rosette
  3. Bracing the Top
  4. Bracing the Back
  5. The Sides
  6. Making the Soundbox
  7. Binding
  8. Shaping the Neck
  9. What's Left To Do?
  10. The Fingerboard
  11. The Peghead Inlay
  12. Finishing the Neck
  13. Finishing
 

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