I’ve found that my grain filling before finishing has left much to be desired on a mahogany table top. The pores are showing, and sanding down between coats is going to be too time consuming. Can I fill the pores now, and then continue with the final coats of lacquer?
Any suggestions are welcome.
Replies
Need some more details. How did you attempt to fill the pores (brands?) and how long did you wait before starting to apply lacquer?
How many coats of what kind of lacquer have you already applied?
Pore filler needs some "tooth" to hold on to. It is a good idea to have a seal coat before using the pore filler, but beyond that I would question whether it will get a good bond, especially with even partially filled pores.
Steve, I used Behlen pore filler, and Behlen lacquer. I thought I did a better job filling the pores, and thought the lacquer would take care of the rest, but it didn't. I've got 5 coats right now, and it is better, but I'm thinking it's gonna take at least 3 more.
Well, at this point I think your only option is to continue with the lacquer, sanding between coats. That much lacquer would pretty much assure that an additional coat of the pore filler would not stick. Take heart from the fact that filling will lacquer will give a clearer, deeper looking finish. You won't have excessive build of material because you sand pretty heavily between coats.
Thanks, Steve. I was thinking that was gonna be the way to go, but I wasn't sure if there was something new out there. It is giving it a deeper look, and that works out just fine.
I had this happen restoring a 50 yr old classical guitar. I could not just put more layers of lacquer without harming the sound of the instrument. I spray a wet layer of straight lacquer thinner over it, with a slight bit if xylene added. It softened the finish and let it flow into the pores some. I was then able to fine sand and buff the rest out. Xylene slows the drying, but too much causes the lacquer particles to drop out of suspension and turn white, so go lightly. No more than about 2 or 3%.
50 yr old guitar + 15 yr old thread = 65 yrs... A new record!
Sorry MJ. The guitar is 50 years old, on a 15 year old thread. The guitar was only 35 years years old back then.
Math is hard.
I'm building a Les Paul guitar and this is my first time to use an HVLP sprayer and to spray aniline dye and lacquer. I had the same issue with the mahogany back to my guitar even after three rounds of grain filling so this post is timely and I'm so glad FW has kept it around for these 15 years. I like Blockhart329's idea so I'll try it. However, I'm using rattle can nitrocellulose from Woodcraft but I'd need to buy liquid nitro in order to mix in some xylene. Can anyone suggest where to buy liquid nitro? I'm striking out. Thanks!
ams0620 surely you are familiar with Stewart MacDonald the luthier supplier: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/supplies/finishing-supplies/finishes-and-solvents/colortone-spraying-lacquer/colortone-nitrocellulose-guitar-lacquer/
I'm new to luthiering so I thought they only sold the rattle cans
Thank you!
It wasn’t lacquer but the only time I tried to grain fill over a topcoat was a disaster.
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