Luthier Tips du Jour - Buffing High Gloss Finishes - O'Brien Guitars

[joeygonzo]

What finish did you use ?

Also, you didn't use the brown compound.  Too coarse ?

Thank you

[OBrienGuitars]

@joeygonzo This was a lacquer finish and I sanded it to a higher grit than normal so no course compound was used.

[sirgreggins8824]

is tru oil glossy to start off. I used BLO on a neck repair a while back. and it was a satin finish of course.

[bosephusjr]

Hello Mr. O'Brien,

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge & expertise! Your kindness is greatly appreciated.

David G

-Raleigh, NC

[OBrienGuitars]

@bosephusjr You are quite welcome David. Happy Building!

[neilmacmusic]

Your guitars and finishing techniques are superb!

[OBrienGuitars]

@neilmacmusic Thanks!

[bulantut]

WOW!

[Wesley77Small]

What electric buffer should I use for buffing my large heave speakers that I make. And what lacquer do you use on gtrs?

Thank you very much! Wesley

[OBrienGuitars]

@Wesley77Small If you can lift the speakers I prefer using a stationary buffing wheel. If not you will need to use a buffing bonnet on a hand held power buffer. For lacquer, a high quality instrument grade lacquer is a must. There are few brands available: Seagraves (Mcfaddens) and a newer brand I am experimenting with is Cardinal.

[botooleg]

Thank you for the demonstration!! I also want to say that is a beautiful guitar you used. I especially like the parrot on the headstock, and I'll bet it sounds great too. Thanks again.

[OBrienGuitars]

@botooleg Thank you for the compliment. Happy Building!

[HudCouto]

Então é melhor deixar só no óleo e lixar entre as camadas pra tentar deixar "liso"? Eu gosto bastante do Tru-oil por ser fácil de aplicar, e minha guitarra é bem curvada, não tem problema. Mas em meu violão gostaria de ter um acabamento tipo "vidro", vc acha que é possível só com Tru-oil e lixas 1200?

Aliás, falando em óleo, vc já testou óleo de tungue ou linhaça? Como se comparam com o Tru-Oil?

Abraços e desculpa tantas perguntas :D

[OBrienGuitars]

@HudCouto Lixando entre as camadas ajuda a úlitma camada ser liso sim. Se quiser um acabamento de vidro tem que usar um produto adequado e tru oil não é o ideal para isso. Prefiro tru oil para tungue ou linhaça nos instrumentos. Agora em móveis prefiro linhaça.

[HudCouto]

Olá! já que vc disse que mrou no Brasil, vou perguntar em português mesmo ;D:

Vc recomendaria usar uma politriz depois de umas 7 ou 8 camadas de Tru-Oil? Pergunto porque o Tru-Oil deixa um acabamento bem fino, mesmo com tantas camadas, e tenho receio de ser mais frágil que a nitro e se queimar com a politriz

abraços do Brasil!

[OBrienGuitars]

@HudCouto Você pode usar a politriz se quiser mas vai de leve. Também a camada de óleo é bem fina e você corre o risco de passar a camada de cima para a de baixo. Isto vai ser visível.

[FlipGordon]

WET SANDING FUN??? Im an apprentice and I cant really stand it haha

[cryglory]

is there anyway to get a decent job with a can spray and not a buffing wheel?

[OBrienGuitars]

@cryglory No, You must level and buff the finish if you want a flat high gloss finish. This has to be done whether you spray with cans, a gun or even brush on the finish

[EmilFinnas94]

If you use cellulose laquer, should you apply several layers? If so, how many? And, should you sand between applying the layers? If so, which grain is to be preferred? Thanks a lot for the video!

[OBrienGuitars]

@EmilFinnas94 Absolutely! I first do my surface prep...sand to 220 and pore fill. I then spray seal coats. I then level and spray 4-6 coats of clear topcoat over a 2 day period leveling at the beginning of the second day. I level with 320. Happy Finishing!

[EmilFinnas94]

@OBrienGuitars Thanks you very much! I assume the same goes with electric guitars...and, do you go after the American grit system?

[aandc2005]

what is the best way to sand the outside edge and inside where the neck joint is of a electric guitar starting with 600 to 2000, I hate doing it by hand it takes forever, I was thinking of useing a Oscillating Spindle Sander but the grits aren't high enough, theres got to be a easier way to sand it other then by hand, it's real pain to get it flat on the inside near the neck joint. on the front and back I use a da sander with 600, 800, 1200, 1500 then 3000 3mm wet sand hook and loop then buff it

[OBrienGuitars]

@aandc2005 whatever works for you is the method you should use. Good luck

[OBrienGuitars]

Tips?? Yes, stop playing it! haha You are buffing the finish to a gloss as you play. a fine steel wool will take care of that though. Eventually though you will wear through the finish.

[patapirate]

@OBrienGuitars

great vid!

quick question, i have a black matte finish electric, but i don't know how to take care of it so it doesn't start to get polished, the neck is now shiny/glossy and the body is still matte, any tips?

[diegohernan82]

hi! great videos! i wanted to ask u about the thickness sander: i was wondering about the RPM of the drum spinning during the work, can u calculate it? Thanks!

[OBrienGuitars]

@diegohernan82 Thanks. If I remember correctly that drum is spinning at around 1725 RPM

[bassman8er]

Great video!!! I've made a few bass guitars and am starting to get into brushed on water based finishes, like the KTM-9 that LMII sells.

So, I'm scared to death of screwing up the instrument I just made, but after watching your video, it's cleared up a lot of stuff for me... Will practice on some scrap first...

[pkusterlfd]

I'm always reading where one can "buff" out scratches on a guitar, usually from someone selling a guitar. I have fine polishing swirls etc in the finish of my guitars and was going to purchase a buffing wheel, but after watching your video I'm not sure it's as easy as turning on the wheel and adding polish. Any recommendations around polishing an already existing nice finish just to remove fine scratches and or to restore an older guitar's finish?

Thanks

Patrick

[OBrienGuitars]

Try a car polish swirl remover product and do it by hand. You can do more damage than good if you take it to a buffing wheel and you don't have experience.

[pkusterlfd]

ok, I'll try that. I wasn't for certain if the swirl remover acted like a cleaner putting more polish swirls in it.

Thanks

[treatb09]

have u ever wet sanded with mineral spirits?

[OBrienGuitars]

Yes I have.

[8017176564]

thanks so much. i em so happy i know what to do now THANKS

[603881]

Thank you for the video.

[shredftw]

VVVVEEEEEERRRRRRYYYYYYY good video!

[picklehead7]

Bookmarked this one!

[rlholo]

... and note his hand placement... how he holds the guitar when he's buffing it.

If you're holding the guitar correctly, it is less likely to shoot out of your hands if the buffer does catch it a little (...buffers seem to have an uncanny ability to do this even when you're being careful) and note how he never puts his hands in danger... this is important around all power tools no matter how safe they may appear to be... Good vid, - wish I'd have had something like this when I started out ;-)