Oil finishes - little tutorial for my wet sanded oil finish technique

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  • ChalkyChalky Frets: 6807
    edited June 2015
    @Sarge, using Tru-oil to build up layers over the stain, then wax on top?
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  • Perhaps there is a way of tinting the oil itself - @wezv?

    Wudtone is an alternative for colours - they work great mostly. Some bits of wood seem oddly resilient, though I've never had that issue myself. It's best suited to grainy stuff and isn't as super smooth as the wet oil stuff wez does - it's more like sunken nitro. I bloody love it, very tactile, looks great and is relatively easy.

    But if you're dead set on the oil finish method (I will try it one day because, having seen @alnico's tele, it's a wonderful feeling finish) it's worth checking all of this stuff first.

    You *may* be able to use a wudtone base colour coat followed by a week or two to cure and then tru oil that... But I don't know at all and I'd imagine the wet sanding would disturb it.
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    You can put layers of tru oil over the top of your stain you just can't use Wez's wet sanding technique or you'll lift some of the stain. @Andyjr1515 has finished some guitars this way he'll have used fountain pen ink as a stain (it works really well).
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    Adam_MD said:
    You can put layers of tru oil over the top of your stain you just can't use Wez's wet sanding technique or you'll lift some of the stain. @Andyjr1515 has finished some guitars this way he'll have used fountain pen ink as a stain (it works really well).
    Yes - this is broadly right.  @WezV's slurry technique creates a wood sanding mixed with the tru-oil that fills all of the tiny voids with a wood-coloured 'filler'.  With the buffing it leaves you with a superb silky smooth natural wood finish.

    By definition, if the wood is stained (with ink or conventional stains), the slurry sanding will be taking the stained surface off...stain doesn't go very deep!

    On a separate tack, I've found that tru-oil goes on perfectly well onto my ink-stained woods and veneers, but all you can do is build up a lacquer layer, then carefully flatten before a final finish layer of oil.  It can produce a nice finish.  However, this is quite different to WezV's technique and produces quite a different finish effect.

    Would you agree with this @WezV?
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  • DeijavooDeijavoo Frets: 3298
    On a separate and more noobish question. Would you recommend doing this process with the neck and body separate?
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    Its probably easier but you don't have to. My se tremonti had a set neck so I had to do both together. It worked fine
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  • 10thumbs10thumbs Frets: 427

    I`ll be attempting my first partscaster in a few weeks ,so a couple of questions for you more experienced chaps.

    How much oil should I buy for an ash body and maple neck ?

    Does Tru oil impart any colour , I don`t want a white , pale , anaemic looking thing when I`ve finished.

    What is the finish like on ash if you don`t grain fill ?

    Has anybody tried Liberon finishing oil?

     I use it on my oak worktops in the kitchen , comes up nice , seems quite hard.

    Jewellers rouge any good for polishing , or am I just being silly .

    ( I`m just thinking of whats in the cupboard  under the sink , LOL.)





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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    sorry, just back from hols

    there are a few different ways to use tru-oil.  It can be built up like a lacquer or wetsanded like this.  Its not as good as lacquer for a lacquer style finish, so i don't use it that way

    the wetsanded method doesn't allow staining of strong colours, although you can usually get a bit of a tint as show in the original posts

    i have been lookign for a coloured rub on finish for ages and have tried loads but never been quite happy

    but i did these two recent ones with EZE-OIL  - not wetsanded!!
    image
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    it doesnt feel as nice as the wetsanded oil finish, but its not far off.  the main thing with the eze-oil is that it doesn't seem to lift the finish as much as the other rub on finishes I have tried
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  • SargeSarge Frets: 2370
    @10thumbs Tru Oil can't be polished with compound/grit polish, at least not in my experience.
    It does go a long long way, so best to buy a small bottle to see if you like the feel of the finish first.
    And it does have a slight amber tint to it, I've used coffee and tea to help along the tint on ash and maple before to good effect.
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  • redrighthandredrighthand Frets: 745
    edited June 2015
    I've been giving Wez's Tru oil technique a blast on a pine tele. Applied my third wet sanded coat (fourth coat overall) tonight. The body's starting to feel nice and smooth. It's not necessarily scratch free, but I'm not aiming for perfection so I may stop very soon and give the wax a go.

    One thing I've found tricky. The oil gets very sticky, and I find that by the time I've wet sanded the front back and sides, some residue will have found its way onto the bits I did first and become very sticky. Tonight once I'd finished the wet sanding I immediately gave it a firm buff with a microfibre cloth which seems to have done the trick, however I'm not sure how much of the oil will have survived and sunk in. Looking nice though.

    I'm doing a neck too though am only on the first wet sanded coat for that. Between the frets is the tricky bit as expected. @wezv do you think sanding with the grain really matters when wet sanding with the oil? I've tried giving sanding across the fretboard (ie at 90 degrees to the grain) on the first fret a blast and it's not looking too bad. The frets themselves also end up covered in oil - I've just been wiping them down after the oil goes on but they may need a good buff when done.

    Quite enjoying the process :)
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  • redrighthandredrighthand Frets: 745
    Oh, another question re Bri Wax. For buffing a try oil finish would it make any difference using the tinted wax rather than the clear? Reason being I'd contemplate trying a Bri wax finish next and would go for a tinted one...
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    I don't wetsand between the frets unless i am starting the process before fretting . Sanding across the grain with 400g upwards will not be an issue.

    Not tried it with tinted briwax, give it a go
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  • 10thumbs10thumbs Frets: 427

    Thanks Sarge

    Does anyone know , can you put Tru Oil on over nitro ?

    I`m just trying to figure out the best way to do a neck/headstock , esp. regarding the waterslide .

    I`ve already done the body in Tru Oil , looking really good,

     but as I already have a can of nitro , I might just use it for the neck ,as it was already poly sealed when I bought it , I`m just worried nitro might damage the waterslide if I spray over it .

    Just found an unopened tin of briwax under the sink as well ( bought originally for my oak doors) :D

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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    I tend to do just the headstock in lacquer and oil the rest.
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  • TheOtherDennisTheOtherDennis Frets: 2010
    edited June 2015
    Hi Wez, I have another question, if you don't mind - I've been trying this technique on the mahogany body of the kit I bought for the Les Dennis reboot.

    Somehow, I've either applied it inconsistently or over sanded in some areas, because now it's had time to settle, there are lighter streaks along the sides. Can these be patched by doing a bit more oiling, or would it be difficult to blend them in? (A lot of the other marks you can see are just dust, but I don't know where the black one's come from.)

    image
    If you must have sex with a frog, wear a condom. If you want the frog to have fun, rib it.
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546

    The black mark looks suspiciously like a tool mark

     

    the light marks should come out with more wetsanding, unless their is still some sealer there stopping it.  might be worth going back a few grades on this small area

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  • TheOtherDennisTheOtherDennis Frets: 2010
    edited June 2015
    The tool will have been me.

    There was no sealer on the body at all, apparently. KitBuiltGuitars.co.uk say they don't put any on.
    If you must have sex with a frog, wear a condom. If you want the frog to have fun, rib it.
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    if its not sealer its a glue smear, eitehr way the wood has been sealed by something if its not absorbing oil
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  • Ah, right, ok. It's probably smears then, because it's just around the edges, and inconsistently. There are no streaks like that across the back or top, or on the back of the neck or anything.
    If you must have sex with a frog, wear a condom. If you want the frog to have fun, rib it.
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  • hobbiohobbio Frets: 3440
    Hi mate, I've noticed a couple of runs on the neck, I must have dripped a bit of oil on without noticing. Is fixing it just a case of flatting back with 2000 grit until it disappears? 

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