Moderated By: mods
What about that square in the middle of the arch of the saddle?Haze wrote:Those pre-slotted nuts wont be cut thick enough, they're only "pre" slotted. A well cut nut is probably the most important factor on the guitar's playability and tuning in my opinion. It'll have to have the right height to clear the first fret but not feel like its set up for slide. If you don't have proper files i'd recommend having it set up by a luthier or get yourself the right tools and practice.
from ReRanch:hotrodperlmutter wrote:yeah, i think you're supposed to wait like, weeks in between coats. not that it makes it any thicker, but it allows it to harden, and dry smooth. the more you sand on it, the more you have to make up for that lost surface area you sand away.
Do I really need 8 different grades of sandpaper? I am just nervous about oversanding through the finish. I also have never really wetsanded before and don't want to screw up at this stage in the build.After allowing the instrument to dry at least three days (with nitrocellulose lacquer, the longer the better) final sanding and polishing can be done. The sanding will be done with successively finer grades of paper. The paper found at automotive color supply stores works well. The grades required are #400, #600, #800, #1000, #1200, #1500 and #2000. One sheet of each is all that is required. Allow the paper to soak overnight in water before beginning.
Use a small flat block when sanding to prevent your fingers from causing furrows in the finish. As noted a small computer battery is a personal favorite. Sanding first with the #400 grade, sand until all the shiny spots are gone. When done correctly, the finish should be uniform and matte. As you move up to the next grade check the finish in a good light. You should find that the finish is becoming more reflective and that the sanding scratches are becoming fainter. At the #1200 level the finish is now being polished and should reflect images. If you find you have missed a spot, sand backwards until the grade is reached that will blend the spot and then move back to the grade level where you were in successive grades.
But did you do the whole sanding of the finish process?Haze wrote:My finish looks a bit shit, I barely finished off a can of clear and was too excited to start playing it that I didn't bother with pollishing the front of the body!
You can probably start with 600, go to 800, then 1000 and then stop after 1200 and then move on to buffing with Finesse It. That would be the minimum you'd "need". If you have a ton of orange peel to the paint, starting with 400 (but go gently!) will save you some time in terms of leveling it off initially, but there's no way around it... sanding is a slow and time consuming process. Go slow, use a block, and check where you are frequently. A whitish color to the sanded off material is the clear coming off and normal.. if you start getting color in there (blue?) or on the paper, then you're about to sand through! Let the weight of the paper and block do the work for you - you don't need to rub fast or press hard.taylornutt wrote:Can anyone offer me guidance on the final polishing phase? I have been reading the ReRanch website and trying to understand the process.
Do I really need 8 different grades of sandpaper? I am just nervous about oversanding through the finish. I also have never really wetsanded before and don't want to screw up at this stage in the build.After allowing the instrument to dry at least three days (with nitrocellulose lacquer, the longer the better) final sanding and polishing can be done. The sanding will be done with successively finer grades of paper. The paper found at automotive color supply stores works well. The grades required are #400, #600, #800, #1000, #1200, #1500 and #2000. One sheet of each is all that is required. Allow the paper to soak overnight in water before beginning.
Use a small flat block when sanding to prevent your fingers from causing furrows in the finish. As noted a small computer battery is a personal favorite. Sanding first with the #400 grade, sand until all the shiny spots are gone. When done correctly, the finish should be uniform and matte. As you move up to the next grade check the finish in a good light. You should find that the finish is becoming more reflective and that the sanding scratches are becoming fainter. At the #1200 level the finish is now being polished and should reflect images. If you find you have missed a spot, sand backwards until the grade is reached that will blend the spot and then move back to the grade level where you were in successive grades.
Haze, I know you just finished this process with your Musicmaster so any advice would be appreciated.
But it looks like you applied your final coats of clear on 8/4/10 - I'd wait AT LEAST until 8/11 (one week) before even thinking about starting the sanding, and it would definitely be better to wait until 8/18 (two weeks) before doing so. Most refinishers will tell you that you should ideally wait a MONTH between the last clear coat application and the beginning of the sanding process. That may be a bit on the long / conservative side, but sanding too early will potentially lead to some very big problems, so it's generally better to be safe than sorry in terms of drying time... 
