SG jr Build: Finishing-- The 3rd Time's The Charm

Ok, it has taken 3 tries, but the padded on Shellac/dye finish is looking good. Heeding my own advice to be patient has paid off.  That, and reading some fine articles on modified French polishing techniques.  Steve has some great info on applying shellac here.  A few things I've learned along the way:

1. Shellac is in a class by itself as far as behavior.  Excellent technique with varnish/paint/poly/etc. won't help.  You must learn a whole new way of thinking about/applying finishes to be successful with shellac.
2. The effort is worth it.  The finish is beautiful, doesn't require expensive equipment, and the fumes won't drive you out of the house.  Then why don't the major manufacturers use it you ask? Because it takes lots of time and lots of skill, something that just doesn't fit into a corporate business plan.
3. When you make a mistake with shellac-- and it is "when," not "if," a small pad with a bit of alcohol is the magic eraser.  Not something you can do with other finishes.
4. All denatured alcohols are not created equal. The percent of ethanol (alcohol) and other ingredients added varies greatly.  The purer, the better, I've found. I imagine the 190 proof Everclear from the liquor store would be great, but the local Home Depot had 95% pure denatured alcohol under the Klean Strip Green brand.  Much smoother application than the "regular" denatured alcohol I 1st used.
5. Heavy, food-grade mineral oil sold at your local grocery/pharmacy makes a great pad lubricant.  Use sparingly!
6. Zinnser Sealcoat shellac (dewaxed) cut 1:1 with the alcohol makes a great mix for slowly building a finish. 

Sanding everything back down (again!) because I wasn't happy with the color went quicker than I expected, thanks to a pad sander.

Dust collection a must! You can see the neck isn't sanded back yet.

To raise the guitar off the table and to protect the finish, I use pieces of scrap wood wrapped in rubber shelf liner and a clean cloth.  a scrap block inserted in the pickup rout does a great job also.

Sanded, ready for dye.

Almost done applying shellac. Wood block fits in pickup rout to raise body off table and protect new finish.

 The finish has a nice even glow, and a great, deep amber/orange color.

 I'm going to let it sit about a week before final polishing.

SG jr Build: Pickguards, French Polishing & Patience

Lots of bad migraine days have slowed things down, and it's been one step forward and two steps back.

I've had mixed results with the modified French polish method I had been using to apply dyed shellac. The color was great, the neck was perfect, and the back was getting there.  Then, dummy me didn't follow my own advice to be patient.  I picked the guitar up by the neck too soon and left finger marks.  Lots of spot sanding and re-applying of finish then ensued over the course of a few days.  I got it back to 95% and the back was starting to smooth out with the same methodology: build up some body coats, knock it back with an olive oil and abrasive rub, then apply some glaze coats.  While the results would look great to a casual observer, in the end I just wasn't 100% happy.  What to do? What to do?

I could just finish the front the same way, give it a final polish, assemble the hardware and be done with it.  Unfortunately, I know that little OCD, perfectionist voice in my head would just keep getting louder, waking me up at night, saying :you know you should have just stripped it back and started over."  So to avoid any additional sleepless nights, I'm going ahead and sanding everything down, and starting fresh.  Actually, the SGjr is hanging like a dressed deer in my basement right now: gutted and stripped, just waiting for me to decide whether to stick with the modified French polish, or an easier application.

Ah, decisions, decisions...

One other bright note is that I successfully manufactured the pickguard and cover plate from a blank of pickguard material.  Using the router table to cut the bevel was a breeze, and I'll have the MDF templates for future use.

Pickguard isn't scratched: there's a protective film on the front

Templates

Shaping the pickguard on the router table

Shielding on back of control cavity cover

SG jr: Starting the Electronics

The wiring for an SG junior is very simple: 1 volume, 1 tone, 1 pickup, 1 jack, 1 capacitor.  While I waited for the finish to dry between sessions of French polishing, I did some of the wiring for the controls.  Plus I couldn't sleep, and what do we all do when it's 2am and we can't sleep? That's right, we solder!

I like to use the control cavity holes to create a cardboard template for holding the pots & jack in the correct locations relative to each other.  Makes final assembly much easier.  I'll line the cavity with copper foil, then just run the wires for the pickup and bridge stud ground, a couple of solder connections, and be good to go.

ground wire soldered to bridge stud insert

Finishing the SG jr Part 2: Adventures in French Polishing

Just a quick progress report on my SG junior guitar build:

After contour sanding, I glued up the neck and body.  I like Titebond II Dark wood glue for darker woods like walnut and mahogany. Like all glues, I resist the temptation to wipe off excess glue when it is wet.  I wait for it to dry and then the squeeze out comes away cleanly with a chisel or razor blade.

Once dry, the residue will come off easily with a bit of scraping.

The front of the headstock I wanted to darken for contrast, but did not want to just spray paint it black.  I ebonized, or pickled, the mahogany with a mix made from soaking a steel wool pad in vinegar for a day.  Once I clear coat it with shellac, it will look great.

The neck and back of the body are finished, except for final polishing & buffing. I'll tackle the front this week.  Both for aesthetic and health reasons, I decided to go with a modified French Polish approach, using shellac with a bit of dye added to deepen the natural beauty of the mahogany as I build layers.  I used standard mahogany color grain filler from STEWMAC after dying the body with own mix of alcohol dyes mixed with a bit of shellac sealer.

14 sessions to build the back and neck.  Creates a beautiful, thin finish that absolutely glows: if it was good enough for master violin makers, it's good enough for me.  Definitely time intensive, but time is something I have.

You can get a bit of an idea of the color and sheen after applying the sealer, dye, grain filler, body coats, & glazing coats of shellac.

Some people have asked about the durability of a shellac finish:  the best testimony I have is my great-grandfather's violin.  It was made in the mid 1800s, saw a ton of different conditions, and still looks good today.  Plus it's probably the easiest finish to repair, if it is damaged.

Posting more when I get the front done.

SG jr Finish Prep Part 1

I decided to forge ahead today with some basic finish prep on the SG jr, migraine or no. Sometimes the activity helps, and at least it takes my mind off the pain.

Regardless of the type of guitar build, I recommend these steps for anyone attempting their own finish and assembly with a couple of caveats:

Use caution if  you're using a bolt-on neck that already is sealed/finished. You'll need to know what the manufacturer used to avoid using an incompatible top finish that just ends up peeling and flaking off! Most bolt-on necks are maple which, as a closed pore wood, does not require as much prep, either.  A thin coating of Tung Oil maybe all you want or need.

Different woods require different preparation.  StewMac.com has some great information on flowchart form here.

I also suggest that you don't start any finishing steps until you have all your parts: bridge, tuners, pots, etc.

1.  You'll want to check everything for fit and alignment. If adjustments need to be made, it is easier before any finish is applied.  In the case of my SG jr build, I needed to slightly ream out the holes for the control pots as the CTS pots I'm using weren't slipping in as easily as I like.  Some Stikit adhesive backed 220 grit sandpaper wrapped around a dowel does the job admirably.  A pencil also works.

Adhesive backed sandpaper is a tremendous help in the shop.  As you can see, I also use it to shape a control cavity cover template correctly as well. I'll use the MDF template to shape the cover from a blank of pickguard material.  Or red oak. Depends on what I'm feeling later.

Using the table saw rip fence to keep the template square while I hand sand.

Template ready for use.

2. Mask off the fretboard, the neck pocket in the body,and the portion of the neck heel that will be glued into the body.  Glue adheres best to unfinished wood.

3. Contour sand using 220 grit paper, going with the grain.  You can soften radius edges to taste, remove any ragged edges left from routing (no ragged edges from Precision: thanks Phil!), and just generally check for rough spots.

4. Raise the grain by wiping all the sanded surfaces down with a damp (not wet) rag.  This will cause all the broken/rough end wood fibers left from the 1st sanding pass to lift.

5. Sand again-- lightly, and at a slight angle to the grain,  with a smaller grit paper. If you used 220 grit for the contour sanding, use 320 or 400 grit. I'll often repeat with 600 wet/dry paper on non-maple necks.

Stikit adhesive backed sandpaper is a great help.

6. Clean off the saw dust.  Brush, vacuum to get the bulk, then wipe the whole thing down with a clean, lint-free rag dampened with mineral spirits.

Mineral spirits wipe really reveals the natural grain & color.  Also reveals any nicks and scratches.

Save some sanding dust.  If you need to fill in a ding, you'll have matching wood to mix with some glue.

6. While everything is drying, you can play around with some tests of dyes or stains.  Two things I'm considering for the SG jr are "pickling" the front of the headstock to turn it black while allowing the underlying grain to be seen, and applying a slight stain with the sanding sealer to enhance the natural beauty of the mahogany.  I'll use spots inside the control/pickup/neck cavities that won't be seen to try various mixes.  The small black spot in the pic is from my pickling mix.

7. If I do decide to apply a dye tint, I'll do it before applying grain filler.

Coming up in finishing...

Grain filler, final sanding, seal coats,top coats, and final buffing & polishing.

Ruminations on Finishing Options

The rest of the parts arrived yesterday for my SG jr build.  Unfortunately, so did one of my all too frequent hemiplegic migraines: my mobility went from Gunsmoke's Festus, to The Hunchback of Notre Dame's Quasimodo, to Stephen Hawkings in the space of a few hours. Not a lot of guitar building going on, but a lot of mental planning and weighing of options for finishes.

Nothing inspires gear lust more than a gorgeous figured guitar top brought to life by a seductive sunburst under a perfectly polished clear coat.  Some of the finishes showcased by guitar builders are simply breathtaking.  As a woodworker of many years, I truly appreciate the work and skill that goes into these finishes.  On the other hand, as a guitar player, I have played some gorgeously finished guitars that played poorly and sounded flat.  As a builder, I appreciate and think about aesthetics, but at the end of the day it is all about playability and tone.  Does the way the guitar feels and sounds inspire me to play better?  How a guitar looks may inspire me to initially pick it up, but if it doesn't deliver on feel and tone, it is going back on the rack.  Guitar finishes inspire as much debate as any aspect of guitar building: Nitrocellulose or polyurethane, water-based or oil-based, stain or dye.  The debates rage on. Here's my two cents on the subject:

There is no one right way to finish a guitar. All finishing materials & methods have their benefits & shortcomings.  Experience & equipment often tip the scales.

Regardless of finishing method chosen, thinner is always better.  Don't deaden a guitar with a thick coat of anything!  Multiple thin-thin-thin coats are also better than than trying to put it all on in one pass.

Regardless of finishing method chosen, surface preparation is fundamental to getting good results. You've got to take the time contour sanding, leveling, grain filling, sealing, and sanding some more with progressively finer grits to produce a surface that is smooth and uniform before any finish is applied.

The wood and the guitar really make most of the finishing decisions.  I'm not going to put a busy or opaque finish over a beautiful Canary wood top.  Maple accepts dye differently than Mahogany, or Ash.

Many finishing products are highly toxic and have high VOC levels. Not good for anyone or the environment, and something that my neurological issues no longer allow.  I've done spray nitro lacquer, and it is beautiful, but no longer an option health-wise.

So how will I finish the SGjr?  Honestly, I haven't come to a final decision.  We're not talking a flamed top '59 LP here-- we're talking stripped down, straight ahead Rock & Roll for the working man. All the bevels and contours of an SG body factor in as well. Can't ignore that the mahogany, especially the neck, reveals some nice grain and a great warm, honey amber color when I dampened it to plump the grain for sanding.  Maybe a simple shellac?  (If you can call French polishing simple!) I've been experimenting with pickling wood lately (the old vinegar & steel wood alchemy trick): maybe for the headstock? Nothing too fancy, nothing too complicated, nothing that will cause a seizure!  Stay tuned.

SG jr Build Video Part 1

I've uploaded a short video showing off the mahogany body & neck I bought from Precision Guitar Kits as the foundation for my Gibson SG junior style guitar build.  Thanks to The Gore Horsemen for the use of their song "I'm The One" from their CD Space Vikings.

View the video on YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hE8SJ3kAFM

Why NOT To Build A Guitar: Common Misconceptions

There are lots of good reasons for building your own guitar.  You can build a guitar with little experience and a few key tools, but you will need LOTS of patience, and be willing to rein in your expectations.  Speaking of expectations, conversations and DIY bulletin board posts about guitar building reveal a few common misconceptions held by those who have never actually built a guitar-- neither from a kit, a "parts" build, or a complete self-fabricated original. Overlooking the realities of the process can doom your build from the get-go. Save yourself some heartache, and some money, by letting go of the myths and embracing the realities:

1.  It is cheaper to build a guitar than to buy one.  Good luck with that.  Figure $500- $1,000 minimum for a decent to excellent quality build.  Those all inclusive kits that promise a Les Paul for $200: do you really think so?  Oh, and don't forget supplies like sandpaper, dyes, sealers, and finishes.  And tools.  I shudder to think how much I've spent on tools.  Don't forget that you are also paying retail for every part, every supply, every tool.  We can't hope to compete with major manufacturers on that point.  A well made $400-$700 import like the Korean made PRS SE guitars, some of the Epiphones, and some of the made in Mexico Fenders will be more guitar for less money than trying to recreate the same guitar from parts.  Weirdly enough, I think (if you are a skilled builder) that it is easier to beat the high end/high price guitars.  For example, a skilled DIYer can build a Strat copy for $800 that will equal or surpass the high end Fenders that go for 2-3 times as much.
Bottom line: don't expect to build a boutique quality Les Paul killer for $100.

2.  My DIY guitar will automatically play/sound better than anything out on the market.  Wrong again.  The key word here is automatically.  What the average DIYer does have, regardless of skill level, is time.  We will happily spend a day getting the bridge and nut perfectly set up: something the big boys can't/won't do.  If you have the patience, the right tools and/or some ingenuity, your finished guitar MAY exceed the quality of all but the highest end guitars out there, but there are no guarantees.  Playability and tone are subjective and come down to personal preference. A good place to start is Dan Erlewine's book "How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great."  Clear information on setting up and maintaining your guitar with lots of pix and specs included.  The edition I bought a few years ago even came with a set of radius gauges: one of those indispensable tools for working with guitars.
Bottom line: Playability and tone for ANY guitar  depend on the quality of the parts, the quality of the build, and the skill of the person building and setting up the guitar.

I love building and tinkering with guitars.  I also have a background in both electronics and woodworking.  And a complete woodshop, cabinet of lutherie tools, tools for assembling/testing electronics, and lots of time.  And I've made some bad choices in guitar building: mostly when I let the "boy, that will look cool" part of my brain override the ""what will work best?" part of my brain. Playability and tone should trump a gorgeous finish every time.  Although, sometimes you can have both.  The fun is in the attempt.

Remember my mantra: Planning, Preparation & Patience.