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KIT TIP: Sanding
Always use a backing block or pad when sanding
the guitar body . It will help maintain a level surface .
On round surfaces, use a flexible rubber backing
pad, a thick piece of felt or leather, or fold the
sandpaper three or four times to give it firmness
with flexibility .
Unmask the top, and sand it just as you did the back and
sides . Don’t use the same sandpaper you used on the rest
of the body . Blow-off and vacuum the dust from the open
grain pores .
We recommend finishing the neck and body separately, for a
better job of sanding and buffing . When the neck is attached,
it’s more difficult to fill the grain, sand, and buff around the
neck/body joint . Also, lacquer tends to build up in that area,
and unsightly air bubbles may become trapped there .
The quality of your finish work is certainly important to the
appearance of your guitar . A thin “nonprofessional” finish
won’t necessarily harm the sound of your guitar, however .
If the following instructions seem beyond your skills (we
assure you they’re not), or to be more work than you’d like,
you can simply apply a low-gloss “wipe-on” finish by hand,
consisting of a couple of coats of waterbase lacquer or freshly
mixed shellac . This will seal the wood and protect it from the
elements, and you’ll be playing your new guitar a lot sooner .
The following instructions, for spraying an aerosol nitro-
cellulose lacquer finish, are relatively foolproof and don’t
involve an investment in shop spraying equipment . Aerosol
lacquers require no thinner, or course, but it’s nice to have
thinner around for cleanup . Feel free to apply the finish
of your choice, however, according to the manufacturer’s
directions . If you decide to use spray equipment, always
thin nitrocellulose lacquers with nitrocellulose thinner only .
KIT TIP: Aerosol Lacquers
Aerosol lacquers have a tendency to “spit” if the
spray tip gets clogged . Wipe the tip clean often .
Also, you can clean the tip by turning the can upside
down and spraying until the spray stream stops . We
recommended doing this each time you are done
spraying, to keep the tip clean .
There are many gallons of finishing information in our book
Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step, and we know of many custom-
ers who are glad they studied the book before finishing their
first guitar . In brief though, here are some pointers and a
finishing schedule to follow .
KIT TIP: Finishing
ALWAYS practice on scrap wood until a finishing
method has been perfected . Scraps of wood are
included in each kit so you can practice all the fin-
ishing steps . If you’d like your guitar to look as good
as it sounds and plays, DON’T RUSH!
Finishing
Introduction to finishing and materials
All the wood surfaces should be fine sanded up to 220-grit
using Fre-Cut® paper on a sanding block . Start by sanding
the back and sides . Mask the soundboard with brown paper
and masking tape, to protect it from the darker wood dust .
The sandpaper should be no coarser than 150-grit, and
you should switch quickly to 220-grit . Sand in the direction
of the grain, not across it . After the first 220-grit sanding,
dampen the entire surface lightly with a water-dampened
(not soaked!) cloth to raise the grain . Let it dry, and sand
again with 220-grit . Blow-off and vacuum the wood dust .
Sanding the body
Stewart-MacDonald’s tool recommendation
ColorTone Aerosol Finishing Kit
Item #1850
Even if you're a beginner, you can achieve beautiful results you'll be proud to
show off . You'll get professional guidance from the best instruction book available
too—included FREE with the kit .
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Summary of Contents for 5297
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