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KIT TIP: Blushing
Buy a can of aerosol “blush eraser” for lifting the blu-
ish haze which can occur when moisture is trapped
in the lacquer finish . Blushing can result from humid
conditions, or if the coat is sprayed too heavily .
Day Six: Once again, spray three wet clear coats, one hour
apart, on the neck and body . The guitar now has NINE coats .
Let the finish dry overnight .
Day Seven: Scuff-sand the finish with 320-grit again . This
time most of the shiny spots will disappear, leaving a uni-
formly dull look . Spray three more clear coats, one hour
apart . You now have TWELVE coats . Allow overnight drying .
Day Eight: Lightly scuff-sand the finish with 600-grit Fre-
Cut® paper, to help the solvent escape . The neck and body
should now be left in a warm dry location for TWO WEEKS
to let the finish harden and shrink .
KIT TIP: Wet sanding
Soak the micro-finishing paper in water overnight
before use . It will scratch less, and last longer . Al-
ways keep it wet from then on . Using soft cloths,
or an electric hand-drill with foam polishing pads,
rub-out the fine wet-sanding scratches to a final
gloss with medium and fine polishing compounds .
Use a separate pad for each compound . You can follow this
with swirl remover if desired . Clean off the residue left by the
polishes, remove the remaining masking tape from the neck,
and remove the soundhole masking materials from the body .
Dry-sand the neck and body to a flat, dull sheen with 800-
grit Fre-Cut® paper . Clean the residue from the paper often
by wiping on a scrap of carpet or a brush .
“Orange-peel” texture caused by lacquer shrinkage as the
solvents cure out of the finish should be removed, but don’t
oversand . When all the little shiny low spots in the lacquer
have been removed, you’re ready to go to the next step .
Wet-sand with 1200-grit micro-finishing paper and water,
to bring the finish to a smooth satin surface that’s ready for
final polishing . Excess water and residue should be wiped
off the finish with a clean dry soft cloth as you work . Rinse
the sandpaper in soapy water often, to remove hard specks
that can scratch the finish .
Sanding and rubbing-out the finish
StewMac’s tool recommendation
Foam Polishing Pads
Item #3414
Your instrument finishes can have a more professional look when you use these
fiber-free foam buffing pads . The gentle polishing action helps avoid swirl marks,
fine scratches and burn-through, leaving a beautiful mirror-gloss surface .
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