LP Tribute refinish, take 2...

For some reason my oil wasn't drying as well today. Yesterday I didn't even start til late afternoon and I got 4 coats on last night, today I only managed to get 2 coats. Some days that's just how it goes.

So at 6 coats it's just now gotten to where it isn't soaking in anywhere anymore. There were a couple of places that were still sucking it in, but they stopped. I'm going to do a few more coats before I add any color dye. I probably won't post anymore pics until I do that and it might be a few days.

Anyway, here it is after 6 coats. You can see how it's starting to develop a gloss/shine now.

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fitz said:
Put some color on it already. :yesway:

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I will...as soon as it tells me it's ready. ;) I want to make sure I have enough of a base coat in case I have to sand it back to get my burst. I don't want to accidentally go too far. The oil is still overall very thin, I want add probably double what's on there now before I add color.

I have always rushed my finishes and took what I got, I'm not doing that this time. I'm in no hurry on this one.
 
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I found this old post from 2018 in another thread. Thought some of it might be useful.

RVA said:
here is the Tru Oil advice

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I've been a Professional Restoration, Finishing & Painting Contractor since 1980, the Summer I Graduated High School. I used to help my Dad & Grandad from 12 years old onwards and I've used just about every kind of Coating there is. I'd like to make a few suggestions to help you. First use VM&P Napthia (Varnish Makers & Painters) instead of Mineral Spirits. (Paint Thinner) Napthia is also known as Lighter Fluid such as Ronsonol or Zippo, Coleman Camping Fuel or White Gas (not Gasoline) but VM&P is the best because it's a little cleaner/higher grade. VM&P Napthia will mix in better, your Tru-Oil will set (tack) up quicker, dry faster and cure out a little harder plus being a much higher grade Solvent than Mineral Spirits it will increase the shine. Always measure and stir it in (don't whip, it'll add air bubbles) whatever Solvent you use to thin the Finish you're using. This way you can easily replicate it and you'll have consistently from batch to batch. Try 3 Tablespoons of Tru-Oil & 1/2 Tablespoon of VM&P. If that's too thick add another 1/2 Tablespoon of VM&P. Keep adding VM&P 1/2 at the time until you've got the desired viscosity. Once you've got your ratios down you can replicate the excact same formula over and and your finish will be perfect and consistent. You can make larger batches by using a Shot Glass in the same ratio. If You have a some Baby Food Jars with a good Rubber Seal in their lids. You can mix up a jar full at the time if you have 2-3 Guitars to finish. Even if you don't mix a jar full you can keep your leftovers in a Baby Food Jar. Also it's really best to use your thinned Tru-Oil for your First Coat because it will Soak in and Penetrate Deeper. This will Bond & Seal your Wood better. It won't hurt to use your thinned Tru-Oil for all your Coats, you may find you like this better. The Best Sealer is Zinsser Seal-Coat. It's a 100% wax free Shellac compable under all Clear Finishes, even Hot Solvent Finishes like Lacquer and 2 part Epoxies and Alphatic Urethane. If you Seal your Wood with Zinsser Seal-Coat Your Tru-Oil, Polyurethane, Lacquer, etc. will have greater "Enamel Holdout" (higher gloss/sheen) plus all your Top Coats lay down and smooth out better. Lastly put a little Cyanoacrylate (Super) Glue on the little Cardboard/Paper Seal that comes in your Tru-Oil's Top to keep it in place and store it upside down. This will keep it Fresh longer and if it Skins or Scabs over this Will be on the bottom when you turn it right side up. Hope this Helps you. look for Jimmy Reaves (no picture) on Facebook. I'll send you my email and help you all I can.
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SG John said:
I found this old post from 2018 in another thread. Thought some of it might be useful.
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I've seen that video, but thanks for posting because I forgot about that trick. This is the first time I'm trying to get a really glossy look so I'll probably try it. :yesway:

I've got 9 coats on it now and it's already glossier than I've ever done before. I think now I'm just going to let it cure for a couple of days before I add color.
 
One of the reasons I want to let this sit and cure for a couple of days (at least) before I start the color coats is because I'm thinking about doing a faux binding and the easiest way I can see to do it at this point is to tape off around the edge of the top before I apply color. I don't want to stick tape to it before it's dried enough.

Now I just need to figure out what type of tape would work best for taping around curves and have the least amount of bleed.
 
DirtySteve said:
I'm thinking about doing a faux binding and the easiest way I can see to do it at this point is to tape off around the edge of the top before I apply color.
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Probably the best way to do it. :yesway:
I tried some 1/4" cream colored vinyl pinstripe at one point on my Tribute to get a faux binding.
Looked good from a distance, but not so much up close.
Durability was an issue, so it didn't last long.

The burst on my Tribute is just on top, so the edge of the maple cap kinda has that binding-ish look against the mahogany back.

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fitz said:
Probably the best way to do it. :yesway:
I tried some 1/4" cream colored vinyl pinstripe at one point on my Tribute to get a faux binding.
Looked good from a distance, but not so much up close.
Durability was an issue, so it didn't last long.

The burst on my Tribute is just on top, so the edge of the maple cap kinda has that binding-ish look against the mahogany back.

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Thanks. Seems like it might be more trouble than it's worth. Did you refinish that guitar? ...how'd you do it?
 
DirtySteve said:
Thanks. Seems like it might be more trouble than it's worth. Did you refinish that guitar? ...how'd you do it?
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If you mean vinyl pinstripe is "more trouble than it's worth", yes don't bother.

It's the original finish on the guitar - satin honey burst.
I've done some tweaking tricks to darken the top a bit and give it a little more gloss with a few coats of rubbed on boiled linseed oil.
I may have inadvertently enhanced the color difference on the edge by doing nothing to it...
 
fitz said:
If you mean vinyl pinstripe is "more trouble than it's worth", yes don't bother.
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No, I meant doing the faux binding at all. The more I think about it the more I see potential problems and I know me, if it's not perfect I'll regret even trying and it'll be too late by then. I might just worry too much, but it's another reason why I'm giving myself a few days while it cures some to decide what I'm going to do.
 
DirtySteve said:
No, I meant doing the faux binding at all. The more I think about it the more I see potential problems and I know me, if it's not perfect I'll regret even trying and it'll be too late by then. I might just worry too much, but it's another reason why I'm giving myself a few days while it cures some to decide what I'm going to do.
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I think the painter's tape idea may be worth a try.
Peel it after the first tint coat and see if it's bleeding at all.
 
fitz said:
I think the painter's tape idea may be worth a try.
Peel it after the first tint coat and see if it's bleeding at all.
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We'll see. My thought was if it bleeds in just a couple of places it'll be easy to scrape the bleeds to fix it up, but what if it bleeds everywhere? :ohno:

I was worried that a faux binding would look funny without a neck binding, but yours looks pretty good.
 
Ok, this isn't working. The color added to the tru-oil just isn't coloring it. I add more dye and it builds up in spots where it dries before I can wipe it off because it's so thin after adding acetone to get the dye to mix. Adding dye to the oil was an experiment anyway, I've never tried it before, but I really expected it to work better than this.

I'm going to try another batch using less acetone, I may have put too much and got it too thinned. If it doesn't work better...I may have to come up with a new plan. :hmmm:
 
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