Almost ready for finishing but...

Types of finish coatings -- application tools -- application methods
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Geocoucou79
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2023 8:13 am
Location: La Pocatière, Québec

Almost ready for finishing but...

Post by Geocoucou79 » Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:17 am

Hi guys,

I'm almost ready for finishing. I will be using Aqua coat pore filler and then Tru-Oil. I have 2 questions.

My purflings are not so great, there is a couple spots here and there where they disappeared from sanding or where the gluing wasn't accurately performed (see picture). I have been thinking a lot about how I could fix this and I tried a couple things with no success. So my first question is : do you have any hack to make these flaws look better? If not, I'll live with this and it's fine. That's my second build only and that's part of the learning process. Next one will look better!
Purflings.jpg
Purflings.jpg (20.08 KiB) Viewed 34 times
Also, I have already fretted the fretboard but I forgot that it has bindings that need to get some finishing... What would you do with that?
Neck.jpg
Neck.jpg (28.22 KiB) Viewed 34 times
Thanks
Dominic

Herman
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Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:20 pm
Location: Arnhem area, the Netherlands
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Re: Almost ready for finishing but...

Post by Herman » Wed Feb 28, 2024 2:06 pm

Hee Dominic
About the binding. Fill it with colored shellac stick material and match the color.
Like this:
https://www.dubbeldwoodtools.com/produc ... tin-of-10/
(you should get it cheaper than this somewhere)

For the neck:
Tape the fret board off and finish the neck as you like.

Good luck
Herman

John Parchem
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Location: Seattle
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Re: Almost ready for finishing but...

Post by John Parchem » Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:33 pm

agree with Herman stick shellac is great.

Geocoucou79
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2023 8:13 am
Location: La Pocatière, Québec

Re: Almost ready for finishing but...

Post by Geocoucou79 » Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:34 pm

Thank you guys but these are not gaps, that’s the problem. The picture is a little blurry and it’s hard to tell. These missing parts of purflings happened because they were not put deep enough into their slot when I glued them and the maple disappeared upon sanding leaving only a ugly trace of glue.

I tried to re make a part of purfling channel with a chisel where the neck hides it and it wasn’t a great success.

I also tried to route a part of channel with a 1/32 dremel bit and a simple jig but the purfling is not this exact size.

Geocoucou79
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2023 8:13 am
Location: La Pocatière, Québec

Re: Almost ready for finishing but...

Post by Geocoucou79 » Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:38 pm

About the neck and fretboard, my concern is that I want to finish the whole neck including the fretboard binding (maple) but not the fretboard itself right cause it’s ebony? I is that usually done?

Herman
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Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 1:20 pm
Location: Arnhem area, the Netherlands
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Re: Almost ready for finishing but...

Post by Herman » Thu Feb 29, 2024 5:43 am

Ah. now I see. If it was mine I would rout the binding on that side off and put a new one in.

Normally the top side of the fretboard binding is not finished. Over time the maple will get a bit smudged, but that is a choice. Never had complains about it.
And finishing the binding top side, and the ebony not, will give you a very strange feeling on the edge while playing.

Have fun choosing ;)

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