Some of the best FP I've seen...Kathy is always trying something
new...check it out..She details it here... and W/Pics
https://www.facebook.com/kathy.matsushita
Ray
Kathy Matsushita -- Facebook - French polish
Forum rules
The purpose of this forum site is to provide a means for acoustic guitar makers at all skill levels to forward information, share experience and ask questions if project obstacles are encountered. We ask that egos be left at the door – the highest levels of courtesy and respect are to be shown to all. Posts containing disparaging comments will be removed. The “Acoustic Guitar Construction Forum” is owned by Kenneth Michael Guitars and is copy protected. Direct links to luthier suppliers are not permitted and will be edited.
The purpose of this forum site is to provide a means for acoustic guitar makers at all skill levels to forward information, share experience and ask questions if project obstacles are encountered. We ask that egos be left at the door – the highest levels of courtesy and respect are to be shown to all. Posts containing disparaging comments will be removed. The “Acoustic Guitar Construction Forum” is owned by Kenneth Michael Guitars and is copy protected. Direct links to luthier suppliers are not permitted and will be edited.
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Ray Ussery
- Posts: 662
- Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:51 am
Re: Kathy Matsushita -- Facebook - French polish
Ray -- are you sure this it the link you wanted to post? Does not seem at all to focus on French Polish.
ken cierp
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/
Store Front
http://www.cncguitarproducts.com/
KMG Guitar Kit Information
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/ki ... ckage.html
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/
Store Front
http://www.cncguitarproducts.com/
KMG Guitar Kit Information
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/ki ... ckage.html
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Ray Ussery
- Posts: 662
- Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:51 am
Re: Kathy Matsushita -- Facebook - French polish
Yeah Ken...it's there.... hummmm, maybe I can separate them out of Facebook...I'll look at it in a bit. sorry...
Last edited by Ray Ussery on Sat Jun 22, 2013 9:04 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Ray Ussery
- Posts: 662
- Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:51 am
Re: Kathy Matsushita -- Facebook - French polish
Here is the text with the proper pics:
Just finished level-sanding and laying on another coat (the third) of Z-poxy on the soundbox and neck. Tomorrow, I will level-sand it with 320-grit; hopefully, all the pores will be filled by then. If not, another coat should do it. THEN....I can begin the French polishing process!!! Yay!
_____
Have been working on the French polishing of my little Size 5 guitar this past week. It's the very first time I've tried this process, and I'm really liking the hands-on process! However, ran into my first problem a couple of days ago --- in trying to use pumice to fill some pores (after laying on the 4th FP coat), I managed to create a little 1" by 1/2" "crater" in the finish! I put a query out in a luthiers' forum for suggestions on how to fix it, and today I tackled the fix, after waiting a couple of days for the finish to harden some more. Working really slowly and lightly, I used walnut oil & 1800-grit Micromesh to level down the area around the crater, followed by one coat of the FP; it took me an hour to do it, but it came out well! (Relief.)
THE FRENCH POLISHING ADVENTURE CONTINUES...
After about 10 sessions of FP, I let the guitar sit for 3 days before I did a light leveling of the finish with 1800-2400-3200 Micromesh and walnut oil. Today I've done 4 more sessions; you can see the results below.
I tried something new today --- after seeing Michael Thames's Youtube videos on FP, I decided to try his method of using a beveled Artgum eraser wrapped in 3 layers of cheesecloth, to apply the shellac. It applied the shellac really smoothly on the top and back (circular motions first, followed by lengthwise strokes), and was more effective than the traditional muñeca in laying on the shellac evenly on the end of the peghead veneer at the nut end. Occasionally, I did use the muñeca on the top and back, when I needed to press harder to smooth out any problem areas. On the sides, I used the muñeca to apply the FP (circular motions), and then used the eraser w/cheesecloth to do the lengthwise smoothing strokes.
Just a quick photo of where the guitar stands now. I THINK I'm done. After around 16 bodying sessions, I did about 4 "glazing" sessions (less shellac, more alcohol). After I let it sit for a while --- I think I'll wait a week --- I'll polish it up with some Meguiar's polishes. Then I can glue on the neck and bridge, and set it all up with saddle, nut, tuners, and strings! The waiting part always kills me....
Just finished level-sanding and laying on another coat (the third) of Z-poxy on the soundbox and neck. Tomorrow, I will level-sand it with 320-grit; hopefully, all the pores will be filled by then. If not, another coat should do it. THEN....I can begin the French polishing process!!! Yay!
_____
Have been working on the French polishing of my little Size 5 guitar this past week. It's the very first time I've tried this process, and I'm really liking the hands-on process! However, ran into my first problem a couple of days ago --- in trying to use pumice to fill some pores (after laying on the 4th FP coat), I managed to create a little 1" by 1/2" "crater" in the finish! I put a query out in a luthiers' forum for suggestions on how to fix it, and today I tackled the fix, after waiting a couple of days for the finish to harden some more. Working really slowly and lightly, I used walnut oil & 1800-grit Micromesh to level down the area around the crater, followed by one coat of the FP; it took me an hour to do it, but it came out well! (Relief.)
THE FRENCH POLISHING ADVENTURE CONTINUES...
After about 10 sessions of FP, I let the guitar sit for 3 days before I did a light leveling of the finish with 1800-2400-3200 Micromesh and walnut oil. Today I've done 4 more sessions; you can see the results below.
I tried something new today --- after seeing Michael Thames's Youtube videos on FP, I decided to try his method of using a beveled Artgum eraser wrapped in 3 layers of cheesecloth, to apply the shellac. It applied the shellac really smoothly on the top and back (circular motions first, followed by lengthwise strokes), and was more effective than the traditional muñeca in laying on the shellac evenly on the end of the peghead veneer at the nut end. Occasionally, I did use the muñeca on the top and back, when I needed to press harder to smooth out any problem areas. On the sides, I used the muñeca to apply the FP (circular motions), and then used the eraser w/cheesecloth to do the lengthwise smoothing strokes.
Just a quick photo of where the guitar stands now. I THINK I'm done. After around 16 bodying sessions, I did about 4 "glazing" sessions (less shellac, more alcohol). After I let it sit for a while --- I think I'll wait a week --- I'll polish it up with some Meguiar's polishes. Then I can glue on the neck and bridge, and set it all up with saddle, nut, tuners, and strings! The waiting part always kills me....
