Tru-Oil prep and procedure

[Ken Hundley]

Not sure how you would "remove" something integrated into the finish short of removing the finish. I would more consider just putting a coat or two of straight shellac, either that or shellac sanding sealer.

[Dave Bagwill]

From the web:
Spiriting

After the guitar “gases out” for about an hour, you are ready to “spirit off" the guitar. Spiriting is the procedure used to remove the excess oil that has accumulated on top of the guitar’s finish. The gassing out of the guitar has allowed the oil that does not combined with the finish to permeate to the surface. We will want to remove the excess oil to prepare for the next bodying session. Spiriting is done in the exact same way as stiffing. A small amount of alcohol is loaded in the muneca and, with straight even strokes and firm pressure, go from one end of the guitar to the other. Use overlapping strokes, covering the entire surface of the guitar. There will be a very small amount of shellac left in the muneca which will guarantee that we will not be removing any shellac during the spiriting.

[Ken Hundley]

I been told! ;)

[Dave Bagwill]

I only remembered about 'spiriting' because at one time I was reading the Milburn's FP process, and reading, and reading, and gave up reading when they introduced 'spiriting off' thinking this was WAY too much trouble.

[Ray Ussery]

Dave,
I use True Oil on most everything I do...the result is makes me VERY happy...but I have a question...I have a request to do something with True Oil over a decoupage project using Mod-Podge brush stippling gloss sealer/glue...have you ever tried it over something like that?
I'm guessing I need to experiment, lacquer is used regularly...but I'm allergic to lacquer...thus the T.O., thanks..
Ray

[Dave Bagwill]

Sorry Ray, never done anything remotely fancy with the TO. Sounds like an interesting project though.

[Lonnie B]

Hi I wanted to chime in my experiences with TO. First I started in the late sixties on rifle stocks. Lost interest after about ten years. A couple of years ago I began buying guitar bodies off EBAY and restoring them building necks for them replacing everything they needed. When it came to the finishing my first and only thought was TO. I restored the original finish as best I could then began using coats of TO. I never thinned it down. Had never done so on rifles and never thought of doing so on guitars. Just straight out of the bottle. Using it to fill the pores. Using 0000 steel wool between coats. Right over the top of sometimes seventy yr old guitar finishes. To be honest it restored the sheen to the old guitars and really brought them back to life. I have COPD so just about any finish other then TO would be a disaster to me. I love the product. Have never buffed the finish,always wanted too though. I applied it with one finger. Rubbing it into the wood just pressing it right down into the pores. When all the pores look to be filled I stop. The instructions I received in Gun School was to take one drop of oil and stretch it over the complete stock. When you were able to do that then you could see into the finish for days. I love TO. Never did any sanding,only steel wool between coats. Letting it dry overnight between coats. The last coat I would just leave as is no steel wooling. Then let it cure for a couple of weeks. Never had have any complaints. You all know if you've made a mistake on your builds. Never with TO have I ever made a screwup. If so steel wool it off and redo. No sweat.