How to paint your guitar by hand: Applying the clear poly
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
- Hey guys! I’m Brad, and I make how-to videos. I do custom painting projects, guitar painting, airbrushing, spray can painting, wood working, and a variety of other finishing work and tutorials. Please subscribe and check out my channel for more!
In this continuation of our how to paint your guitar by hand tutorial, we apply the top coat, which in this case is a wipe on poly. Once again I use materials that were acquires pretty much exclusively from Home Depot in order to improve the chances that you can easily get the same stuff.
Thank you to those of you who voted (or answered my question) regarding whether I should use gloss or satin for this particular instrument. Since it was suggested that I find a way to do both, I decided to go ahead and do that. Unfortunately, this has made for a very long video, but I think that it's worth it.
There are many ways to apply the wipe-on poly. The recommended one is to simply wipe it on with a rag or something of that nature, but it can also be applied with a foam brush, sandpaper, or steel wool as I do for my first coat in this video. The steel wool in question is 0000.
I apply my first coat without reducing it, and then I thin my second coat slightly and apply it with a rag to try to get as even a finish as possible. It may sometimes be necessary to apply more than two coats, particularly if your wood is prone to absorbing significant amounts of your finish.
Although you can apply more than one coat consecutively, in order to keep the finish thin I apply one coat the first day, and then sand the finish a few days later to flatten it and promote adhesion before applying my second coat.
Don't forget to ask your questions or submit video questions if you want to show me something.
Thanks for watching.
To get in touch with me with your questions, photos, etc. use the links below!
/ bradangovepainting
/ brad_angove
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Хобби
@Barry Dean, DC RUclips is inexplicably not allowing me to post a reply to your question properly, so here it is:
It depends on how your steel wool coat looks. If it's nice and smooth you can just wait for the previous layer to flash and then wipe on your thinner layer and let that dry. If you want a chance to flatten and smooth it out before doing your next coat, let it dry over night then sand it flat and apply your other coat.
Thank you, this series is incredibly helpful, you're the best for giving this out to people for free!
I'm glad you like it. Thanks for watching.
Hey man, this is one of the best videos on RUclips. Well edited, not overly chatty and some good humor to keep things moving. A+ dude.
Thank you sir. Much appreciated.
Congrats on 30k Brad. You taught me everything I know which helped me refinish two of my old guitars (albeit pretty poorly). But I can only imagine what would have happened had i not stumbled upon your channel. As far as on the tele, I would put in those seymour duncan P-Rails.
@Colin Ashenten I haven't used that one, so I can't really say. Just be aware that faster drying finishes often don't level out quite as well because they don't have time to.
Thank you for getting to the heart of the tone debate, you will get flack for it but you are 100% correct. The materials affect the strings vibration thus attenuating the signal.
I'm glad that we are in agreement. Hopefully my brief explanation there will convince a few people without there being need for a debate.
All Hail Brad, master of all things Paint. Thanks for your great work and expertise.
I wouldn't go so far as to say "master", but I'm glad the bit of knowledge that I can convey is helpful.
I learned a long time ago that it's useless to argue with people who think your tone is affected by the finish, I just know what I know from 40 years of guitar building, so I'll leave it at that ... but that said, your videos are excellent. As I said, I've been building for ~40 years and I'm always learning something new. Applying stain and poly with steel wool? Who knew? Brilliant.
Thanks Rob. I've actually changed my tune a bit on the tone thing so-to-speak. The evidence isn't and wasn't quite what I thought it was (I have a video coming out on that soon). Luckily the tone discussion is a relatively minute part of this tutorial.
The way I figure it, how much if at all my "tone" is affected by whatever finish is on the guitar I'm playing pales in comparision with how that tone is affected by all the practicing I don't do, so anyway. . . perspective.
@Austin Blythe No. I'm sorry if I gave that impression. I have no formal education in this. As I mentioned in one of my previous videos, I have a business degree and am currently in Law school. My learning for this stuff has been mostly informal/experiential. I took a couple of airbrushing courses, but that's about it for actual schooling.
Minwax wipe on poly is amazing! I could get really great results! I used a foam brush at the start and caused a few runs, but later on I learned to put on less poly to prevent drips and runs.
Ya, it's actually a great product when it's used properly.
That's going to be a nice, hands only finish. Thanks for the tutorials.
Thank you.
Super entertaining! Really liked seeing your personality… 😂 Great vid!
Hey thanks for sharing the knowledge your videos production is excellent dude
Thank you sir!
really appreciate your videos, they've helped me immensely!
I'm glad to hear that. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for your videos! Im considering building my own guitar so I'm doing research and this was very helpful!
+Tent City Christ I'm glad to hear you found it useful. Best of luck with your project!
4:01 laughed so hard. I love dry humor
Thank you for s sharing
Great process
I like both finishes...
Good thing I did both then haha.
very helpful videos for my own telecaster project thanks a lot
+TitusArdronicus I'm glad to hear that. Good luck with your project.
great series man, this is good stuff. yu should have seen my guitar the first time i refinish it with interior house paint
I bet that had an interesting result haha.
What about Minwax Super Fast Drying Poly? Dries in 8 hours, which is why I would like to use it
Hi Brad! I recently bought a guitar with an unfinished neck that cuts off at the headstock and where it reaches the body of the guitar and has a gloss instead. I'm going for a black and gold theme for the guitar and I've replaced all the hardware with gold pieces, all I need is change the color of the neck which is a somewhat dark brown. What would I have to do if I wanted to spray it gold and leave it with a nice satin finish? Thanks in advance! :)
Great video. Thank you!
+Dennis Melvin II Thanks for watching.
thanks for putting up with all my beginner questions. shows what an ass I am for my comments and what a great guy you are .
I don't mind answering your questions, and your comments were not out of line at all. Whether I'm a great guy or not, I still yammered on for too long in this series haha.
Great video, I had no idea clear could be applied by steel wool, I will be doing a gloss finish on a guitar that was previously satin-ish the way you do it I don't have much luck with cans so thank you for the much needed help :)
Thanks and you're welcome. Don't forget to sand your satin finish before applying your gloss. Even though it doesn't look super smooth it still needs to be abraded to ensure adhesion.
Brad Angove I've sanded down with 220 is that enough for it to work well?
Yes, it should be.
I just got a unfinished BYO bass acoustic electric hollow body guitar. This is my first try at building my own Guitar. the body looks already sanded smooth and prepped .I just want to put a clear coat on it that give it that gloss look
+Thomas Fruge You probably shouldn't use this kind of paint on an acoustic. It will affect how it vibrates. You'll probably want a lacquer instead. That's a more classic choice for that type of instrument.
Hi, thanks for this tutorial. quick question, do I need to use a sanding sealer first before applying the poly coating, or does the poly cover the same job? Thanks. Alasdair.
It depends on the wood to some extent. On a smoothly sanded, tight grained wood, the poly should be sufficient. In other circumstances, a sanding sealer will be helpful.
Ya, I have a cheap acoustic guitar with almost flat finnish. Looked really cheap
So I polished it. Now it's got a nice soft gloss.🙂
i also have watch all videos i am building the telecaster with alder body maple neck first time ever
Hello Could You Please Give a tip or link that you may have already done , in regards to a satin finish that's now polished from playing whats the best way to make the satin finish satin again? Thx Brad.
+Watchman4u I can't link it right now because I'm on my phone, but if you look through my recent videos I have one in how to turn a gloss finish matte or satin. That's probably what you're looking for.
The world's smartest handsome guy ;). Great series.
Definitely not the smartest haha, but thank you!
hey amazing video, very helpful. i'm finishing a jag i got from warmoth, i'm practicing on another piece of wood and can't get the bubbles out when applying. i'm using the steel wool to apply it. any advice?
Try wiping over it lightly with a lint free cloth after applying it with the steel wool. If that doesn't work you can try using a heat gun on it carefully while it's still wet.
NOOOOOOO! Not the tone wood debate. Won't go there but great video! Thanks.
Haha yeah, let’s not. This is a very old video and the information has changed a bit.
great show man, and yes mom....I am subscribed! Brad, can you please explain the different requirements of sealing and finishing per wood specimen, i.e.; swamp ash vs hard ash, basswood vs alder and exotics...I am getting ready to build a tele, bass-beater (LOL), and want this to be right, I'm pretty settled on swamp, but may use hard ash...thanks!
It depends on what kind of finish you’re aiming for. Are you looking to do a ceruse type of thing, or a flat factory style finish?
I'm doing a similar gloss /satin poly clear final coat on a solid body guitar build. For feel and play-ability I'm figuring on using the satin poly on the neck, not the fretboard, with the assumption it will give a more unfinished wood feel. This will be on top of a couple of coats of low gloss tongue oil finish first. Can you give me your oppinion on wheter you think Im going about this the right way? The neck is maple if that matters. Thanks
I agree with your choice. I personally don't like having a glossy neck because it makes it difficult to move your hand quickly. A couple of coats of tung oil for colour shouldn't hurt, but you'll need to let that dry fully before sanding it lightly and applying your poly.
Excellent video. I think ill try this on my next project. Is it possible fill the grain by wet sanding the first coats, as with tru oil? Chers!
Yes, that works well.
What about a two pack finish Brad. Would you ever use it on a guitar or bass?
Its very bump and scratch proof and easy to buff out marks?
ziggy bass I use the automotive version of that all the time. It works great on guitars.
hi. great videos. I have two questions. I bought a SOLO guitar kit. the grain is not beautiful so I would like to consider an opaque color. are there opaque stains? also, the guitar has binding. any tips on taping that off? love to be able to buy everything at Rona or Home Depot, like you did in this video.
+Rob Thomas if you're looking for an opaque finish you'll likely want to go with paint rather than stain. Taping the binding might be tough with Rona products. Fine line tape makes it easier, but you can also paint over it and then scrape it clean with a razor blade instead of taping it.
@ Ronn Kilby As soon as I can find one for free I will get on that.
I tried to find the follow up for polishing/buffing, but could not locate it. Have you done a video for that? Great stuff!
I certainly have. Here it is: ruclips.net/video/kgnr03K7Cmc/видео.html
Brad Angove Thanks Brad. I love your videos. Keep `em coming.
You're welcome. I'm glad you like them.
Great tutorial! Would you use the same technique to apply poly by had over a painted guitar?
I would use the same technique to apply a wipe on poly. My concern is that wiping or brushing on poly over the paint might dissolve the paint and cause it to move around as you wipe. I prefer to spray over painted surfaces when possible to avoid that issue.
Your mom likes you got me. Good stuff
Great video. So I've never done this before, but I'll be attempting a satin finish. Do you need to follow what you did and put the gloss on first, and then the satin? Also, what's the point of the thinner?
I only put gloss on the top. I did satin for the rest. If you want a satin finish all over there is no need to use gloss anywhere. The thinner is mostly to help it lay down smoother and to make it a bit easier to apply.
Another great video thanks bud, I've painted my guitar (Auto Air Colors) and will be using 2K spraymax polyurethane aerosol (can within a can) for the gloss clear coat. How many layers do you suggest? How long between coats and will I need to sand (wet&dry 800) between layers? Temp will be around 77 deg
Thanks mate.
Good choice. I would go for three coats of that stuff. Make the first one light; it's just to get things sticking properly. Do the other two at normal/full "wetness". Wait 10-15 minutes between coats. You want the paint to get tacky but not dry completely. Don't sand between coats. With the can within a can you don't have the opportunity to sand and re-coat later because the paint hardens in the can within about 12 hours of activation, so don't worry about that.
If I want to skip the stain and seal the natural wood with poly, about how many coats is it going to take? Is there anything you do differently? I have a mahogany body that I kind of want to look like it barely has a a finish at all, but I know it's got to be sealed and this seems like the best way to do it.
***** The number of coats depends on the type of wood. With Mahogany you may want to consider grain filling. It would probably take quite a few coats otherwise. You don't necessarily need to have it glossed out like this though. If you want it to look glossy you may want to consider using a sealer first, but if you want it to look like it barely has a finish maybe just use one coat of satin poly, or an oil.
Really helpful video man. I was going to try a spray gun and lacquer on my next project, but this looks so much simpler. I have a few questions though. Will this work over a painted finish? And is there a specific type of paint to use, if so? Also, do you ever have any problems with buildup in the screw holes for the bridge. I used cans for my last couple projects (which wasn't the best idea), but they didn't cause any problems as far as the screw holes went. This method seems like it would sort of push it down in there and gunk them up. Or do you just let them fill up, and then use them as sort of markers to re-drill them right through the dry finish?
I'm glad you like the video. This should be able to work over a polyurethane finish. I tend to spray over all of my painted finishes, so I haven't really tested that theory. Make sure you try out the paint combination on a scrap piece first, in case the solvents in your top coat cause the paint you've chosen to move around. That happens sometimes.
I've never had an issue with buildup in the holes. I used to fill them with putty before painting, but I stopped because I've never seen the paint actually fill one of the holes. When I put the screws back in they just bite in to whatever paint got in there.
Alright I'll give it a try and see what happens. Thanks for the help.
Cedar Sun You're welcome, and good luck.
is it necessary to get fret sanding beam for new frets when i have the horsco erasers from solo guitars? thanks john
The erasers are for polishing frets. The sanding beam is for leveling them. You could use pretty much anything reasonably long and perfectly flat as a sanding been though.
I used a water based stain versus the oil based minwax, now I am looking to use the wipe on poly to do the finish. My question however is do I need to add a sealer before I continue with the wipe on poly or can I just go right to the wipe on poly?
You can use a sealer to help prevent the poly from soaking in, but it isn't necessary per se.
JUst saw your video on wipe on poly. I am planning on finishing a mahogany explorer kit. I plan on putting a pecan stain on it then finishing with poly using the steel wool method. Question...did you run into problems with fragments of the steel wool in your finish? Thks enjoyed your video.
I didn’t have any issues with it, but if you’re concerned you can use 1000 grit sandpaper to apply it instead.
I'm using the Minwax fast drying clear gloss poly, and applying it with a foam brush. How long should I wait before I give it a light wet sanding before I apply a 2nd coat?
I would give it at least a day or two, but it should say on the can somewhere.
I would like to see what that guitar looks like once it's completed with all the hardware installed and stringed up.
I ended up doing a different finish on this one since it was just a demo. There's a picture of it with the hardware I was going to use on my Instagram account, but this paint job is no longer on it. The video for the new finish should be coming out in the near future.
Hello Brad, Will the wipe on poly cover paint as well as bare wood . I have a guitar body that I have painted. Now I want to get a deep gloss and then wet sand down and polish. There are lots of items about staining and varnishing wood , however can't find anything about varnishing painted wood. It has to be brush on or wipe on as spraying is not an option. Like all your videos keep em coming. Cheers Paul
paul Martin Hi Paul. As a general statement, wipe on poly can cover paint. That being said, there can be some serious issues with using it for this application in some circumstances. For example, if you've used a paint that hasn't cured and that can dissolve in the solvents found in wipe on poly, then wiping on the poly will also cause the paint to move around since it will essentially become wet again and you will be wiping it as well. There could also potentially be a reaction depending on the type of paint underneath and how long it has been drying.
Great timing brad, im about to receive a white poplar strat body from guitar fetish tomorrow & im probly going to do a black Saman wood dye on it & then I am contemplating going minwax antique oil to bring the graining out more on it as im out of tru-oil now. lol BUT now the question remains ... do I just do a straight antique oil as it hardens more like poly or do I do some layers of the oil & then do the gloss wop on top to give it its gloss. Any thoughts/sugestions on this?
thanks
I've never used antique oil personally, so I'm not familiar with how durable it is or how it is to work with. I guess what it really comes down to is, do you want a high gloss finish? From what I understand of antique oil, it doesn't have a glossy look to it. Generally when I want a finish like that I use danish oil and then top coat it with something like a poly.
im at the point where i dont know what finish i need to use. some people use varnish. tru oil. or polly/nitro? .. im kinda stuck and dont know what to use or which one is for the best results.
+larsheuker It depends on what results you're looking for. All of those finishes have their own benefits and drawbacks. They are all good options depending on what you're looking for.
I tried doing sunburst like he shows. Big fail. My stain just sank into wood like ink, and very unevenly. Ended up with just lots of smudge marks instead of gradient. I fixed it with sandpaper so no harm done, but I would be very interested to know exactly what type of stain he used that it worked so well and stayed as surplus on surface to be wiped away.
I used minwax and varathane. This piece of wood had a bit of sealer still in it I think, which is why the stain didn't soak in quite as well as I would have liked.
I have a cartridge respirator which is described as "The industrial chemical respirator for automotive and industrial painting and organic vapours of low toxicity"
Would the ISOCYANATES in the 2K spraymax clear coat be ok with this mask or will I need to fork out for higher priced respirator? Thanks :)
I would imagine that you should be fine with that. Look for something on it that says NIOSH. The 2K stuff isn't any more difficult for your respirator to filter than the average paint as far as I know, it's just worse if you breath it in.
That being said, you will know if it's working once you start spraying. Make sure it's sealed on your face properly, and you shouldn't be able to smell the paint at all. If you get a nose full of that stuff, you'll know immediately. You should also try to paint in a well ventilated area regardless of your respirator. That paint gets everywhere, and it's not ideal if you get too much of the vapour in your eyes etc.
Thank Brad, great Video again!
Tone plus think paint or varnish finish does shorten/dull your tone. True
The more wood you have the more tone you have. True
Larger guitar head improves sustain, True, Thats why Fender went for the large head bass and then created a tone weight you could clamp to your bass head, (fender still sell them). The clamp increases the effect of weight = density. = Sustain! True! Just helping Brad :-)
ziggy bass Thanks!
+ziggy bass All nonsense. There is zero science behind any of your 'more tone' arguments. Go hook up an oscilloscope and post the images that support your claims. You won't because it's impossible. There area so many variables when it comes to sustain and "tone" I can't begin to explain it here, other than to say tone wood density and sustain are not correlated at all - the best sustaining instrument I own is a pine tele - pine is the least-dense wood (it's a softwood). What kills sustain is whatever the string is connected to absorbing, instead of supporting, the vibration of the string. What changes tone is selective absorption of some of the overtone series the string produces.
If there are that many variables, I guess you can't really say there's no correlation can you? I'm not saying either of you is right per se. Just that there's no use arguing about this stuff really since nobody has a conclusive answer. Actually, it might be more accurate to say that everyone has what they believe to be a conclusive answer, but nobody can agree haha.
+Tioga Fretworks Tioga fretworks, Well put your pine board on your empty ch, and let all enjoy the benefits of your journey into pine! So much cheaper than Alder and Ash and no one thought of it but you! Hellelujah!
But whgy did no one think of it before? Hum! Thanks again Brad. Your always polite!
ziggy bass Thank you sir. I try to keep it Canadian.
Okay, so, I've sanded down the guitar and the neck, and next to apply the paste wood filler? As you previously suggested, it's a basswood body, maple neck. So, after the wood filler, I have to sand that down, and then apply the poly, n'est pas? Do I use a sandpaper, or fine steel wool to sand down the wood filler? I've watched so many videos over the last couple of days, can't remember which one is which. Also, so after the poly has dried, do I have to apply another coat of something on top of that, or is the poly sufficient for the end product? Great videos, by the way. I'd be lost in the dark, if not for them. Thanks!
That’s all correct. Use sandpaper on the filler. The poly should constitute your end product. No further top coats neeeded.
Hello Brad, have you or would you consider doing a video about stripping a poly finish from a guitar? I have a beat up old Hondo with that prisim tape finish on top. It's factory... All needs to come off. I just need to leave the wood, what ever kind it is, re finishable.
Have you seen my video on how to remove the paint from your guitar?
@@BradAngove Haven't seen it. I'll check it out. Thanks again!
Could you use a spray varnish for the body, like a lot of people use for the neck?
+RolandDeschain1 Yes, you can use varnish as a finish if that's your preference.
Love the videos Brad. I am getting ready to shoot a poly clearcoat on a custom stain job. The wood is a highly figured flame maple top and maple body. The last time I attempted to shoot clear over a stained body, the deep loose grain absorbed the clearcoat and no matter how may coats I put on, I couldn't get build it up. What should I use to seal this guitar before shooting the poly. I've got well over 40 hours into this stain and don't want to mess it up.
+az guitarzan Flamed maple makes it difficult to get that nice even build. You will likely want to start with a clear sealer. Sealers (and sanding sealers) tend to be thicker and fill those pores up faster.
I would paint that entire top in a relatively thick layer of clear sealer first, then sand it back to the point where it's all even. If there is still open grain showing, then do another round of sealer. This is how we make up for not being able to grain fill the top. Once it can be sanded back to the point where it has a nice even finish, it will be relatively easy to throw on a few coats of clear coat to finish it off.
+Brad Angove Thanks Brad. I just send you a pic on FaceBook so you can see why I don't want to start over. Thanks again.
Wow. I wouldn't want to start over on that one either!
Hello Brad. Once again, awesome series sir. Something came to mind as I was watching this: I saw online that you can purchase the Minwax Wipe On Poly in a water based version. If someone was wanting to use Minwax Wipe On Poly over any of the Auto Air paint line, would you have to use the water based version of Minwax or the regular version which I am assuming is an oil based brand? I know the old saying is oil and water don't mix but since the Auto Air paint line dries very fast it would seem to me you could use the oil based version but I would be concerned about a chemical reaction happening where the paint would break down in some form. Your thoughts?
+Robert Clowers Hi Robert. I have sprayed solvent and oil based clear coats over the AutoAir paints many times and never had a issue. That's essentially what they're designed for. The problem arises when you start doing wipe on finishes. The solvents in the oil based wipe on poly are likely to re-wet the autoair enough to cause it to move around as your are wiping it. It may depend somewhat on dry time etc. but if you want to use that combination you're best off to seal in the acrylic with a spray first. I'm honestly not sure if you would have the same problem with the water-based wipe on finish. It seems less likely, but it's still possible that the water-based clear would allow the autoair to move around.
Thanks Brad good video. How is Law school treating you?
Thanks Joe. Law school is as much fun as one would expect it to be haha.
I've heard some poly isn't supposed to be applied with steel wool. Do you know of any reason of why this would be?
+Dalton Heitmann Yes. Some of the polys that are designed to be sprayed will just stick to it and make a mess. Also, there's concern of leaving bubbles, particularly in the faster drying stuff.
I'd be very wary of using steel wool. Doesn't it leave little threads of the steel wool in the finish? I've been using foam brushes and sanding between coats.
It could potentially leave small fibers behind. It’s an issue with water based finishes. Not so much with solvent based.
I'm at the point (I think) where I am ready to put a clear coat on my project. I had the wood sanded down nicely. I stained with water based stain. What comes next? Do I have to seal it up before I use a wipe on poly? Thanks!
It depends on the wood and how porous it is.
Would this finish wear away over time?.. if not, what would you put on top of the stain that will wear away over time? Is that just nitro or is there a wipe on finish you can do as a substitute to nitro??
It's not really designed to age if that's what you're looking for. Nitro is the one that classically does that, but you may be able to get a similar effect with a brushing lacquer.
So what do you do when some of the steel wool particles get stuck within the poly?
I have literally never had that happen.
Any best way to apply?
Hey Brad, rookie question for you. Before applying the wipe on poly to the guitar body (acoustic), do I need to tape off the perfling and binding or should I just apply the poly to them as well? Not sure how well those can be taped off so I assume the answer is to apply the poly to them also, but I thought I'd check with the Master first. Thanks for your response.
I would apply it to them as well. However, I would also be hesitant to apply poly to an acoustic in many cases. Just know that, unlike an electric, the finish can have a noticeable impact on the sound with an acoustic.
I have done a Steve Vai style swirl paint job using oil based enamel paint. I have left it set for a week. Would you suggest this method of clear coating on this?
Not really. I would suggest a spray on enamel clear coat. Failing that, a spray on poly would probably serve you better than this method.
Thanks man
Any time.
Came over from the spray brushing lacquer video per your tip.
I'm finishing a rather large cherry wood bar top (12 ft x 1.5 ft). Started thinking I would do lacquer but have decided that poly would be better for this application.... more durable, less chance of water stain rings. Will do satin finish. Doing 2 coats of clear sealer, then sand with 320, then a wipe-on oil base stain.
As I mentioned before I always have a big problem with dust and bubbles when doing poly. Do you think a wipe-on poly would have less dust/bubble issues than brush on? Would a cloth or a foam brush application have less dust issues?
Is a "wipe-on" type poly best for this large size or should Ibrush?
What would be best to sand with after the first poly coat to get rid of dust/bumps etc?
TX .... A fellow frozen Canukey
+Treetops You may find that you have trouble staining your bar top after sealing it. Stain usually goes down before sealer so that it can soak into the wood and stain it. Generally wiping a finish on with a cloth tends to create less bubbles than brushing it on. It doesn't really change the dust issue though. You will probably end up having to sand it rub out the finish. The next video in this series shows how I did this with the satin poly. A fine no-load sandpaper should be suitable for the sanding part. I wiped poly on large surfaces before without encountering any problems, so I think that should work just fine. No need to brush it on if you don't want to.
+Brad Angove Have done samples with stain. Found I needed 2 coats of sealer to get effect I wanted. Without sealer color was way to dark...wood really soaked up stain. Will experiment with wipe on poly and watch next video on final sanding.
Thanks
I didn't realize you were going for such a light transparent look. That makes sense. An amber dye might have been more suited to that haha.
Hi, struggling to find wipe on poly in the U.K. Is the brush on poly ok? Just looking for a non-gloss finish.
+Sean Connor Guitar Absolutely. In fact, you can essentially turn brush on poly into wipe on poly just by thinning it to about 50%.
Hey Brad, I have a stained guitar that I’m going to finish with wipe-on poly per this video. I need to clean the thing before I start and I live in CA where I can’t get Naphtha. I saw you clean a guitar with Windex prior to painting, but I think that one had a previous paint job on it. Would windex be a suitable product to clean the guitar before I start with the poly? Love the channel man!!
Thanks. Wax and grease remover is a better option, or lighter fluid.
How do you prevent dust or remove dust from your final finish?
You remove it in the last step when you sand and polish. This is the second video of a 3 part series.
To prevent you essentially just need to make sure the area is clean.
after I stained the guitar I found scratches, do I have to sand it all black, and star over.
+M.P. C. Are the scratches bad enough that you will need to fill them?
I know this is old...but, if I were to use dye, will dye be swirled or be pulled by the solvent from the poly?
You shouldn’t have a problem with dye. Just make sure you let it dry before applying the poly.
Really liked the video...am I correct...you did not pre-coat with shellac..do you recommend that? Also, do you always end with spray?
You are correct; I didn't use shellac. You can if you want though. It makes a good sealer. I didn't do any spraying on this guitar. I spray most of my projects, but as per this video series, it's not necessary if you prefer to do it the old fashioned way.
Hey Brad, the videos are fantastic. I do have a question. I am finishing a guitar and I'm on my 7th coat of tung oil, applying it with wet sanding 1500 grit and cotton/elbow grease. After it fully dries, is it possible to apply lacquer? If so, should I use foam brush or 0000 steel wool?
+Logan Gross Hi Logan. I've honestly never tried applying lacquer to fully dried tung oil. If you're going to try it, you should do a small test piece first. I've applied polyurethane over tung oil, but that's not the same.
I'm not sure what kind of lacquer you're planning on using. I'm going to assume that you mean solvent based stuff. If you try to apply it with a foam brush, I think the brush will probably melt. That being said, it also dries very quickly, which means that the steel wool might pull sections of it up and not leave a very smooth finish.
Fantastic info man, you're the best.
Thanks. I hope it helps.
2 questions.. Could I use WOP over Danish oil? Or chalk paint? Thanks for all your help!
You can use it over Danish oil. I can honestly say I have no idea if it would work over chalk paint. I've never heard of someone trying to put a finish overtop of chalk paint before.
Awesome, thanks for the reply!
+joshua tolle You're welcome.
I was applying wipe on poly to my guitar but it wasnt spreading smooth and easily like your doing, it would become very sticky before I had enough time to spread it around
Add a bit of paint thinner to it to slow it down.
I have a question. I've recently painted some artwork on un sealed guitar I sanded down. Can I poly gloss over this or will it not work right in the parts I've painted?
What kind of paint did you use for your artwork?
Brad Angove the little tube bottles of wood paint in the walmart arts and crafts asile. I guess I could sand it off if needed and use a better paint. Unfortunately I can do great brush work but suck at using an airbrush lol
Does it say on the tubes what kind of paint they are? You can probably poly over it, but if it's not resilient then rubbing the poly on may not work. It could re-dissolve your paint and move it around.
I'll check that when I get home. Thanks for the info tho. I appreciate it
You're welcome. Let me know what it is. You may have to spray a thin layer of poly from a can in order to protect your paint and then sand lightly and use this method afterward.
How many coats of poly (with scuffing up in between) would you recommend?
2 or 3 generally.
Hello Brad, what if i rub my guitar with black pigment color, will this poly work for that?
What black pigment are you planning on working with?
Brad, is it feasible to do a wipe-on vintage or butterscotch blonde finish by mixing paint in the poly?
I think you will find that that goes on fairly streaky.
Brad Angove Thanks, Brad...spray, it will be! :-)
Hey Brad, I suppose you can put as many coats as you wish to increase the depth of gloss, and to provide more latitude with the polishing process?
Essentially, yes.
@@BradAngove Many thanks Brad, the use of your humourous and informative videos will help me decide how to finish a pair of box speakers. High gloss essential...Cheers Martin
My video on brushing on a high gloss finish will probably serve you better.
How can I make regular polyurethane into a rub-on so it will dry smooth?
Mix it with a bit of boiled linseed oil and some mineral spirits.
hi, i am restoring a top of an old guitar. I have sanded it down to the bare wood, I am going to paint a scene on part of the top of the guitar (I am an artist) in acrylic. The bare wood will be treated with Tung Oil. The image i am painting will be on the bare wood which will not be treated by Tung oil. My question is, can you put a water based rub on Poly on top of the Tung Oil treated wood, I figure it can go over the acrylic painted image.
Putting a water-based top coat over an oil can be problematic. In order to minimize the chances of something going wrong, you will want to let the tun-oil dry 100% and then scuff it lightly before applying your water based product. It should work as long as you're careful not to apply it while the tung oil still has solvent in it, but there is still a risk that they won't work well together.
thank you, I have decided to use the oil based wipe on poly instead
Can you buff a dull or satin poly to a gloss? Just curious.
Yes, you certainly can.
Is It Possible to use tru-oil instead of poly after staining???
Yes.
Hey brads mom? We like him.
George stuart-vail Haha awesome comment.
Is rubbing on the Polyurethane the best way to go about finishing a guitar?
My dad (a carpenter) recommended spraying on the poly.. Because rubbing it on could show the brushstrokes.. (I don't think the foam brush would do this, though?)
But I feel like rubbing on is easier..This is my first time remodeling a guitar - is spraying on the poly even a thing? If so, do you have any how-to videos?
Hannah Smith Hi there. Rubbing on the poly is an easy option for people who do not have access to spray equipment. The purpose of this series was to show that option because many people don't have the resources to be able to spray. Your dad is right though. Generally spraying is a better option. I have several videos where I spray polyurethane. My other (first) how to paint your guitar series ends in me spraying a catalyzed polyurethane clear coat and then polishing it. I think that encompasses the last three videos in the series.
+Brad Angove Awesome! Thanks!
You're welcome.
Will this work for a General Finishes milk paint finish?
I'm not familiar with General Finishes milk paint finish.
Noobie question here: how do you do the sides? Does it run too much to do it "sideways"? I'm starting my first build very soon. Thanks for any help you can give!
I'm not sure what you mean by sideways. I just apply the poly with the rag or abrasive the same way for the sides. This wipe on stuff generally goes on thin enough that running isn't a huge concern. If it does run, you can always sand the run out prior to polishing.
That answers my question. I wasn't sure how to apply it to the sides in a way that the poly doesn't run given all the angles and curves of a guitar. But assuming I put it on thin enough, that shouldn't be a problem. Thanks!
You're welcome. Glad I could help.
but you build fantastic guitars
Hi. Can I apply it on gunstock finnish??
Yes.
When I tried this without using a sanding sealer, the poly ended out smearing my stain. Then, I sanded everything away, started again, applied an acrylic sealer but my poly ended up cracking and peeling when I was applying the next coats. So, I ended up using truoil to cover the points where the poly cracked and started building up the layers again... Hope that works. 😁
Yikes. How long did you let the sealer dry before applying the poly? About 2 weeks should have been sufficient.
@@BradAngove Well, a lot less than that. Beginner's mistake, I guess. That said, I applied 3 very thick coats of tru oil, meaning that I didn't wipe the excess off, and that seems to be working. I had a little more sanding to do, but nothing exceptional. I didn't want to push my luck too far, so I sanded the oil as flat as I could, and then started applying some thin extra layers, and I will keep sanding until it's acceptably smooth. Just as always, thank you a lot for taking the time to read and reply, Brad. You are very kind and your help is very much appreciated.
I’m glad your fix seems to be working. Cheers.
@@BradAngove Cheers !
i don't understand the difference between the wipe on poly and then what you are using at the end to 'finish' it. What's the difference? Probably just me though. Great video.
I’m using the wipe on poly in this video throughout.
I rewatched this and the jokes how did I miss them the first couple times 😂
I just got an unfinished tele body, and I have a line art design I would like to execute with stain (light color stain for the body, darker stain for the artwork). I'm an experiences painter and illustrator, so I'm not afraid to go over it more than once, no matter how detailed. and because it's what I;m used to, I would prefer to paint it on free hand rather than use a stencil or a complicated tape-off. I stumped everyone at the hardware store with my question. do you have any advice on this? if it's just impossible, I'll just paint the image on, but if there's a way I'd like to know.
It's definitely possible. There are a few ways to do it actually. I would say it's probably easiest to start off with the light stain and do the whole body with that. Then you have a few options. Using water based stains will allow you to use any of these techniques. Other types may only work with some of them.
You can paint your stain design on carefully with a foam brush, and then seal over everything afterward.
You can purchase an empty paint pen. Montana Colors makes them I think. Fill it with stain and draw your design on, then seal over everything.
You can brush on sealer everywhere except where your design is going. This creates a mask of sorts for the stain. Then just use a rag and wipe your stain over everything. The sealed areas can simply be wiped off, and the design that you left unsealed will remain stained. Then you would seal everything afterward.
How do those options sound?
those sound right up my alley, thanks! I will definitely try it on some sample wood first.
I've also heard mention online somewhere of using colored sharpie to draw the design. do you know any pros and cons of this method?
Ya, definitely do some test work prior to trying it on your actual guitar.
As for the sharpie, it's kind of tough to say. I personally wouldn't do it because I get the feeling that it would fade relatively quickly, and I'm not sure how the acetone in it would react to the top coat. That being said, I've seen people create interesting artwork on guitars with sharpie etc. Maybe I'm just too much of a purist to trust something like that fully.
My dad always called it 4 ought steel wool
Oh an d to Brad's mom, cut him some slack, people like him lol
I call it 4 ought sometimes too haha.