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Building Tips and technical articles. => Paint and finishing => Topic started by: Wade Bognuda on July 04, 2014, 04:54:03 PM
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I have Oriental that is finished in Brodac all the way through and I am attempting to rub it expecting a mirror finish. I start with 400 wet, 600 wet, then red compound, white compound, silver polish then wax. It is smooth and somewhat shiny, but I can still see fine scratches and it just doesn't have the mirror finish I expect. It has been at least two years since I cleared it. Could this have any effect on it? I just remember dope (lacquers) being so easy to work with.
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I have Oriental that is finished in Brodac all the way through and I am attempting to rub it expecting a mirror finish. I start with 400 wet, 600 wet, then red compound, white compound, silver polish then wax. It is smooth and somewhat shiny, but I can still see fine scratches and it just doesn't have the mirror finish I expect. It has been at least two years since I cleared it. Could this have any effect on it? I just remember dope (lacquers) being so easy to work with.
Sand with warm water rand a few drops of LUX dish soap. Use 1500 paper then buff.
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Sparky, why the warm water?
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For final polishing I feel that 400 grit is too coarse to start. That may be why you still have scratches even after using finer paper. I start with 800 grit and work upward (finer) from there. Takes more time but worth it as deep scratches are kept to a minimum. Going back after 2 years should not be a problem and it should polish out easier than it did originally. Try not to polish through the clear though. The colored dope will get shiney but is not as fuel resistant as clear...especially w/Brodak dope. 8)
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Sparky, why the warm water?
Softens the sandpaper
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For final polishing I feel that 400 grit is too coarse to start. That may be why you still have scratches even after using finer paper. I start with 800 grit and work upward (finer) from there. Takes more time but worth it as deep scratches are kept to a minimum.
Why warm water?, it works better, clears the paper more effectively. Going back after 2 years should not be a problem and it should polish out easier than it did originally. Try not to polish through the clear though. The colored dope will get shiney but is not as fuel resistant as clear...especially w/Brodak dope. 8)
He's right on with this advice. I start with 600 if the clear is death paint clear because it's a bit harder than dope. But I go up through to and including 1200 then polish with stewart McDonald's medium paste polish and then with their fine polish. This picture is a project finished on Thursday this week and is death paint clear done that way.
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I would not start with anything courser than 800,, and only that if I had major texture to remove
if you are just removing some orang peal,, I would start with 1200,, remove the majority of the texture,, ( with a sanding block of some sort most times a soft block)
Then work up through 1500 to 2000,, then polish
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I start with 400 wet, 600 wet,
Yep, you're way too coarse with that. Start out with at least 800 and then work your way up to 1500 before you even open the polishing compound. I only recently learned this, but it proved to work quite well. y1
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Thanks everybody!!
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Pulled out a Micro-mesh kit. Problem solved it looks like a mirror!! At least where I used the Micro-mesh. It can be purchased through Aircraft Spruce and Specialty.
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What is Micro-mesh?
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wel Micro mesh when I was in the air force was what the Crew cheifs used to remove scratches from aircraft winsheilds,, it goes up to like 8000 grit or maybe more,,
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Exactly. It starts at 1500 and goes to 12000. It cuts well, it on cloth and can be used repeatedly wet. Wicks, Chief etc. has it and it's not expensive considering how long it will last. I bought for my 210 when I had it and never really used it.
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I just finished a project using death paint clear and found my four years old Micro-Mesh is finally worn out. Didn't want to wait for the new to arrive, so I broke out the wet or dry and used the Micro-Mesh for a backing - it worked out really great! So...I guess we could say it never really loses its usefullness!!
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Thanks for the info, might have to get me some.
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Reply to Sparky about warm water. Regular water will work also won't it? I have used just tap water before, but if warm water works better I'll try it also. And thanks...
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Will H. As a luthier, you should know about 24000 (micro-mesh?) available from International Violin Supply.
I re-varnished a violin, and the 24000 grit after 4 or 5 coats of spirit varnish made a mirror shine!
Floyd
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Have you ever tried hand polishing? You simply rub the object with your bare hand and it will eventually really shine. I've seen it done on a dope finish, but never tried it myself.
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For me 400 is too course to use no matter what. I sometimes hit it with 600 when I have a ton of orange peel, but useally I start with 800 ..get most of the orange peel then switch to 1000 until 98% of it is gone then 1200 for a while .... 1500 a lot . I'll end up using 2000 at the end. When I use 4 & 600 it puts scratches in deep & I cant get rid of them.
John
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Floyd, Yessir, that is really getting to the heart of a finish for us. I did a guitar that was raw maple like that and hated to put the tung oil on it! That raw wood was so gorgeous and smooooth!! Those are the times that are the real reason we do this, would you agree?
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Have you ever tried hand polishing? You simply rub the object with your bare hand and it will eventually really shine. I've seen it done on a dope finish, but never tried it myself.
Won't this cause hair to grow on your hand?