Hi everyone, I'd like a bit of advice on what sort of finish I should use on fingerboards and necks. I'm after something practical to protect the surfaces.Also at what stage should it be applied, before or after fretting. Thanks ,Mark

Views: 4335

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I use Deft laquer [ spray can ] i shoot it over the whole build.

Thanks, I'll check if it's available in Oz

Whoa, Randy! Is that a scalloped fretboard, with bone frets, bone rosette, and bone saddle / bridge? Suuuwwweeeet-weeeeet!

I use tung oil all the time. Works good all over the neck and fingerboard.

Australian solution, I call it my 'poor mans lacquer'
Go to the $2 shop, get a bunch of super glue, you get a packet of 8 little tubes for $2..
Stock up on it, great for many things
Get an aerosol oil, spray and bake stuff, get the cheapest one you can.
Get cheap latex gloves
And a rag..

Sand to 1200 grit...
Spray a good squirt of oil right over the neck, leave it a few minutes ad rub it down.
Super glue and rub, one tube at a time. Will take about four tubes (a dollar worth) to do the whole neck. Rub rub rub. Don't forget the gloves.
Repeat. It'll drink up substantially less oil the second (and subsequent) coats..
Two coats is more than sufficient tho sometimes I do three.

I usually do it after fretting. Enjoy :)

Im confused. Does the superglue soak in with the glue? Or does it create some type of top coat? I normally use Boiled linseed oil alone. Or I use flooring urethane( rubbed in). I saw the neck you made for Dewy. Really nice job. Was that one done with superglue?

after trying tung oil and then minwax polyurethane,   I now use Danish oil - it dries to a harder finish & holds uo to handling better.  My 2 cents.

I do the finish after cutting the frets , before hammering them in.  Then touch up the edges from finishing frets.

  I use tung oil , although I will try danish oil since Jim Woods says it gives a harder finish .  Oils are easy to apply and give the the fingerboard a near frictionless finish compared to the polyurathane I used to use.  I apply oil after fretting .

FYI 'Danish oil'is a mixture of boiled linseed oil, thinners and a lacquer, it is not 'oil'. Tung oil will set equally hard, but it much more work, requiring many coats and several days curing between and sanding between each coat too and more maintenance. The 'poor mans lacquer' recipe I put up there is not all that dissimilar to Danish oil, just a real cheap alternative. See this http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes... I do really like tung oil, but I don't use it for the final finish on guitar necks because it takes too long and I just wnna play it. I sometimes do a coat early on cos it brings out a real warmth in the colours

The Auzzie finish is intriguing.  I get an image of me trying to explain to my wife how I glued a guitar to my hands :-)

My biggest problem with tung oil was patience.  Like you I could not wait days to play the new git & it would become a gummy mess. 

Yeah when I first used the stuff I didn't leave it cure nearly long enuff, and I played I right off the neck so all I had was the colour no nice smooth waxy finish. I like it but it is pretty expensive, I build mine on a real tight budget.

RSS

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Forum

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Apr 10. 14 Replies

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies

Latest Activity

Uncle John commented on J. D. Woods's photo
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on J. D. Woods's photo
Thumbnail

Current Instrument Line-Up

"Nice line up.  Unusual pick guard on the big git that looks like a Martin.  What is that…"
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on Ghostbuttons's photo
Thumbnail

Four projects

"Nice, nice trio."
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on Crazed Fandango's photo
Thumbnail

Frethound 4 String

"Looks great.  That looks like one I could really like playing.  Four strings too. …"
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on David Hopkins's photo
Thumbnail

Anti-Body Guitars 18,19 and 20

"Great theme, workmanship and guitars!"
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on David Hopkins's photo
Thumbnail

Angel 2x Anti-Body #17

"Very, very nice.  I hope it got to a good home and that it will be enjoyed.."
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on Darryl Tuttle's photo
Thumbnail

Old portable heater

"Yup.  Good eye deer.  Maybe find a use for that fan too.  If not on this amp,…"
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on Doug Thorsvik's video
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on Dar Stellabotta's video
Thumbnail

Cigar Box Guitar 106 now for sale 🙌

"Looks and sounds good. Built under the solar eclipse!"
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on Doug Thorsvik's video
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

There i was Standing at the ..... BCB - A. D. Eker 2024

"I thought you were going to say 'cross roads'.  Rockin' along the roads. …"
5 hours ago
Uncle John commented on Gary O'slide's video
Thumbnail

Western song cigar box guitar @RhialtoPurple

"Pretty guitar. Sounding good too."
5 hours ago

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->