Hello Nation.
I'm collecting bits for a budget 5 string banjo, just a 12 inch tambourine and a neck through. Thing is I'm flat broke and the only lump of lumber I have that's suitable is English Oak. Lovely looking bit of wood, I've made a ukulele neck from a lump of the same stuff and although it was a bitch to carve it looked great. Trouble is it is very open grained. Now since I'm on a zero cash budget I don't want to be buying grain filler paste if it isn't going to be suitable. Any of you guys have any home recipes? Would using several coats of thick varnish and sanding back before lacquering work? What about superglue mixed with sawdust? or even PVA and sawdust? I'm not too bothered with how it looks I just want a nice smooth surface for playing!
Any help much appreciated!
Replies
If its not too late, I usually like the open grain look myself but my best results when I've filled the grain was to apply my finish, shellac, lacquer, or wiping varnish patiently with 320 grit sandpaper level sanding between coats. It's a little tedious but the result is buttery smooth and perfectly matched.
Check out "Sully's Guitar garage" on you tube, he uses eggs whites as an old technique for
grain filling.
That's exactly the kind of thing I was after! cheers for the link, some good videos on that channel. He knows his stuff!
Fine, TINY sawdust and slightly watered down glue and 3 beers. One for getting the fine dust and watering the glue thin. One for the job. One to celebrate a free fix. Then make a slide out of one bottle.
I have had some really nice results with sanding to a 220 grit, and then applying sanding sealer. Let dry, sand lightly with 320 grit, clean the dust off and put another coat on. First coat will seem like you sanded it all off but after cleaning the dust off you'll see glossy sealer in the pores. Second coat will build a little more, a third coat will give you a nice smooth surface to work on. You can use more coats if you feel you need it. Then apply your finish of choice. I like a good polyurethane. You can also use Shellac without the sanding sealer. Buy a spray can, apply, let dry, sand, clean and spray again. I used this on early guitars with good results. If you can, try to use a finer grit with each coat. I progress through grits as fallows
Bare wood: 220 grit
sealer 1: 220 grit
sealer 2: 320 grit
sealer 3: 320 grit
Lacquer 1: 320 grit
Lacquer 2: 320 grit
Lacquer 3: 400 grit
Lacquer 4: 600 grit
Lacquer 5: Allow necessary time to cure (3 weeks with the finishes I use) then sand wet sand with 1200 through 2000 grit
Just remember that whatever you do, sand! Its very important. Especially after the first coat. If you don't get that one smooth, you wont get the rest smooth.
I have been experimenting with doing the fret markers with woodfiller and paint combo. I was using dowels but I had trouble getting the contrast I wanted. The end grain soaked up too much stain.
FIMO modeling clay works pretty good for making markers.
Get a piece of aluminum channel
Drill 1/4" holes in one side - 10 or 12 should be sufficient
Work clay to make malleable
force into holes, ensuring that the holes are completely filled
scrape across the upper side with a flat edge to remove any excess clay
Bake in kitchen oven per FIMO directions
push cooled plugs out of aluminum channel
insert and glue into 1/4" holes in fretboard
sand flush and call it a day
Custom color fretmarkers on the cheap.
I think I would use superglue. I don't know if you even need to use sawdust with it. I've done entire finishes with superglue, lol.
superglue is brittle, nasty stuff. You can become (over time) allergic to the fumes, so be careful of how much you use. When you mix it with sawdust won't it cure almost immediately?
Then just give a go with the sandpaper and maybe some polyurethane. but if you use any sort of filler it will end up looking like poop.
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