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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on June 8, 2019 at 8:58pm

To be clear , the wear in the photo above is not "natural " . just made to look that way ./( sand paper ,  and  instant coffee stain in appropriate areas )   ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Tim Pannabecker on June 8, 2019 at 9:23pm

Right, it looks like unintentional ware, that’s the art

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Permalink Reply by Stuart Joseph on June 8, 2019 at 3:01pm

I would use spray lacquer. It dries in an hour so you can add As many Coats as you Want to get the finish that you want.

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Permalink Reply by Gerald Smith on June 11, 2019 at 9:45am

I use Modge-Podge. You'd be surprised how useful that stuff is for protecting box art. No problems with tone. Cheap, easy, and easy clean up.

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Permalink Reply by Vicki Gibson on June 11, 2019 at 11:47am

I do a lot of artwork for a Nature Centre. One thing I do use is the clear coat exterior Varithane to coat projects. The SPRAY version which is also water based. This can seal the paint and the box.  Since you used a marker, I would not use anything with a thinner base in it that is for oils or laquers etc.  Water based products will not run the paint or the pen marks.  Always test something similar that you don't want to use or is scrap.  I have found this process to work very well!  I have even made play cameras with paints and insulation foams, and finished coated with this method.  The new exterior products are plastics, and they hold up much better than they used to do! If kid proof, it should also be instrument proof. I have also built , carved and created many different instruments, and used the spray methods for some of the finishes.  On wood boxes, don't forget to try out the old fashioned gun stock oil! That simply is the best oil out there and instruments can have anything from soft satin to high polish look when using gun stock oil. Hope this helps:) Cheers!

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Permalink Reply by Michael Pounds on July 1, 2019 at 9:23am

I sprayed some water-based Varathane on this box. Worked pretty well. I’m sure it will eventually get some natural wear, assuming the guitar ends up being a good one...it will just take a little more time.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Pounds on July 1, 2019 at 10:16am

I used clear Rust-Oleum on this one.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Schoepf on July 1, 2019 at 11:57pm

During the build I put blue tape on the areas I’ll be cutting and mask the rest of the box with some heavy weight paper to protect it. For finish I use Minwax fast drying Polyurethane on most of my cigar boxes. It goes well over everything. Spray the first coat light, then recoat within an hour and walk away.  Hit it lightly with 320 the next day and spray a third coat nice and thick then walk away. Let it cure for a couple days and repeat the process. 

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Permalink Reply by Vicki Gibson on July 2, 2019 at 11:36am

That does work great. But, if you can only spray a couple of times, you can also brush on the rest of the coats. Gives it an artists look too as well as going on a bit thicker, but be careful not to create runs.  . Also,  you can also use gun stock oil to do the instruments:) That is an original finish for many instruments even today. I have had much success with using that process too:)  However with cardboard projects, not wood, the poly does tend to allow for more flex. Just my experiances...:)

Cheers!:) 

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