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  #1  
Old 12-02-2017, 04:52 PM
BradleyS BradleyS is offline
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Question Wet Sanding Nitro

I have modified the profile on the neck of my guitar and will soon be ready to wet sand.
Google searching revealed that the majority of people used water and dish soap to wet sand. I have also found where water can present a problem and mineral spirits or acetone were substituted for the water. I don't want to mess with acetone, so I purchased some odorless mineral spirits.
Knowing that the mineral spirits is used for clean up, will it dissolve the nitro finish when sanding or is it a recommended wetting agent?
Note: I erroneously listed acetone as a lubricant and have corrected it to be naptha. My apologies.
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Last edited by BradleyS; 12-02-2017 at 09:59 PM.
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  #2  
Old 12-02-2017, 05:03 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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I recommend water and dish soap.
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Old 12-02-2017, 05:25 PM
Frank Ford Frank Ford is offline
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NO ACETONE !!

It's a strong solvent for lacquer - one touch and you're gone.

Water/detergent can work well, but if there are any voids or cracks in the finish the water can cause grain raising and be generally troublesome.

I use mineral spirits or kerosene for nitrocellulose sanding. Interestingly, you can use those solvents for "wet" sanding with regular open-coat sandpaper. So, if I feel the need to get really agro on the finish, I'll start with 400 grit or 600 grit open coat, and follow with the finer grits of waterproof - up to 2000, as needed.

It's super important not to scrub around and around with the sanding, but to be sure to clean the surface off as you go, so you don't grind in particles you've just sanded off the surface. That's what the lubrication is all about. . .
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Old 12-02-2017, 05:46 PM
Wozer Wozer is offline
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I've had no great issues using water for wet sanding lacquers...but I find Frank Ford's caution of voids to be a valid worry.

that being said, I usually use mineral spirits for cleaning out the residue, waiting for it to fully flash off, then use a tack cloth just before spraying again...be aware a tack cloth is a double edged sword...rub it hard and you are leaving residue that can cause fish eyes...I gently drag it across the surfaces.

NO...never use acetone for wet sanding...just where in God's name did you find that huge piece of fake news?
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Old 12-02-2017, 08:59 PM
H165 H165 is offline
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I've been using water and dish soap for over 50 years. I can testify it works, but Frank has so many hours and so much accumulated knowledge I'm just a harmony voice in the matter.
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Old 12-02-2017, 09:45 PM
BradleyS BradleyS is offline
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Red face

Ok , my apologies, my Google searches showed where people utilized Naptha for wet sanding and not Acetone. I guess I was experiencing a brain glitch.
So I have learned that mineral spirits is an acceptable lubricant for wet sanding. Do I also wipe the neck down with mineral spirits prior to spraying the final satin coat?
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Old 12-02-2017, 11:57 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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Saliva is a great lubricant for wet sanding, but avoid the dish soap is you use it.
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Old 12-03-2017, 12:40 PM
BradleyS BradleyS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer View Post
Saliva is a great lubricant for wet sanding, but avoid the dish soap is you use it.
Saliva...well I did utilize saliva in the mid 70's, while in the military, to "spit" shine my boots, but I think I will opt for another option for wet sanding.
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Old 12-03-2017, 01:11 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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I have modified the neck profile on a few of my guitars (especially Lakewoods) , and have always used a rubbed oil finish, subsequently waxed.

There is simply no comparison ... the waxed oil finish is just so slick and effortless compared to any lacquer finish.

Slick and effortless when playing the instrument, I mean ... not in the actual application.
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Old 12-03-2017, 01:20 PM
BradleyS BradleyS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
I have modified the neck profile on a few of my guitars (especially Lakewoods) , and have always used a rubbed oil finish, subsequently waxed.

There is simply no comparison ... the waxed oil finish is just so slick and effortless compared to any lacquer finish.

Slick and effortless when playing the instrument, I mean ... not in the actual application.
I had considered the Tried & True Original Wood Finish from StewMac, but went with the nitro. In hind sight, the oil finish would have been much easier and I would have saved brain cells.
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Old 12-05-2017, 09:46 PM
BradleyS BradleyS is offline
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I completed the wet sanding using mineral spirits as a lubricant and sprayed the final coats of lacquer.
Not professional, but I am happy with the results.
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:49 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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I used Tried and True finish on a cherry writing desk I made some years ago. It was the worst finish I致e ever applied. It would be one of the last finishes I would apply to a musical instrument. I値l never use it again on anything. If you do a search of reviews for the Tried and True finishes, aside from the reviews on stewmac , mostly by novices, you値l see that I知 not alone in my experience with them.

There are other relatively easy to apply finishes that produce acceptable results.
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:56 PM
BradleyS BradleyS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
I used Tried and True finish on a cherry writing desk I made some years ago. It was the worst finish I致e ever applied. It would be one of the last finishes I would apply to a musical instrument. I値l never use it again on anything. If you do a search of reviews for the Tried and True finishes, aside from the reviews on stewmac , mostly by novices, you値l see that I知 not alone in my experience with them.

There are other relatively easy to apply finishes that produce acceptable results.
Thanks Charles, happy I didn't go with Tried and True.
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  #14  
Old 12-05-2017, 11:54 PM
H165 H165 is offline
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Quote:
Not professional, but I am happy with the results.
Curious: Are you doing any finishing on this, or just going with it as is?
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  #15  
Old 12-06-2017, 12:59 AM
BradleyS BradleyS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by H165 View Post
Curious: Are you doing any finishing on this, or just going with it as is?
I sprayed it with a nitro lacquer satin finish. The directions on the can read to spray a finish coat after wet sanding, so I am going with it as it is.No buffing.
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