Tung oil satin finish

[Gottaplay]

Just wiped on the hopefully final coat on a DIY Pearseish style armrest for my Larrivee L03 and am wondering what my options are for getting the final cured coat to match the satin finish of the guitar top?

The bridge and fingerboard are ebony so I used black Fiebings dye to match up the alder armrest. The previous coat dried nice and glossy with no imperfections so I lightly sanded with 1500 then wiped on a final coat.

0000 Steel wool is probably top course as is 1500 unless maybe the right buffing method... dunno?. It’s not high end work but it would be nice to get it in the ballpark.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by Gottaplay

J...wondering what my options are for getting the final cured coat to match the satin finish of the guitar top?

I use the Beall system of buffing to "finish" un-finished wood. http://www.bealltool.com/products/buffing/buffer.php

It might be more than you want to invest in finishing your arm rest.

It can be used to produce up to a lacquer-like high gloss finish on bare wood or wood that has been oiled. If you want satin, stop after the first of the three buffing stages. Less shine, buff less or at slower speed. I chuck the buffing wheels in my drill press. I sand the wood to 400 for a high gloss buffing and to 180 or 220 for a lower gloss.

[Gottaplay]

Well that system looks pretty effective but yeah this is sort of a one off project so investing in that is a non starter. On the other hand if I ever get into carving pipes...

As usual input from someone triggers a parallel thought. Somewhere stashed away in the workshop are three bottles of motorcycle windshield buffing compound I think it's called Novus 1-2-3. I recall reading something about it's use on satin finish guitars to bring up a shinier finish. I was considering going that route with my L-03 as when I first got it I was just coming back to playing again after a long hiatus and my right hand and forearm made a noticeable sound when coming into contact with the top. My technique is improving so I don't notice this very much now. With the K&K Trinity system on this guitar unwanted body sounds ( I`m talking guitar body sounds ) are readily amplified. Not really an issue...I think?

Any way maybe the Novus would do the trick,,,ahh more reading. So far Google searches say go the 0000 steel wool route. Meh.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by Gottaplay

Somewhere stashed away in the workshop are three bottles of motorcycle windshield buffing compound I think it's called Novus 1-2-3.

If it is used on windshields it will likely be much too fine for what you want.

So far Google searches say go the 0000 steel wool route. Meh.

Penetrating oil finishes, such as tung, usually produce a matte finish. You can make them a little shinier with steel wool or finer sandpaper, but you won't generally get them much shinier than very low gloss/matte. I mentioned the Beall system because it is the only method that I'm aware of to add gloss to a penetrating oil finish.

You might try applying shellac and then dulling it with fine sandpaper and/or steel wool.

[Gottaplay]

Hi Charles,

Yes I`ve never before now had tung oil dry so glossy but then again I`ve never applied it to dyed alder and built up so many coats with steel wool between coats. I also wet sanded a few coats near the end with the 0000 steel wool in an attempt at pore filling evenness which worked great. Must be ten coats on there by now. Adding anything other than tung oil at this point would complicate future touch-ups/repairs so in my quest to reduce the sheen to match the ebony components a mechanical means seems to me to remain the preferred route.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by Gottaplay

... in my quest to reduce the sheen to match the ebony components a mechanical means seems to me to remain the preferred route.

My apologies, I misunderstood what you were trying to do. In my experience, tung oil is usually a very low gloss finish and I thought you were trying to increase its gloss.

To decrease its gloss, as you said, simply abrade it with a coarseness of abrasive that reduces the gloss to what you want. Steel or synthetic wool are options, as is sandpaper.

[Gottaplay]

No worries. Went with the 0000 lightly and that knocked it down some. Just mounted the armrest...gotta go for a test drive.