"Polishing" a fingerboard

B. Graham · #1 09-05-2006, 01:30 PM

I don't think it's a matter or oiling a board or not, but I've seen glossy boards, and more porous looking boards. When someone talks about "polishing" a fingerboard, what technique are they describing?

toman · #2 09-05-2006, 02:40 PM

I assume you would use the same technique as you would to polish any wood, and that would be to buff it with a wheel or bonnet of some sort, and probably an abrasive, like rottenstone or tripoli, and maybe finish it off with oil or wax? I'm just guessing though.

RWP · #3 09-05-2006, 02:49 PM

I know little about this area but I have read NEVER use a silicon based product. My StingRay 5 has a maple fingerboard that is starting to show some discoloration. Must be dirt and oil from my fingers. I haven't done anything about it so far as I am afraid of doing the wrong thing. Maybe I should give Ernie a call

Bob Branstetter · #4 09-05-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

For a Fingerboard to look its best in the Shiny sense of the word, it mush be highly polished with the finest sandpaper possible but in grades onle with all the previous scratches removed.

I agree with Ken up to a point. I start with 120 and pretty much follow the procedure Ken listed. However, I stop at 600 grit wet & dry and then change over to Micromesh starting at 1500 and through every inbetween grade up to 12,000. If you are willing to do the work, you can put a near mirror finish on good ebony. For the last step, I put on a light coating of Watco Danish Oil and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before wiping it "dry" with a soft cloth.

Alex Scott · #5 09-05-2006, 03:47 PM

That sounds good Bob, glad you are around.

arnoldschnitzer · #6 09-05-2006, 05:08 PM

I stop at 400 grit and then apply tung oil vigorously with a pad of Liberon 0000 steel wool. The oil gets wiped off within seconds. This gives me the sheen and feel I like.

Jake deVilliers · #7 09-05-2006, 06:37 PM

I go to 1500 like Ken and add boiled linseed oil to keep the board from drying out.

I love it when I can see my fingers reflected in the highly polished fingerboard.

B. Graham · #8 09-05-2006, 06:42 PM

Excellent. I knew I'd renewed my membership for a reason.

Thanks one and all. I think I'll give it a try on the next bass.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #9 09-05-2006, 09:26 PM

Interesting read. My friend Sid King has all of his fingerboards dressed at Robertson's in NM, and they all come back looking like black mirrors, and feel great to play to boot. I wonder what our southwest brethren are doing to their boards?

Bob Branstetter · #10 09-06-2006, 09:58 AM

I'm really surprised to see that (apparently) no one else is using Micromesh. For those not familar with Micromesh, it is used in the aircraft industry to polish out scratches in plexiglas windows. Not only does it do a great job of polishing wood, but in the long run, it is actually cheaper than using wet & dry sandpaper or synthetic steel wool. It seems to last forever in the shop and it is reusable and washable. I've been using the same box (kit) of Micromesh for over 5 years and it has polished a lot of bass fingerboards.

Uncletoad · #11 09-06-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mink Wonderboy

I wonder what our southwest brethren are doing to their boards?

Unspeakable acts in the Mountains.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handstander

I'm really surprised to see that (apparently) no one else is using Micromesh.

I love Micromesh and use it on all kinds of stuff every day. It's my secret weapon on fretjob finishing stolen from Roger Sadowsky 10 years ago.

toman · #12 09-06-2006, 02:52 PM

Not to hijack the thread, but is there any reason micromesh wouldn't be just as good for sharpening tools? I use the "scary-sharp" type method, i.e. a glass plate with wet/dry sandpaper to sharpen plane irons, chisels etc. and to polish and flatten plane bottoms and the like. Seems like it might be a good investment?

Bob Branstetter · #13 09-06-2006, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toman

Not to hijack the thread, but is there any reason micromesh wouldn't be just as good for sharpening tools? I use the "scary-sharp" type method, i.e. a glass plate with wet/dry sandpaper to sharpen plane irons, chisels etc. and to polish and flatten plane bottoms and the like. Seems like it might be a good investment?

I did a Google search and found there are some folks using Micromesh for tool sharpening. However, I'm not sure that Micromesh would work all that well with the scary-sharp method since it is made with a cushioned cloth backing that would have to be glued to the glass. Since wet & dry sandpaper works so well and is relatively cheap, I think Micromesh in the sizes you would need for shapening planes would be much more expensive and probably over kill for that application. YMMV

Alex Scott · #14 09-06-2006, 04:44 PM

I don't know what Robertson's does with their boards, I know years ago Dan Hachez but a hell of a board on my bass, it was banked right a little bit, and that made it a lot easier to get around, so the bow didn't have to reach as far. He mentioned some tung oil, but I wasn't sure where they put that. My favorite things about the board where the shape, a nice ellipse, and the banking.

How do you get the back of the neck to feel like satin?

peasandhoney · #15 09-06-2006, 06:33 PM

One problem with using micromesh for sharpening would be the backing. the thick soft backing gives too much and I would foresee it leading to microscopic rounding of the edge. there are sharpening papers out there or you can get the grits in a tube and work on glass. A lot of it is over kill, 4000x wet stone can get my chisels to spit a bow hair. Back to the point of the thread; I've tried, with limited success, pour fillers on very open grain boards. They look great but don't last, anyone know how to make it work?

Jake deVilliers · #16 09-06-2006, 06:56 PM

I was hoping Jeff Bollbach would jump in here and describe how to throw a perfect strike with bowling alley wax. :-)
Or even just tell us where to find such stuff.

Jeff?

Seeya, Jake

Bob Branstetter · #17 09-06-2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

I was hoping Jeff Bollbach would jump in here and describe how to throw a perfect strike with bowling alley wax. :-)
Or even just tell us where to find such stuff.

As I remember from past threads on this subject, Jeff likes Butcher's brand clear bowling Alley paste wax. Search the past threads and you can find how he applies it. If you can't find it locally (try a hardware store), there is always that guy on eBay who always has around 500 cans available to sell for $6-$7 plus shipping.

**Matthew Tucker** · #18 09-06-2006, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Scott

How do you get the back of the neck to feel like satin?

what works for me is fine sandpaper 400-800 grit, sponge neck with water to raise the grain, sand again when dry, repeat several times.

Then burnish as for the fingerboard if you want. i've seen some people use rouge on a strip of leather.

I use a thin wipe of olive oil, makes it very tasty.

Bob Branstetter · #19 09-07-2006, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

I use a thin wipe of olive oil, makes it very tasty.

Italian!

Andy Allen · #20 09-07-2006, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

what works for me is fine sandpaper 400-800 grit, sponge neck with water to raise the grain, sand again when dry, repeat several times.

Then burnish as for the fingerboard if you want. i've seen some people use rouge on a strip of leather.

I use a thin wipe of olive oil, makes it very tasty.

Gives you something to gnaw on during the drum solo, eh.

Andy