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Oil finish?

M

MiniMoose234

Mar 23, 2009
622
4
32
Fairfax, Virginia
#1
Ive been looking at refinishing my ibanez ATK, and after a while just thought "would an oil finish like on warwicks be possible?"
I thought it would be cool, I've heard oil finishing is relativly easy, so this being the first i would do is a comfort.
And if this is possible, how would i make it a colored finish? Like the Emerald green warwicks? Thanks in advance :hyper:
 
#2
To get a color (like green), you could use a wipe-on or spray-on analine dye. Once the dye has dried, you could definitely do an oil finish, finishing with a paste wax... The "natural wood" Warwicks are finished in this way. However, here's what the Warwick website says about their colored instruments:

Warwick Owner's Manual (taken from the website) said:
Colored Oil Finish (Satin Lacquer-Finish)
All Colored Oil models are completely sealed by their satin lacquer-finish and therefore do not require any special treatment.
For the cleaning of the surface you should simply use a slightly damp cloth and clean the soiled areas applying light pressure.
A wax treatment is not advisable.
Click to expand...

To do a finish like this, you would either apply dye as above, finishing with clear satin lacquer, or you would tint the lacquer itself prior to spraying it on. For the person doing this only once, I would recommend either the option above (wipe on dye, the oil/wax), or the second option (wipe on dye then spray on lacquer).

Spraying tinted lacquer properly would likely cost you more in time and equipment than it is worth at this stage. I have seen many fine finishes done with dye applied directly to the wood, then topped with lacquer out of a spray can. Stew-Mac has a good photo walkthrough for finishing an instrument using wipe-on dye, and rattle-can lacquer.
 
#7
I think i might dye the wood and then do the spray lacquer.. Where would be an example of the laquer, and where would i get colored dyes for the wood?
http://www.rocketmusic.net/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=2513 this is the look im going for if anyones interested haha :)
SDB Guitars said:
Spraying tinted lacquer properly would likely cost you more in time and equipment than it is worth at this stage. I have seen many fine finishes done with dye applied directly to the wood, then topped with lacquer out of a spray can. Stew-Mac has a good photo walkthrough for finishing an instrument using wipe-on dye, and rattle-can lacquer.
Click to expand...

where did you see the walkthorugh? I couldnt find it.
 
#8
In that case, I would use analine dye as a wash coat first. Maybe a couple coats. Then I would find a dye that will work with high gloss Waterlox. Follow the directions on the can. After a couple coats, switch to un-dyed Waterlox.
 
#10
well school starts up next week and i leave for a last minute weeklong beach trip tomorrow, so it may have to wait as long as winter break. But hopefully not :D Thanks btw :) ive been planning this for a while, originaly it was gonna be sparkly metalic purple burst haha. But i just loved that green oil finish and my ATK has some nice grain on it.
Santx what are you planning?
 
#11
I have a 1976 Fender P-bass I want to redo. Sand off the existing factory clear coat and stain it blue. I'm hoping the grain still shows through. I'm not a big fan of high gloss finishes, so I'm still researching what to do post-dye to protect the color.

76small.jpg
 
#12
#13
SDB Guitars said:
You can tint Waterlox?
Click to expand...

Not sure, that's what I'm saying. Before using any dye, you need to check compatibility with the product you are using. I normally use this German dye concentrate I get at Woodcraft, can't recall the name, but I'll look later, and have yet to find anything it won't mix with. Since Waterlox is really a polymerized oil finish, I imagine that stuff would work fine in it, but I would always test before I commit.
 

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