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Build II - Paradox MJ5 - New design!

#1,181
I don't know if it applies to the product you're using, but with some finishes, you should never pour back into the can, because it will make the entire can start to thicken and set. It happened to me with my first can of oil finish -- I was a little too cheap and couldn't bear to throw an ounce or two away, so I poured it back, even though I knew I shouldn't. A few days later the whole can was turning to jelly.
 
#1,184
pilotjones said:
I suspect it may be that once the polymerization reaction of curing is started, it tends to continue. Again, this may be true for some products and not for others.
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This would also declare why a long open time would cause such reaction. If the top layer starts to cure, it continues throughout the whole can eventually. That would mean it is true for my product as well. But I will find out later this week, when I'm starting with the next coat. If I find the varnish unusable after a test on some scrap, I will not continue. Costs me a few bugs, but at this stage I'm not willing to take the risk (anymore) ;). Thanks for the heads-up.
 
#1,185
Another reason why you don't want to pour back anything back into your "supply" can is that you risk introducing bubbles and contaminants (dust particles, fibers, etc.) into your clean reserve that wouldn't otherwise have been there. Better to pour out a small amount into a separate container and work out of that!

Lonnybass
 
#1,186
The latest layer dried reasonably well. Leveling out rather good, could be a bit better on the body though, so I will do a light wet sand before continuing with nr 9 and 10. Neck looks good. No drips, so that's good (thus right amount). Got more dust particles in this coat than with the previous ones, strange, but nothing some light sanding couldn't fix.

I let it cure for another day before light sanding and will concentrate on the logo for now.
 
#1,189
jmorbita said:
I'm missing the pictures!!!
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Okay.. here you go :D

A picture of the eighth coat, just after application:

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A paper logo test to check size and placement. I actually want my name on it, but thought that would be too small, so I tested the logo only. Also, I was in doubt if I wanted the logo only outlined (white) or fully filled in white. Based on this test, I now know it shouldn't be outlined, but filled. I think my name on it would still be cool. Oh, and I know it should be rotated a bit, this is just a quick shot of how it would look:

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I'm going to tweak the logo a bit maybe, but I like the look of it, so it will not change drastically. Also, I'm afraid I need to apply it as a vinyl decal on top of the varnish. Too late to get it under there.

By the way, the white on red look of the logo on the headstock matches the pickguard / body combination wonderfully well. I may even slice the top layer of the pg material and make the H out of that and glue it on :smug::

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#1,190
Spend an evening in the workshop. I first sanded the entire bass with 600 grit (wet). The back of the neck only needed a light sand, headstock was fine as is. The most work was to be done on the top of the body, but that went fast and as planned. Easy does it. Eight coats felt as a good thickness, didn't come close to sanding through and got it almost completely flat already.

Opened up the can of varnish, didn't seem to having changed at all so I might got away with pouring back. Of course I didn't do that this time though.

I then coated the complete bass another time, so the nineth coat is on now. Applied it thin, spread out well and due to the flat surface I created by sanding it looks very smooth already.

I will apply one more coat, so ten in total. If that one works out to be smooth and the witness lines are all gone (which I learned that isn't the case with only one coat after sanding), then I will stop varnishing and start waiting for a few weeks or a month, before rubbing the finish out.

Oh.. and I found out almost nothing fits anymore.. The neck does barely fit, the control cavity cover doesn't anymore, the pickups won't really go in their pockets, control pots don't go in anymore et cetera. I think, if the finish is dry, I need to do some cleanup here and there. I planned an oil finish at first and kept .5 mm of space around all hardware than needs some room. This is exactly the amount the varnish has taken up, so I need to sand some edges and carefully cut away some excess varnish in the pockets and holes. But that's something for over a month, just before rubbing the finish out.
 
#1,192
Lonnybass said:
Rob-

You're doing all the right things. Glad to know things are looking good!

Lonnybass
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Thanks Lonny! If it wasn't for your help, I wouldn't be :smug:

Tenth coat is on, finished just a minute ago. Tried to get it on as thin and smooth as possible. Looking at the curing while applying, I reckon I should do another coat to hide the witness lines completely (on the body that is). Neck looks fine as is, and if it ain't necessary, I won't touch it anymore when it's dry. So probably one more coat on the body and we're done. Can't wait to get there!
 
#1,197
Thank you guys!! I'm almost there, can't wait to show some daylight pics of the finished varnishing result. Just checked and the last coat on the body came out great, nice and level, but didn't hide the witness lines completely as I expected, so I have to do another pass with the varnish. The headstock face definitely needs some work though, still. And the neck has some minor imperfections in the last coat (previous one was a 100% right on), so I am in doubt if I do the neck one more time too or leave it a is because it will rub out smooth anyway.

@Ton: I may go with a professional laser cut vinyl sticker on top from a lettering company, costs me an arm an a leg (€18 starting costs, €12,50 per sticker) but probably looks the part on top of the finish. Not much choice though, as a waterside decal should have been under there and cutting my name out of it is never going to look good.
 
#1,198
roberthabraken said:
Thank you guys!! I'm almost there, can't wait to show some daylight pics of the finished varnishing result. Just checked and the last coat on the body came out great, nice and level, but didn't hide the witness lines completely as I expected, so I have to do another pass with the varnish. The headstock face definitely needs some work though, still. And the neck has some minor imperfections in the last coat (previous one was a 100% right on), so I am in doubt if I do the neck one more time too or leave it a is because it will rub out smooth anyway.

@Ton: I may go with a professional laser cut vinyl sticker on top from a lettering company, costs me an arm an a leg (€18 starting costs, €12,50 per sticker) but probably looks the part on top of the finish. Not much choice though, as a waterside decal should have been under there and cutting my name out of it is never going to look good.
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It is quite possible to print a black outline on decal paper to hide the cut edges of a white decal.
 
#1,199
Prostheta said:
It is quite possible to print a black outline on decal paper to hide the cut edges of a white decal.
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Absolutely. But the lines of the letters of my name have a width (thickness) of 0.85 mm. I'll never be able to cut them out by hand, apply them in a straight line, spacing them correctly, getting a professional result. The sticker I was talking about is delivered on an application sheet, is cut out by a machine and can be applied at once without having to think about spacing / positioning the individual parts of the logo.
 

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