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The Hossenfeffer II Build
- Thread starter Gilmourisgod
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Rôckhewer
Commercial User
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
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- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Absolutely gorgeous Alex.
The top got a lot darker than I expected... or is that just the lighting in that room?
The top got a lot darker than I expected... or is that just the lighting in that room?
@Rôckhewer
The room is a little dark, but, its definitely a rich chocolate brown with some almost purple highlights you will see better in the sun. I friggin love this piece of wood! Gonna be a little hard handing it over to my son! The real surprise was how much the flame maple popped. I was going to do a clear Ric style TRC backpainted cream to match the binding, now im leaning towards a flame maple piece with an overlaid Hossenffer decal. Opinions?
The room is a little dark, but, its definitely a rich chocolate brown with some almost purple highlights you will see better in the sun. I friggin love this piece of wood! Gonna be a little hard handing it over to my son! The real surprise was how much the flame maple popped. I was going to do a clear Ric style TRC backpainted cream to match the binding, now im leaning towards a flame maple piece with an overlaid Hossenffer decal. Opinions?
Maple piece would be classy.
Tru Oil makes wood look really good. Be aware that it will darken over time.
A few outdoor shots taken in the morning sun, much better color accuracy. I notice my iPhone tends to make everything look yellow under LED or fluorescent. This grain is wild! This is after three coats of oil, already getting some nice shine on it. I think I'll wetsand the next coat, but I'll go easy on the sanding, maybe 400 grit. I'm picking up a few bits of lint, showing on the cream binding. I'll have to wet-sand that off. Where does one obtain this mythical "lint free rag" material? I used an old dark green T-shirt cut up into pieces, in retrospect probably not a bright idea. Think I'll try some pure white T-shirt 
Dude, 400 grit will go through that finish like prune juice at a senior convention.
I use #0000 steel wool and don't get too energetic with it.
Now I’m getting confused on Tru Oil process. 400 grit too coarse to wetsand? I think @Beej was using 320. I’ve sworn off steel wool altogether for finishing after the regrettable “rusty flakes o’ steel wool on oak” incident, of which I will not speak further here. I was thinking white scotchbrite pad to knock the dust motes and any raised grain down. Is wetsanding it at all even necessary/advisable if I want it to read as Wood?
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,007
- 1
- 31,705
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
With 400, I do expect to cut through to wood here and there, but that doesn't matter too much with tru oil when you're still grain filling in my opinion. For finish coats, 400 is too coarse I think, I don't sand it at all, but burnish with scotchbrite pads and a paper bag at the end. 
there are many ways to skin a cat with tru oil. 
there are many ways to skin a cat with tru oil.
Damn right in that, I’ve watched 10 different “experts” with 10 differnt process on YouTube. Hard to screw thus up either way, I guess. I am Born Again Tru Oil.
I tried wet sanding with 600 grit, maybe im doing it wrong, because it just felt....wrong. Like i was just scratching it. I think ill skip it and just use a white scotchbrite to level it every few coats.
Rôckhewer
Commercial User
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
I wouldn't wet sand lower than 800 on TOP of coats... of anything...
...but then... that's assuming it went on flat.
Which TruOil does ... if you're not sloppy.
I would barely graze it with 0000 steel wool, and that, really only to make sure your buildup is even.
Like make sure there are no spots where excess sat & got tacky...or drips...etc.
But save any "sanding" for the very end. Like before the last coat.
Just my opinion.
Also...
I have a theory about wet sanding with oil to fill grain.
And that is, it really only works best on the very first coat.
400 is ok, because you want some sawdust mixed in. (Slurry)
The capillaries are sucking in the oil the most...on the first coat... right?
Let them suck in the slurry as well.
And... don't "wipe" that coat with a rag.
Squeegee off the excess with a plastic glue spreader, pushing down... packing the slurry into the grain.
And let that dry a couple days .
Minimally sand that with a *whisper* grazing of maybe 600 dry.
Then... more coats... more coats.... 1 a day.
Then ... CURE time.
Then polish.... if needed.
Just my opinion.
...but then... that's assuming it went on flat.
Which TruOil does ... if you're not sloppy.
I would barely graze it with 0000 steel wool, and that, really only to make sure your buildup is even.
Like make sure there are no spots where excess sat & got tacky...or drips...etc.
But save any "sanding" for the very end. Like before the last coat.
Just my opinion.
Also...
I have a theory about wet sanding with oil to fill grain.
And that is, it really only works best on the very first coat.
400 is ok, because you want some sawdust mixed in. (Slurry)
The capillaries are sucking in the oil the most...on the first coat... right?
Let them suck in the slurry as well.
And... don't "wipe" that coat with a rag.
Squeegee off the excess with a plastic glue spreader, pushing down... packing the slurry into the grain.
And let that dry a couple days .
Minimally sand that with a *whisper* grazing of maybe 600 dry.
Then... more coats... more coats.... 1 a day.
Then ... CURE time.
Then polish.... if needed.
Just my opinion.
Thanks Rock. I think ive been conflicted, wanting it shiny but still seeing some wood. The 600 grit i tried just skated around on a film of oil, occasionally adding a random scratch. D'oh! I loathe steel wool, so I tried a white scotchbrite, which barely touched it, this stuff dries much harder than Watco. Think ill try a "fine" pad just to flatten it and cut back any raised grain, 3-4 more coats, repeat. Ive read anywhere from 10-20 coats, whats the rule of thumb?
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,007
- 1
- 31,705
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Leapfrog, brother - this build of yours is the core of my inspiration for my next 4004. Lots of walnut, with a maple & walnut neck-thru... Were you and I separated at birth? 
Learning to use Tru-Oil:
Close inspection with a bright light revealed a good bit of green lint showing on the cream binding, it's probably everywhere, but only visible against the cream. That green t-shirt rag not my best idea....
Anyway, had to wetsand any bits out with oil, think I got it all. I'm also seeing a few flaws, tiny dings and scratches that were invisible pre-oil. I thought the oil would infill and hide any of this stuff, nope!
The wetsanding was a bust, so I've settled into a schedule. After the first 5 coats, I leveled it with a grey "fine" scotchbrite, which seemed to work well. I'll do ot again after every 5 coats. During the week I can only get one coat per day on, so I'm using the "superfine" white scotchbrite between every coat. It barely touches the shine unless you really bear down on it, but a light rubdown seems to remove any errant bits of lint or cat hair. That's inevitable, I guess, I don't have anything even approaching a dust-free space in my house. I'm thinking I'll go to 20 coats and see how it looks, I'm good with still seeing some grain show through, kinda like it that way.
Close inspection with a bright light revealed a good bit of green lint showing on the cream binding, it's probably everywhere, but only visible against the cream. That green t-shirt rag not my best idea....
Anyway, had to wetsand any bits out with oil, think I got it all. I'm also seeing a few flaws, tiny dings and scratches that were invisible pre-oil. I thought the oil would infill and hide any of this stuff, nope!
The wetsanding was a bust, so I've settled into a schedule. After the first 5 coats, I leveled it with a grey "fine" scotchbrite, which seemed to work well. I'll do ot again after every 5 coats. During the week I can only get one coat per day on, so I'm using the "superfine" white scotchbrite between every coat. It barely touches the shine unless you really bear down on it, but a light rubdown seems to remove any errant bits of lint or cat hair. That's inevitable, I guess, I don't have anything even approaching a dust-free space in my house. I'm thinking I'll go to 20 coats and see how it looks, I'm good with still seeing some grain show through, kinda like it that way.
