Official Luthiers Forum!

I've french polished several guitars so far, but the one I'm currently working on is the first one where I've tried filling the pores. The back and sides are Brazilian, and really need it.

So, I'm following the Milburn tutorial, and discover that they only briefly comment on removing the pumice/wood dust slurry after filling the pores. Basically, they say to wipe down the area with a piece of alcohol wetted cloth.

So, I do this, and I wipe against the grain to minimize wiping the filler out of the pores, but I still notice afterward that the pores have lost some filler. And when I go back over it again, repeating the fill process, still, when I wipe it down, I lose filler from the pores.

I don't think I have the cloth too wet, but it has to be wet enough to remove the dried slurry.

Just wondering what you guys who FP your guitars do in this regard?

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Try Behlen's water based filler

I wipe at a 45 deg to the grain, moderate wet, with light pressure. This after the the last fill session has hardened. I takes several wipes but too firm of pressure will pull the fill out a bit. Bigger the pores the lighter pressure. I approch it kinda like level sanding a bit at a time and check progress often. I have gone to Zpoxy fill on most FP and lacquer jobs for the ease but I did pumice fill exclusivly for a couple years.MichaelP38561.6444791667

I'd have to check my notes from the Brune class, but if I remember right we finished off with straight strokes with the grain. I'm uncertain of that without checking my notes, if it's in my notes.

I do know that after trying a rottenstone fill, a pumice fill, and a behlen's waterbased pore fill in class, I don't see myself using anything but Behlen's waterbased from here on out.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

When boding you do finish each session with straigh strokes, often called "pulling off". but we were talking about removing the fill slurry prior to boding. The 45deg stroke is less likly to pull out the fill. Once you start boding the guitar you will have a film build up protecting the fill.

Yeah, I know we're not talking about the bodying session. I was thinking of rottenstone where we did wipe off the excess in straight strokes with the grain with a paper towel. I don't remember what we did with pumice, I thought we did the same thing or similar. Maybe Robbie took better notes than I did on that part.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Thanks guys,

Whatabout, instead of using an alcohol wetted cloth, I were to use some very fine grit open-pored sanding sheets? Or maybe a cabinet scraper?

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Hi MM,
I have been FP all my guitars. Pore filling is the part I dislike the most. According to Ron Fernandez, ( the method I am using), the filling stage pad should be medium hard with a lint free cover , cotton waste core. Use alcohol(195 or DA) and shellac but the shellac is less than 1lb. cut. Use pumice, fine grade, no oil in the beginning and then some oil on the pad later. Go cross grain 90 or 45 or anything inbetween but not with the grain or you will pull out the pumice and sawdust that you have worked so hard to fill into those pores. I have never used/tried rotenstone. Hope this helps.

MikeP,
Have you had any adhesion problems with Shellac after Zpoxy as filler. I used Zpoxy as filler on one guitar and it filled beautifully but I have not gotten back to it to F.P. yet. THANKS!

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

[QUOTE=Dave-SKG]
MikeP,
Have you had any adhesion problems with Shellac after Zpoxy as filler. I used Zpoxy as filler on one guitar and it filled beautifully but I have not gotten back to it to F.P. yet. THANKS![/QUOTE]

No Dave you will not have issues with shellac over Zpoxy. If reversed there is an issue epoxy will not bond to shellac well but shellac will bond to cured epoxy very well...go figure