sealing holes for wet sanding

hi,

I recall seeing a thread last year about how people seal the various drilled holes in a body or neck before wet-sanding, but my google-fu is apparently inadequate to pull it up.

I never worried about this when finishing before, because I used Tru-oil, and I always got enough of it into tuner holes and stuff to make them waterproof, but this time I've sprayed a body with acrylic lacquer, and I want to make sure I don't get water under it.

I have some Osmocolor carnauba wax finish, and I have some orange oil/beeswax liquid, and I have T-O, and I can probably dig up some blu-tack. :smile: I'm a little worried that the oils will themselves get underneath the lacquer, which would be ironic....

What's the best thing to use?

I seem to recall people recommending candle wax?

I seem to recall people recommending candle wax?

Just drip it in there?

instead of water for wet sanding and you wont need to plug them. Mineral Spirits work much faster and wont load your sandpaper near as bad. If you must or choose to use water, use common spackling paste or wallboard compound to plug the holes.
Good luck on your project,
Rob

Slice small shavings off a candle and pack the shaving into the holes with your fingertip.

This is as much a question from my end as it is a suggestion, but what about threading the screws into the holes first (for the holes that will have screws after the build) and wicking in some CA glue? Would that not seal the inside of all the holes as well as help strengthen the threaded holes later on?

I'll be wet sanding a body later in the summer so I was sort of wondering if this would work, but may go the mineral spirits route now that I've seen that suggestion.

Search on my screen name. I asked this in the last year, in this section.

I tend to use way too much water (and refuse not to), so I now seal the holes by melting candle wax into the holes. I light the candle and simply drip the wax into all the holes.

I use Minwax Paste Wax. Its already in a gel/pasty form, so it goes in the holes really well. Plus it seals the wood in the holes.

I can not use mineral spirits for wet sanding because that stuff eats my skin, plus I don't like the fumes.

This or mineral spirits instead of water. The wax also makes it easier to install screws.
This might be the thread http://www.tdpri.com/forum/finely-finished/314296-wet-sanding.html

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/57547-01-200.jpg

I use either beeswax (mainly in smaller holes) and paraffin wax (which I have in blocks, probably dating back to the 60's when we used it for surfboard wax!)

Any kind of wax will work, but I avoid the pastes and softer types - too much of a chance of the wax creeping into the grain and messing with the adhesive bond.

Thanks everybody! But what about the PU cavities? Same treatment??

If you haven't sealed them - yes.

If you haven't sealed them - yes.

:oops::oops:

You know, I actually masked the cavities off. Why did I do that, anyway?

:oops::oops:

I never bother cause they get sealed by the overspray.

For the body cavities, how do you remove the wax after wetsanding is done??

I'm on my first body finish, and was just wondering whether a waxy residue left behind (if that is what happens) might affect the application of copper tape for shielding after....

Same question if using candle wax. How do you remove that from cavities after? (I know it's not a problem to leave, in fact a help, for screw holes)

I've never put wax in the cavities. They are sealed by the finish and you dont need it. You only need wax where the finish cant reach, like inside the neck mounting holes.

Problem with using wax anywhere around the body during finishing is that it interferes with the paint sticking...

Since everyone is wondering what the secret is. I use a cotton swab and apply Zinsser Seal Coat to the holes when first sealing the body...it's wax free and water won't get past it. No issues with paint not sticking anywhere.

I've never put wax in the cavities. They are sealed by the finish and you dont need it. You only need wax where the finish cant reach, like inside the neck mounting holes.

That was what I was originally assuming.....but I'd come across a couple of threads where there had been some problems with moisture around the cavities - maybe those cavities hadn't been sealed enough? - and I was worried I'd have the same issue......maybe I'll use mineral spirits anyway, just to be on the safe side.

I guess another failsafe could be to mask off the body, leaving holes just for cavities and make sure they get a good spray of clear now, before I apply colour coats (as in I am worried that, for example, the trem cavity, being deep and fairly narrow might not get fully sealed during the normal colour and clear coat stages)

Is that a reasonable thing to do??

When your at the sealer stage mix the first coats a little thin so it really soaks in. If your still worried give the cavities a few extra coats. Remember that the cavities also get sprayed during the colour and clear coats.The thing with using water is you don't want to use too much. Just enough to keep the paper lubricated.

Any kind of wax will work, but I avoid the pastes and softer types - too much of a chance of the wax creeping into the grain and messing with the adhesive bond.

Problem with using wax anywhere around the body during finishing is that it interferes with the paint sticking...

Put the wax in the holes after the body is painted.