cheap, easy, fast, good looking neck finish

SquierTeleLover · January 20th, 2008, 02:06 AM

for a neck i'm doing. any ideas? I saw some spray on poly at Micheals the other day. Can I just hang the neck from the ceiling, spray it down, and then scrape the excess gunk off the frets and stuff? If not, anybody know something inexspensive I can do? I need a durable finish, because my guitar goes everywhere with me, but at the same time I want it to be good looking. I'm hoping for a vintage tint, I heard I can get this with poly by leaving it in the sun. Oh, and I'd also like the neck to be fast, no finishes that will slow down my playing. I'm on a small budget, and I have limited work space to do the finishing in.

Steve G · January 20th, 2008, 02:43 AM

Hi from a fellow Squier tele lover.

I just used some shellac french polich for a nice amber tine. See my thread currently right below yours!

Now Im just looking to seal it over with a lacquer of some kind.

mitchelguitar · January 20th, 2008, 06:57 AM

I use Plastic-Kote Metal Flake clear car paint in a spray can.
[http://www.plastikote.com/plastikote...MetalFlake&t=1
Here is a neck that I just sprayed.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender004.jpg
I will tell you a my secrets, the first thing I do before I paint is to use a Mach 4 razor and shave the neck. This I do instead of a final sanding. Sanding will rip up the wood grain while scrapping will smooth them out. The paint won't have sanding grove to fill in and laying down on the neck smoother. I then prepare the can for painting by heating the can under hot tap water for ten minutes. I then shake the can, if the can becomes cold, I repeat the process. It will take two or three times until the can does not become cold. The heat will add pressure inside the can so that the paint will come out in a finer spray without globs. The way I paint my necks is to first tap off the frets with blue painter tape, so that just the frets are covered. I spray the fret board and headstock first. the paint will take between 1/2 hour and 45 minutes to dry. Now I flip the neck over so that it will be sitting on the taped cover frets. I then spray the back and sides of the neck.
As far as spraying there are a coupler things to remember. the first is distance, 8 to 10 inches away from the neck will lay down a wet coat. Which should be the first two passes. Then keep the can 12 to 14 inches away for lay down a dry coat. The dry coats will activate the paint already on the neck and cause them to smooth out. If when ready thing is dry if I have and runs I use a razor blade to smooth them out. Again it works better than sanding. Finally if a high gloss is desired I will wait a day and rub it out with rubbing compound and then polishing compound. I then will use Scratch Out to clean off any left over. I hope you find my method helpful as a can of spray paint runs about $7.

Axis29 · January 20th, 2008, 07:52 AM

Shellac, Wipe On Poly, or spray lacquer will all work. They are all relatively inexpensive and can stand up to some punishment. Poly is probably the toughest. Modern spray lacquers dry pretty quickly and can be used within a few days really. Any spray will take longer than a wipe on finish to set up and harden. shellac is a tried and true wood finish that's been around for centuries and dries within minutes to final hardness. However it is probably more brittle than the other finishes and can dissolve with alcohol.... but might be the easiest to fix if it does get enough alcohol on it that disturbs the finish.

SquierTeleLover · January 20th, 2008, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axis29

Shellac, Wipe On Poly, or spray lacquer will all work. They are all relatively inexpensive and can stand up to some punishment. Poly is probably the toughest. Modern spray lacquers dry pretty quickly and can be used within a few days really. Any spray will take longer than a wipe on finish to set up and harden. shellac is a tried and true wood finish that's been around for centuries and dries within minutes to final hardness. However it is probably more brittle than the other finishes and can dissolve with alcohol.... but might be the easiest to fix if it does get enough alcohol on it that disturbs the finish.

I bought some Minwax Satin Poly in a can, and a foam brush, hoping it will work. I got some fine grit sandpaper, too. Now to get started...
The neck is still attached to the body, with all the strings. Can I remove them without the neck warping? How can I get rid of the old finish, a razor, or sandpaper? Does prepping need to be done to anything? Can I do the fretboard with the same stuff? Blah, blah, blah. Blah, blah, blah. Ideas people! Thanks! :P

postjob62 · January 20th, 2008, 04:14 PM

If my experience is typical, you can't get rid of the old finish on a maple neck without more drastic action than I was willing to take. I thought a little acetone, maybe some steel wool at worst.

Hah! Not a chance! That stuff is really on there to stay, even though on my Squiers it looks almost non-existent. Without some heavy sanding you better figure on whatever finish you apply sitting on top of what's already there.

I recently asked in a thread if this was wearing OK since a lot of folks have done it. Not much response, so I'm assuming it's working out OK and I'm proceeding to do one that way myself.

SquierTeleLover · January 20th, 2008, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by postjob62

If my experience is typical, you can't get rid of the old finish on a maple neck without more drastic action than I was willing to take. I thought a little acetone, maybe some steel wool at worst.

Hah! Not a chance! That stuff is really on there to stay, even though on my Squiers it looks almost non-existent. Without some heavy sanding you better figure on whatever finish you apply sitting on top of what's already there.

I recently asked in a thread if this was wearing OK since a lot of folks have done it. Not much response, so I'm assuming it's working out OK and I'm proceeding to do one that way myself.

Heh, interesting. Mine came off with light sanding. Now all the strings are gone, trying to remove tuners. Took neck off body. Practiced staining cheap scrap wood. This foam brush is horrible, so blotchy!

mitchelguitar · January 20th, 2008, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SquierTeleLover

Can I remove them without the neck warping? How can I get rid of the old finish, a razor, or sandpaper? Does prepping need to be done to anything? P

From past experience you do not want to remove all the finish as it seal the wood. What I suggest you do is light sand the neck with 400 grid sandpaper and then use a razor to smooth the neck. Use a shaker can of clear finish and spray about two coats. For more detail please see;

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-tech...ml#post1078578

SquierTeleLover · January 20th, 2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitchelguitar

From past experience you do not want to remove all the finish as it seal the wood. What I suggest you do is light sand the neck with 400 grid sandpaper and then use a razor to smooth the neck. Use a shaker can of clear finish and spray about two coats. For more detail please see;

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-tech...ml#post1078578

Too late. Removed everything.

Colt W. Knight · January 21st, 2008, 01:14 PM

Why are you taking off the original finish?

martino · January 21st, 2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

Why are you taking off the original finish?

+ 1 I was going to ask the same thing .

going over poly I like to 000 steel wool or better yet

000 Between Coats Finishing Pads

Ed Bickert · January 21st, 2008, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

Why are you taking off the original finish?

+2

If you want a really cheap, easy, and FAST finish...just gave the bare wood a light tung-oil coat. Not the cheap sh_t you get in Home Depot...get the good stuff...the real stuff. For me, there's nothing faster than the feel of bare wood.

SquierTeleLover · January 21st, 2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

Why are you taking off the original finish?

It's really crapped out. I'd rather spend time refinishing the whole neck than sitting here using clear nail polish, or wipe on poly to get all the areas where the finish is chipping like crazy. And I don't have mony for a new neck, altogether.

Colt W. Knight · January 21st, 2008, 11:35 PM

Im not sure what kind of facillities you have for spraying a finish on, or what the climate conditions will be. However, spray on poly or spray on clear coat will work well. Just spray a little bit at a time, that way you don't have any runs. Spray a little, wait an hour, and keep doing that till you have a nice coat on there. Then knock her down with some ooo steel wool, spray a few more times and wet sand.
The easiest thing would be to just apply some true oil.
How did you sand off the previous finish, what grit?
You'll want to resand with 400, 500, and 650 before appling any new finish, or the sanding marks will shine through like christmas lights. I like polyeurethane, but everyone has differing opinions.

Glass smooth finish is not a quick task, takes a lot of patience.

You can do the same thing with regular old lowes wipe on poly, just sand with a fine grit between applications, then as its get smoother switch to steel wool. Just remember the more you put on, the longer it takes to dry. Just follow whatever you use instructions on the can eventhough it may take a while. In the the end you will be happier taking your time having done it right.

January 20th, 2008, 02:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
SquierTeleLover TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 21	cheap, easy, fast, good looking neck finish for a neck i'm doing. any ideas? I saw some spray on poly at Micheals the other day. Can I just hang the neck from the ceiling, spray it down, and then scrape the excess gunk off the frets and stuff? If not, anybody know something inexspensive I can do? I need a durable finish, because my guitar goes everywhere with me, but at the same time I want it to be good looking. I'm hoping for a vintage tint, I heard I can get this with poly by leaving it in the sun. Oh, and I'd also like the neck to be fast, no finishes that will slow down my playing. I'm on a small budget, and I have limited work space to do the finishing in. __________________ This is a signature.

January 20th, 2008, 02:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
Steve G Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: LeeK (England) Posts: 1,560 54 Photos	Hi from a fellow Squier tele lover. I just used some shellac french polich for a nice amber tine. See my thread currently right below yours! Now Im just looking to seal it over with a lacquer of some kind. __________________ "He was a drinkin' man with a guitar problem..." http://www.myspace.com/stevegiddings http://www.myspace.com/hiandlonesome

January 20th, 2008, 06:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
mitchelguitar TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunrise Fla Posts: 90	I use Plastic-Kote Metal Flake clear car paint in a spray can. [http://www.plastikote.com/plastikote...MetalFlake&t=1 Here is a neck that I just sprayed. http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender004.jpg I will tell you a my secrets, the first thing I do before I paint is to use a Mach 4 razor and shave the neck. This I do instead of a final sanding. Sanding will rip up the wood grain while scrapping will smooth them out. The paint won't have sanding grove to fill in and laying down on the neck smoother. I then prepare the can for painting by heating the can under hot tap water for ten minutes. I then shake the can, if the can becomes cold, I repeat the process. It will take two or three times until the can does not become cold. The heat will add pressure inside the can so that the paint will come out in a finer spray without globs. The way I paint my necks is to first tap off the frets with blue painter tape, so that just the frets are covered. I spray the fret board and headstock first. the paint will take between 1/2 hour and 45 minutes to dry. Now I flip the neck over so that it will be sitting on the taped cover frets. I then spray the back and sides of the neck. As far as spraying there are a coupler things to remember. the first is distance, 8 to 10 inches away from the neck will lay down a wet coat. Which should be the first two passes. Then keep the can 12 to 14 inches away for lay down a dry coat. The dry coats will activate the paint already on the neck and cause them to smooth out. If when ready thing is dry if I have and runs I use a razor blade to smooth them out. Again it works better than sanding. Finally if a high gloss is desired I will wait a day and rub it out with rubbing compound and then polishing compound. I then will use Scratch Out to clean off any left over. I hope you find my method helpful as a can of spray paint runs about $7. __________________ Mitchelguitar http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...uitar/Guitars/

January 20th, 2008, 07:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
Axis29 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 40 Posts: 1,053 1 Photos	Shellac, Wipe On Poly, or spray lacquer will all work. They are all relatively inexpensive and can stand up to some punishment. Poly is probably the toughest. Modern spray lacquers dry pretty quickly and can be used within a few days really. Any spray will take longer than a wipe on finish to set up and harden. shellac is a tried and true wood finish that's been around for centuries and dries within minutes to final hardness. However it is probably more brittle than the other finishes and can dissolve with alcohol.... but might be the easiest to fix if it does get enough alcohol on it that disturbs the finish. __________________ John F. TDPRI # 1764

January 20th, 2008, 04:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
postjob62 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Georgia Age: 59 Posts: 476	If my experience is typical, you can't get rid of the old finish on a maple neck without more drastic action than I was willing to take. I thought a little acetone, maybe some steel wool at worst. Hah! Not a chance! That stuff is really on there to stay, even though on my Squiers it looks almost non-existent. Without some heavy sanding you better figure on whatever finish you apply sitting on top of what's already there. I recently asked in a thread if this was wearing OK since a lot of folks have done it. Not much response, so I'm assuming it's working out OK and I'm proceeding to do one that way myself. __________________ You wore a diamond watch, claimed it was from Uncle Joe; Well, I looked at the inscription, it said "Love from Daddy-O"

January 21st, 2008, 01:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
Colt W. Knight Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: West Virginia Age: 24 Posts: 1,823	Why are you taking off the original finish?

January 21st, 2008, 11:35 PM	#14 (permalink)
Colt W. Knight Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: West Virginia Age: 24 Posts: 1,823	Im not sure what kind of facillities you have for spraying a finish on, or what the climate conditions will be. However, spray on poly or spray on clear coat will work well. Just spray a little bit at a time, that way you don't have any runs. Spray a little, wait an hour, and keep doing that till you have a nice coat on there. Then knock her down with some ooo steel wool, spray a few more times and wet sand. The easiest thing would be to just apply some true oil. How did you sand off the previous finish, what grit? You'll want to resand with 400, 500, and 650 before appling any new finish, or the sanding marks will shine through like christmas lights. I like polyeurethane, but everyone has differing opinions. Glass smooth finish is not a quick task, takes a lot of patience. You can do the same thing with regular old lowes wipe on poly, just sand with a fine grit between applications, then as its get smoother switch to steel wool. Just remember the more you put on, the longer it takes to dry. Just follow whatever you use instructions on the can eventhough it may take a while. In the the end you will be happier taking your time having done it right.