duane v Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 I'm leaning toward using the spirits for lubricity rather than water and dish soap liquid. What are your experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 I have never needed to sand on any of my guitars, so none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, duane v said: I'm leaning toward using the spirits for lubricity rather than water and dish soap liquid. What are your experiences. Mineral spirits have alcohol in them dont they (ethanol).. From what I know alcohol will soften nitro, (never use alcohol based liquids).... I have heard that lighter fluid (naphtha) is a good way to clean nitro but have never tried it.. I need to at some point as I want to put my LPs back in their cases after a decade or so of being on stands and subject to heavy smoking. But I dont want to put them back in their case before I can clean the smoke gunk off it. Edited January 30, 2023 by Rabs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 20 minutes ago, Rabs said: Mineral spirits have alcohol in them dont they (ethanol).. From what I know alcohol will soften nitro, (never use alcohol based liquids).... I have heard that lighter fluid (naphtha) is a good way to clean nitro but have never tried it.. I need to at some point as I want to put my LPs back in their cases after a decade or so of being on stands and subject to heavy smoking. But I dont want to put them back in their case before I can clean the smoke gunk off it. I've used lighter fluid (naphtha) to clean sticky necks on guitars, and it does not hurt the nitro. Not sure if cleaning with it is going to remove smell of years of smoking. It may just take time for that to dissipate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Just now, Sgt. Pepper said: I've used lighter fluid (naphtha) to clean sticky necks on guitars, and it does not hurt the nitro. Not sure if cleaning with it is going to remove smell of years of smoking. It may just take time for that to dissipate. The issue is its not just the smell.. Theres like a layer or tar or something like that, that builds up over time. The smell might go away but in order for it to not be sticky any more it needs more than just air. And if you try to use standard polish it just smears all over the place... It might work if I were to use something like T-Cut but I havent tried it yet and it will mean taking the guitar apart to do it properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 1 minute ago, Rabs said: The issue is its not just the smell.. Theres like a layer or tar or something like that, that builds up over time. The smell might go away but in order for it to not be sticky any more it needs more than just air. And if you try to use standard polish it just smears all over the place... It might work if I were to use something like T-Cut but I havent tried it yet and it will mean taking the guitar apart to do it properly. Steve Ford recommended I use it when my HD-28V had a sticky neck. He told me he used it on his guitars, which are mostly Gibson's. I was hesitant at first to use it, but I did, and it did the job. I don't know if it will remove all that tar from the ciggies, or if you just need to keep going over it again and again, but give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Mineral spirits can be used on nitro. The evaporation time is slower than naphtha so it’s be preferable for that reason. If you use water be especially careful not to saturate the wood anywhere bare wood is exposed like inside drilled holes etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I gotta ask.. Why do you want to Sand a Nitro Finish? What kind of Guitar is it? If it has a Nitro Finish it must be a higher end Guitar.. Are you going to re-finish the Guitar for some reason? If you’re re-finishing the Guitar however long it’s taken for the Guitar to develop the Sound it now has will be lost.. It will be like buying a new Guitar that will take time to age & develop a truly great Sound. It will more than likely diminish it's value as well.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 4 hours ago, Larsongs said: I gotta ask.. Why do you want to Sand a Nitro Finish? What kind of Guitar is it? If it has a Nitro Finish it must be a higher end Guitar.. Are you going to re-finish the Guitar for some reason? If you’re re-finishing the Guitar however long it’s taken for the Guitar to develop the Sound it now has will be lost.. It will be like buying a new Guitar that will take time to age & develop a truly great Sound. It will more than likely diminish it's value as well.. I think this is for the Lucy George Harrison LP he is recreating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 3 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I think this is for the Lucy George Harrison LP he is recreating. That is correct. I was cosmetically addressing a broken headstock to hide the repair so that is wouldn't look like Edwards Scissor Hands, which required re-paint / stain and laying down 12 coats of Nitro lacquer to the front of the headstock and an isolated are to the back of the headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 9 hours ago, Larsongs said: I gotta ask.. Why do you want to Sand a Nitro Finish? What kind of Guitar is it? If it has a Nitro Finish it must be a higher end Guitar.. Are you going to re-finish the Guitar for some reason? If you’re re-finishing the Guitar however long it’s taken for the Guitar to develop the Sound it now has will be lost.. It will be like buying a new Guitar that will take time to age & develop a truly great Sound. It will more than likely diminish it's value as well.. Yeah I hope he’s using tone lacquer on the tone wood. He could lose all that great tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 12 minutes ago, Dub-T-123 said: Yeah I hope he’s using tone lacquer on the tone wood. He could lose all that great tone I'm using what StewMac recommended. I hardly doubt spraying Nitro on a headstock is going to affect the tone on an electric guitar. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 21 minutes ago, duane v said: I'm using what StewMac recommended. I hardly doubt spraying Nitro on a headstock is going to affect the tone on an electric guitar. lol Don't forget to keep us up to date with your progress. Pics are wanted too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 5 minutes ago, Big Bill said: Don't forget to keep us up to date with your progress. Pics are wanted too! See below for thread> Lucy Project 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 54 minutes ago, Dub-T-123 said: Yeah I hope he’s using tone lacquer on the tone wood. He could lose all that great tone I thought it may have been an Acoustic & complete Re-Finish.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 I leave acoustic guitar work for real professionals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 hour ago, duane v said: I leave acoustic guitar work for real professionals. Smart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearbasher Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I've spayed a few guitars with nitro. Wet sanded with water using 600 and 800 grit paper. Then finished with automotive rubbing compound then polishing compound. They came out pretty darn good. Just don't get too aggressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, gearbasher said: I've spayed a few guitars with nitro. Wet sanded with water using 600 and 800 grit paper. Then finished with automotive rubbing compound then polishing compound. They came out pretty darn good. Just don't get too aggressive. Yes, this is how I have done it in the past.. Leave the sandpaper to soak in the water for a bit... And you can go even higher in grit if you can be bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Being that this is my first time I'm going to start with 1000 grit then finish with 2000. It will take a bit longer but I want to make sure I don't sand through the lacquer..... which is why I sprayed 12 coats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Since the headstock is full of holes that go to bare wood it was smart to suggest avoiding water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 I don't know what to recommend. But I would like to hear what you used, and how it came out after it's done. I have used naphtha on the back of a sticky (nitro) neck, and it worked very well, but that is a different process I believe from a true wet sanding of a finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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