Thanks for the vid Big D. 2 comments: 1. I just ordered some of this direct from Mohawk and it was cheaper than Amazon if you buy 3-4 cans of stuff (I ordered clear too). My order was not processed right away, so I sent them an email and they called my phone, apologized and shipped that day. Nice service. 2. This stuff is just as toxic as nitro lacquer, I used a full face shield 3M mask. Do not breathe this stuff in.
Cellulose nitrate is lacquer and so that is your sealer, which also helps with sanding. Shellac also works as a sealer and then you can color on top of that and still use lacquer on top of it when you are done. Shellac works great at blocking oil in the wood from getting though.
Great video, thank you for confirming my suspicions. I'm working on my first Stewmac Les Paul Kit... I've spent a lot of time fading my aniline dyes and it looks great. I purchased Colortone Vinyl Sealer from Stewmac when I got the kit and I'll be spraying it over the dyed mahogany before using the Colortone Clearcoat lacquer.
Thanks! For all the vids I watched before starting out, I never caught anyone emphasizing sanding sealer. So I, too, had to learn the hard way. I've been using a shellac spray for a sealer and haven't been completely satisfied. I'll look this stuff up. I did find the Keda dyes don't reactivate and lift off very much when oiled, but I've liked the colors better in the Angelus dyes, and keep coming back to them. Rit dye will also reactivate, fyi.
nice, I always put on more color than needed and then when I oiled and removed color to what I wanted. This sounds like a much better solution to getting the color and finish correct
I use sanding sealer similarly. I use a two part clear. I apply my sealer a bit thick. Then sand the sealer to about 400. This gives a great surface for clear coat. It also allows me to use less clear.
I'm glad I searched through your videos and found this. I was wondering about when to use the sealer and which kind you used, Mohawk has several different kinds.
HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH. EVER SINCE HE HAS MENTIONED THIS, I MYSELF HAVE BEEN USING MOHAWK SAND SEALER. GREAT STUFF. 2 LIGHT THEN 2 MED/HEAVY AND YOUR GOLDEN!
Thanks for the info. I started my project with a vinyl sealer by mohawk and then my white paint and the sanding sealer should help with the paint sealer then apply the clear finish! Stew mac didn't use a sanding sealer in there videos, makes sense to protect the color.
Ive used sanding sealer to create design. So I apply it on bare wood. Depending on the finish Im going for is how much I spray. I sand it down. Then apply a stain. Its pretty neat
Bought two cans of the Mohawk Sanding Sealer. Both cans had spray valves that sputtered sealer onto my guitars causing much more work to correct and touch up. So I bought a can of Deft sanding sealer and it worked just fine, spraying in a verticals fan pattern.
yeah i had the same issue... the first time i used it, it worked fine, but two days later it was sputtering like hell. my guess is because its catalyzed, it needs to be used in a short time period. before I started using it, I looked on the can to see if there was a potlife, but I didn't see one so I figured it was good for at least a few days use... that's what I get for assuming lol
If you don’t follow the directions and clean the tip by holding the can upside down and spraying until nothing comes out, your tip will clog and you’ll get sputtering (or no spray at all)
I'm waiting on the same question! I just put 4 coats down over my dye. Btw don't spray it too close!!! I got 1 spot I now need to add some dye to because I tried to dab the overspray of sealer.
Thanks BIG D. Call me quazzy... but i prepared a sample of sycamore by sectioning it off, sprayed 1 coat of this sealer on an area, 2 coats on another and none on the 3rd. Lightly sanded THEN applied three colors of leather dyes - nine sections. The one with 2 coats immediately popped, the one with 1 coat popped ok, but not as much. I let those dry then put a couple light coats of sealer overall. Lightly sanded again and applied Tru-Oil over the whole piece. Just five layers to give my guitar building friends an appreciation of the technique instead of using traditional wood worker finishing. The one without sealer first came out nice, but not as nice as the one with 2 coats prior to dye.
Good info. Be careful spraying this on your dyed top...listen to Big D...if you go too heavy with the first coat and get any drips or sputter from the can, it can pull the color up into little spots... and you're kinda stuck with them :(
Broadly speaking, it's a finish that is not reacting to the solvents in subsequent finishes, thus keeping the finish locked in place. Sanding sealers also can be 'high solids' finishes. You can build a thickness quickly and you can sand it with less clogging of the paper.
I would watch out for spray shellac for a sealer, when I've done a black-oxblood-yellow burst, the instant you spray the shellac on it turns like a light brown and gets the color all splotchy all over the guitar. I ruined one of my guitars and another for a friend too...I have used this Mohawk pre-cat sanding sealer and it was perfectly fine when putting tru oil over the top of it.
For example, your beautiful honey burst you did on that beautiful spalted maple tele, you would do the sealer “after” the Tru Oil has been applied, or the wood sealer “before” the Tru Oil so the burst doesn’t move around (like you said oils can do, in this video)?
Awesome. Ive been meaning to ask you about the finishing process because Stewmac makes it kind of confusing, and I'm new to staining (finishing in general). I used Colortone concentrated stains on a test board and was happy with what I got - black sanded back then cherry over that, for flame maple. I learned that from your videos! Anyway I wasn't really sure of what to after drying, so I applied wipe-on poly and dragged the color around. So.. this was going to be a question but your video answered it. Although I am wondering, what would I do after that? Spray with clear Nitro? Can I wipe it on instead of spraying? And then? And theeen? Thanks for your videos and advice. @TheGuitologist put me on to your channel with the Les Paul restoration (the BIG job), and now I've finally decided to put together an LP Kit from Stewmac because of that. Then I watched more of your videos, and now the next thing will do is rout my own Tele body. Thanks for the motivation, buddy!
..........Angulus dye, 4 coats of Mowhawk Sanding Sealer, then Tru Oil. Do you scuff sand the sealer prior to Tru Oil? If Tru Oil is supposed to work by penetrating the wood, is there an issue with how it makes the finish "look" or with adhesion of the True Oil to the Mowhawk Sealer? IF the Angulus dye was to dry for 2-3 days, could you apply Tru Oil directly to the dyed wood, or will it still move the color around? I have a nice piece of Ambrosia Maple I am about to build with and am going to test finishes before I start, but do not want to waste a lot of time "trying" out finishes that wont work. Thanks and great video
It's good because they bought out Behlen and changed the branding, all that Behlen stuff was great. I think they should have kept the Behlen name, especially with everyone up in arms about Indian nations and political correctness. I always thought of those names as a tribute but people are getting weird.
Really enjoying your videos. I'm following some of your tips to do my first guitar finish. Question for you - do you sand after the sanding sealer? (I'm putting tru oil over it.) Thanks!
First ingredient " sweetened liquid petroleum gas". Do you prefer that over the unsweetened liquid petroleum gas? Good info, though. Never really understood the purpose of the sanding sealer.
I am using your Angelus Leather Dye in the color of blue on a mahogany guitar body and I am getting brown streaks. So far I have given it three coats of dye, but I am wondering if doing maybe two coats of sanding sealer and then another coat of blue would even the color out. What do you think?
Do you need to 'scuff sand' in between coats of the sanding sealer? It sounds like you just keep spraying (with no scuff) until you're ready for the top coat. Is that correct?
Could you post the link to where you buy the Mohawk from? There are at least 2 websites both claiming to be the company, and both have pretty steep "handling" fees on top of the usual tax and shipping.
Yeah, any finish will go over the sealer: oil, poly, or wax. I use sealer on the back of necks, sand it back smooth, and finish with linseed oil/beeswax, or gun stock wax, or J & J paste wax for a smooth, fast, natural-feeling finish.
Thanks for the vid Big D. 2 comments:
1. I just ordered some of this direct from Mohawk and it was cheaper than Amazon if you buy 3-4 cans of stuff (I ordered clear too). My order was not processed right away, so I sent them an email and they called my phone, apologized and shipped that day. Nice service.
2. This stuff is just as toxic as nitro lacquer, I used a full face shield 3M mask. Do not breathe this stuff in.
Best explanation as to what a sanding sealer does. Wasn't sure myself and now I realize where I went wrong with my repair. Thanks for the info.
Cellulose nitrate is lacquer and so that is your sealer, which also helps with sanding.
Shellac also works as a sealer and then you can color on top of that and still use lacquer on top of it when you are done. Shellac works great at blocking oil in the wood from getting though.
Great video, thank you for confirming my suspicions. I'm working on my first Stewmac Les Paul Kit... I've spent a lot of time fading my aniline dyes and it looks great. I purchased Colortone Vinyl Sealer from Stewmac when I got the kit and I'll be spraying it over the dyed mahogany before using the Colortone Clearcoat lacquer.
Thanks! For all the vids I watched before starting out, I never caught anyone emphasizing sanding sealer. So I, too, had to learn the hard way. I've been using a shellac spray for a sealer and haven't been completely satisfied. I'll look this stuff up. I did find the Keda dyes don't reactivate and lift off very much when oiled, but I've liked the colors better in the Angelus dyes, and keep coming back to them. Rit dye will also reactivate, fyi.
nice, I always put on more color than needed and then when I oiled and removed color to what I wanted.
This sounds like a much better solution to getting the color and finish correct
I use sanding sealer similarly. I use a two part clear. I apply my sealer a bit thick. Then sand the sealer to about 400. This gives a great surface for clear coat. It also allows me to use less clear.
I'm glad I searched through your videos and found this. I was wondering about when to use the sealer and which kind you used, Mohawk has several different kinds.
HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH. EVER SINCE HE HAS MENTIONED THIS, I MYSELF HAVE BEEN USING MOHAWK SAND SEALER. GREAT STUFF. 2 LIGHT THEN 2 MED/HEAVY AND YOUR GOLDEN!
Thanks for the info. I started my project with a vinyl sealer by mohawk and then my white paint and the sanding sealer should help with the paint sealer then apply the clear finish! Stew mac didn't use a sanding sealer in there videos, makes sense to protect the color.
Ive used sanding sealer to create design. So I apply it on bare wood. Depending on the finish Im going for is how much I spray. I sand it down. Then apply a stain. Its pretty neat
Thanks brah,
Your videos have brought my finishing game up a notch!
Bought two cans of the Mohawk Sanding Sealer. Both cans had spray valves that sputtered sealer onto my guitars causing much more work to correct and touch up. So I bought a can of Deft sanding sealer and it worked just fine, spraying in a verticals fan pattern.
yeah i had the same issue... the first time i used it, it worked fine, but two days later it was sputtering like hell. my guess is because its catalyzed, it needs to be used in a short time period. before I started using it, I looked on the can to see if there was a potlife, but I didn't see one so I figured it was good for at least a few days use... that's what I get for assuming lol
If you don’t follow the directions and clean the tip by holding the can upside down and spraying until nothing comes out, your tip will clog and you’ll get sputtering (or no spray at all)
I started using this after I saw you use it in a earlier video. I looked it up and it looked like it would be perfect for me. It has been great
thanks its the best
"There are many sanding sealers, but this one is mine."
I've actually been waiting for this video for a while I want to see what you're doing and what you're using!
You didn't say if you sand it back or not before putting on your finish or is it not necessary.
I'm waiting on the same question! I just put 4 coats down over my dye. Btw don't spray it too close!!! I got 1 spot I now need to add some dye to because I tried to dab the overspray of sealer.
Thank you! I've been searching everywhere for info on compatibility between the mohawk sealer and poly.
I use the Mohawk EZ Vinyl sanding sealer with the same great results. When I can spray that is.
Bruh! Those bodies are beautiful.
That offset for sure.
Thanks for this tip - I am using Varathane black wood grain enhancer and will use sanding sealer before solarz
Thanks BIG D. Call me quazzy... but i prepared a sample of sycamore by sectioning it off, sprayed 1 coat of this sealer on an area, 2 coats on another and none on the 3rd. Lightly sanded THEN applied three colors of leather dyes - nine sections. The one with 2 coats immediately popped, the one with 1 coat popped ok, but not as much. I let those dry then put a couple light coats of sealer overall. Lightly sanded again and applied Tru-Oil over the whole piece. Just five layers to give my guitar building friends an appreciation of the technique instead of using traditional wood worker finishing. The one without sealer first came out nice, but not as nice as the one with 2 coats prior to dye.
you might be right different woods react differently
I've only used sanding sealer for production work otherwise I use gloss lacquer and double wet coat the final sheen .
Good info. Be careful spraying this on your dyed top...listen to Big D...if you go too heavy with the first coat and get any drips or sputter from the can, it can pull the color up into little spots... and you're kinda stuck with them :(
Brilliant explanation thanks Big D
GREAT FORMAT do it with all your go-to products and techniques!!!
I want to do a refinish on a guitar but I've never spray painted a thing. I'll be going through your channel
Broadly speaking, it's a finish that is not reacting to the solvents in subsequent finishes, thus keeping the finish locked in place. Sanding sealers also can be 'high solids' finishes. You can build a thickness quickly and you can sand it with less clogging of the paper.
They also tend to be comparatively soft so it usually best to put a harder finish over them.
Very informative - Thanks!
I would watch out for spray shellac for a sealer, when I've done a black-oxblood-yellow burst, the instant you spray the shellac on it turns like a light brown and gets the color all splotchy all over the guitar. I ruined one of my guitars and another for a friend too...I have used this Mohawk pre-cat sanding sealer and it was perfectly fine when putting tru oil over the top of it.
This is incredibly helpful. I've already ordered the Mohawk sealer.
Have you ever used a grain/pore filler over this? If so, which one?
Mohawk sanding sealer should thanks to you for this promotion 👍
Great information thanks for the video
For example, your beautiful honey burst you did on that beautiful spalted maple tele, you would do the sealer “after” the Tru Oil has been applied, or the wood sealer “before” the Tru Oil so the burst doesn’t move around (like you said oils can do, in this video)?
thank you for this video! very good info
Do you sand the sanding sealer before applying the coats of polyurethane?
In the past I have used Plasti cote sanding sealer It is no longer available where I am located !
Awesome. Ive been meaning to ask you about the finishing process because Stewmac makes it kind of confusing, and I'm new to staining (finishing in general). I used Colortone concentrated stains on a test board and was happy with what I got - black sanded back then cherry over that, for flame maple. I learned that from your videos! Anyway I wasn't really sure of what to after drying, so I applied wipe-on poly and dragged the color around. So.. this was going to be a question but your video answered it. Although I am wondering, what would I do after that? Spray with clear Nitro? Can I wipe it on instead of spraying? And then? And theeen?
Thanks for your videos and advice. @TheGuitologist put me on to your channel with the Les Paul restoration (the BIG job), and now I've finally decided to put together an LP Kit from Stewmac because of that. Then I watched more of your videos, and now the next thing will do is rout my own Tele body. Thanks for the motivation, buddy!
Your Canadian pal, Brad Angove loves mohawk products.
How long do you usually wait for the dye to dry before you spray the sealer on it?
Great video & advice derek !!
thanks buddy for all the help!
@@bigdguitars np
awesome.thanks!
..........Angulus dye, 4 coats of Mowhawk Sanding Sealer, then Tru Oil. Do you scuff sand the sealer prior to Tru Oil? If Tru Oil is supposed to work by penetrating the wood, is there an issue with how it makes the finish "look" or with adhesion of the True Oil to the Mowhawk Sealer? IF the Angulus dye was to dry for 2-3 days, could you apply Tru Oil directly to the dyed wood, or will it still move the color around? I have a nice piece of Ambrosia Maple I am about to build with and am going to test finishes before I start, but do not want to waste a lot of time "trying" out finishes that wont work. Thanks and great video
Thanks
So you don’t apply sanding sealer to your bare wood body first?
It's good because they bought out Behlen and changed the branding, all that Behlen stuff was great. I think they should have kept the Behlen name, especially with everyone up in arms about Indian nations and political correctness. I always thought of those names as a tribute but people are getting weird.
Really enjoying your videos. I'm following some of your tips to do my first guitar finish. Question for you - do you sand after the sanding sealer? (I'm putting tru oil over it.)
Thanks!
I have the same question lol. I'm on my 3rd coat of sealer and am going to use tru oil. Wish he would have answered!
First ingredient " sweetened liquid petroleum gas". Do you prefer that over the unsweetened liquid petroleum gas? Good info, though. Never really understood the purpose of the sanding sealer.
Good deal man, never tried Mohawk products
I am using your Angelus Leather Dye in the color of blue on a mahogany guitar body and I am getting brown streaks. So far I have given it three coats of dye, but I am wondering if doing maybe two coats of sanding sealer and then another coat of blue would even the color out. What do you think?
I’m getting ready to try and hydro dip one would you advise using it first on there before dipping it in enamel paint
So glad I watched this. Next project I’m doing is with a top from kimballhardwoods. I would’ve been bummed if I messed that up
Do you need to 'scuff sand' in between coats of the sanding sealer? It sounds like you just keep spraying (with no scuff) until you're ready for the top coat. Is that correct?
Is this Mohawk vinyl sealer called easy vinyl sealer
I do the same with shellac to lock the color before applying water based finish. Not sure water based will work over this Mohawk?
I have used shellac. I used to use that all the time. moved away from it after it didn't dry properly once. I think I applied too much
Could you post the link to where you buy the Mohawk from? There are at least 2 websites both claiming to be the company, and both have pretty steep "handling" fees on top of the usual tax and shipping.
yea they have an odd dealer network thing going on. you want to buy from the NC company
Are you sanding the sealer before applying the actual finish?
no after the stain
Do you sand after the sealer?
I suppose this step would apply to painted bodies as well?
nah not usually.
@@bigdguitars thank you!
10 bucks a can 2 yrs ago,Now it’s 21.00-40.00 a can.That’s crazy rite?!!
Deft Sealer okay?
thats not my fav. Sometimes it doesn't try
Most of the ingredients are just solvents. Except cellulose nitrate
I know I am am unsure how they work in the mix
It’s ok to wipe tru oil over this stuff?
Yeah, any finish will go over the sealer: oil, poly, or wax. I use sealer on the back of necks, sand it back smooth, and finish with linseed oil/beeswax, or gun stock wax, or J & J paste wax for a smooth, fast, natural-feeling finish.
@@kevincoffee3238 Thanks Kevin!
The tips are terrible they alway drip .
Great info!!!! Thank you!!!