I just bought a black and decker palm sander but I guess I'll just use it for other projects and try this instead! I was wondering how I was going to get into all the little nooks and crannies!
This video was just what I needed. I had a small wood project that needed to strip off tinted stain lacquer. Your idea worked very well. Thank you very much.
This is most likely a nitrocellulose finish as acetone would not wipe away poly with such ease. A heat gun is the fastest way to remove a poly finish. Poly flakes and chips away easily when hit with a good heat gun.
THANK YOU. I have a project SG Copy which I'm turning into a bass, and I got very discouraged because just taking the finish off of it from the back was a PAIN. I'll definitely try this!
Tung oil-YMMV but for me, it seals and enhances wood. I think it gives character. Look at Tab Benoit, the blues guitarist and his guitars, the DEFINITION of CHARACTER 👍
@@jonahmoore1779 Nirtocellulose lacquer, the traditional finish used on most vintage instruments and some modern builds as well. Poly is more durable but flakes off with a heat gun sometimes. Nitro would just melt and be a ruined bubbly mess if you did the same to it.
Great! I ordered a replacement telecaster neck from China and it needs to remove the shiny lacquer completely because it looks like barbecue peking duck.
Thanks for the information. I have sanded lacquer guitars down... Years ago. It suuuucks. Takes for - ever !!! Yeah I never knew this. How awesome! I hava a few projects where I have to take down the finish and redo it due to premature bridge issues, Neck resets, other finish relative issues and scratches. But provided the guitars are lacquer (acoustics) this will make those repairs lickty split as opposed to why I have been procrastinating to do them for a couple years now. Lol. Thank you.
0 seconds ago Hi, Great video. What are the chances of finding any decent wood ( for a clear coat ) on a black colored Indonesian "Squire", Tele or a "First Act" Tele? Thank you
Have you tried denatured alchohol? It'll eat through lacquer but not as aggressive as lacqer thinner. How come you don't use lacquer thinner? I'm going to start stripping a guitar body tomorrow. It's a sunburst, and my first project "painting" a guitar. Everything on it is nitro lacquer; several coats. Will acetone eat through the sanding sealer or do I have to reapply it too?
I'm starting my first guitar stipping soon, it's also a rather thick nitro coat and all color needs to come down to a natural wood. I was wondering if you could spare any info on your project, I assume you did it already. I tried that gelatenous laquer removing chemical, I don't know what it's called internationally, but it's Butyl Acetate. It didn't really touch the clear coat on the headstock, I had to sand and scrape that one down manually, then use the chemical stripper on the color layer, where it worked better, but also not even close to what this video shows with just simple acetone, lol. Do I just have to use plain acetone? I always thought it was a rather mild chemical compared to actual laquer-related chemicals. Would appreciate any info you can give!
I’m eyeing a really neat looking carved wood chest at the thrift store… It would be impossible to remove the chipped paint via sanding without damaging it. I might go for it! It would be really cool in its original wood 🤗
I have a black semi hollow body guitar, with bindings, I just want to remove the black paint and the re-lacquer it (no recoloring), would this method work, wont it ruin the binding plastic ? Anyways thanks for the video !!
@@thegoonvr8958 acetone will 100% melt binding. In fact that’s how a lot of people out binding on guitars. They’ll use acetone and it allows the plastic to melt into the wood.
considering that acetone effectively removes and destroys wood glue and pretty much any other glue, using this method on anything other than a 1 piece body (the majority of all fender-type guitar bodies are 2-3 pieces) would be nothing short of idiotic.
Looks like he is removing red paint from a clear coated surface that is under the paint. There is no way he is getting this down to bare wood that quick and easy. ♪
I know they are messy to work with but perhaps a good chemical stripper is the way to go when going to bare wood. There will still be some sanding involved but is pretty much inevitable. Cheers. ♪♪ @@dextarantino9941
Ron that looks great with the light red when you first went over it. You could leave it that way if a way to keep it even. Looked like a red seethru lol. Nice video. Great idea!
Actually, yes. The heat gun/scrape method leaves a lot of goo and such, the acetone/rag method is pretty easy to clean as the acetone cleans anyway. The only downside is that it is very VERY important to do this is a WELL ventilated area....the fumes...my God the fumes.
Yes! I've been fighting an old lacquer finish for weeks now burning through sandpaper and rags. Thanks!!
I just bought a black and decker palm sander but I guess I'll just use it for other projects and try this instead! I was wondering how I was going to get into all the little nooks and crannies!
This video was just what I needed. I had a small wood project that needed to strip off tinted stain lacquer. Your idea worked very well. Thank you very much.
You can get a gallon of acetone at home centers like Menards and Home Depot for about $10.
This is most likely a nitrocellulose finish as acetone would not wipe away poly with such ease. A heat gun is the fastest way to remove a poly finish. Poly flakes and chips away easily when hit with a good heat gun.
I was just wondering if it would work on Ibanez or Kramer? Tbh I have never seen that kind of finish before.
THANK YOU. I have a project SG Copy which I'm turning into a bass, and I got very discouraged because just taking the finish off of it from the back was a PAIN.
I'll definitely try this!
I’m Currently Revamping An Old Bass So This Is Super Helpful!!
Great video. Simple and effective
Only nitro you'll remove with acetone. Poly will not come off at all.
Acetone is... nail polish Remover! To unclog any sandpaper... use a white or pink PENCIL ERASER the debris comes off.
Thanks for the video - is that down to bare timber or is that just removing the paint from the poly undercoat?
Hey! Ronald, Another very informative video my friend!
When you sanded the finish, what grit sandpaper did you use? I have an old guitar with a thick lacquer finish and I want to try this. Thank you.
I'm using this and it works amazing. Once removing the paint though, do I need to seal the wood underneath, or can I leave this bare as is?
seal it.
Tung oil-YMMV but for me, it seals and enhances wood. I think it gives character. Look at Tab Benoit, the blues guitarist and his guitars, the DEFINITION of CHARACTER 👍
I used a heatgun,I did it outside,paint and lacquer peeled right off with a stiff putty knife,worked great
Your probably thinking about polyurethane
@@Nightshade1881 then what type of finish are you removing with acetone?
Never mind it says lacquer lol
@@jonahmoore1779 Nirtocellulose lacquer, the traditional finish used on most vintage instruments and some modern builds as well. Poly is more durable but flakes off with a heat gun sometimes. Nitro would just melt and be a ruined bubbly mess if you did the same to it.
Great! I ordered a replacement telecaster neck from China and it needs to remove the shiny lacquer completely because it looks like barbecue peking duck.
Way to go. Great info thanks for sharing I'm going to try to clean the paint from the fretboard from my recently acquired archtop guitar.
Just about to strip a strat body , i'll give it a go , a great idea , thanks .
Thanks for the information. I have sanded lacquer guitars down... Years ago. It suuuucks. Takes for - ever !!!
Yeah I never knew this. How awesome! I hava a few projects where I have to take down the finish and redo it due to premature bridge issues, Neck resets, other finish relative issues and scratches. But provided the guitars are lacquer (acoustics) this will make those repairs lickty split as opposed to why I have been procrastinating to do them for a couple years now. Lol. Thank you.
Thanks for this watching this is a real game changer
Gracias amigo!
Good job buddy!
Thanks man , great video !
What about paint off laquar?
Can acetone be used to remove acrylic paint off wood ??Will the laquar and wood be damaged from acetone ?
Thanks dude
Thanks! Super helpful!
0 seconds ago
Hi, Great video. What are the chances of finding any decent wood ( for a clear coat ) on a black colored Indonesian "Squire", Tele or a "First Act" Tele? Thank you
Are you talking about poly or actual nitro lacquer?
Acetone won't remove poly.
Have you tried denatured alchohol? It'll eat through lacquer but not as aggressive as lacqer thinner. How come you don't use lacquer thinner? I'm going to start stripping a guitar body tomorrow. It's a sunburst, and my first project "painting" a guitar. Everything on it is nitro lacquer; several coats. Will acetone eat through the sanding sealer or do I have to reapply it too?
I'm starting my first guitar stipping soon, it's also a rather thick nitro coat and all color needs to come down to a natural wood.
I was wondering if you could spare any info on your project, I assume you did it already.
I tried that gelatenous laquer removing chemical, I don't know what it's called internationally, but it's Butyl Acetate.
It didn't really touch the clear coat on the headstock, I had to sand and scrape that one down manually, then use the chemical stripper on the color layer, where it worked better, but also not even close to what this video shows with just simple acetone, lol. Do I just have to use plain acetone? I always thought it was a rather mild chemical compared to actual laquer-related chemicals.
Would appreciate any info you can give!
Will this work for lacquer based sanding sealer?
Would it work with my cherry Epiphone Sg g400?. I mean I want to remove all that shiny finish I want it to look like the faded cherry SG
i got the best results with a heat gun.
Why not just use lacquer thinner?
I knew I should have used acetone
Did you add something while sanding?
Great video. Does acetone work with polyurethane finishes?
No. You need to sand that off or look up stripping a guitar body with a heat gun
@@dbelche2 Thank you!
going for a solid finish means you went way farther than needed really
Does this work with paint?
works on poly too?
I’m eyeing a really neat looking carved wood chest at the thrift store… It would be impossible to remove the chipped paint via sanding without damaging it.
I might go for it! It would be really cool in its original wood 🤗
will this work for poly?
What sandpaper grit did you use?
I have a black semi hollow body guitar, with bindings, I just want to remove the black paint and the re-lacquer it (no recoloring), would this method work, wont it ruin the binding plastic ?
Anyways thanks for the video !!
Yeah I’m pretty shore it will melt the plastic binding
It wouldn’t mess up the plastic, acetone is for paint, and only attacks paint particles, not plastic
@@thegoonvr8958 acetone will 100% melt binding. In fact that’s how a lot of people out binding on guitars. They’ll use acetone and it allows the plastic to melt into the wood.
considering that acetone effectively removes and destroys wood glue and pretty much any other glue, using this method on anything other than a 1 piece body (the majority of all fender-type guitar bodies are 2-3 pieces) would be nothing short of idiotic.
does this take the lacquer off to bare wood?
Looks like he is removing red paint from a clear coated surface that is under the paint. There is no way he is getting this down to bare wood that quick and easy. ♪
yea i thought that too@@EarthtonesCymbals
I know they are messy to work with but perhaps a good chemical stripper is the way to go when going to bare wood. There will still be some sanding involved but is pretty much inevitable. Cheers. ♪♪
@@dextarantino9941
Ron that looks great with the light red when you first went over it. You could leave it that way if a way to keep it even. Looked like a red seethru lol. Nice video. Great idea!
Has that guitar a poly finish?
He’s removing Nitrocellulose Lacquer from the guitar. It’s not a poly finish.
It’s better than sanding, but is it better than a heat gun?
Actually, yes. The heat gun/scrape method leaves a lot of goo and such, the acetone/rag method is pretty easy to clean as the acetone cleans anyway. The only downside is that it is very VERY important to do this is a WELL ventilated area....the fumes...my God the fumes.
I'm gonna take the lacquer off but not the paint..
How to RUIN a lowely red laquer