Very informative video-I'll likely use Crystalac on my next build. I understand the benefit of pore filling, but what's the difference between the sanding sealer and top coat? Why not just use as many layers of top coat as necessary to build the solids and get to final wet sand and buff? The powder sure looks very similar from both products. Thanks! Steve
The sanding sealer has two purposes. Think of it as a leveling agent and also a sealer. It helps seal any contaminants that could interfere with the adhesion of the topcoat. Also, the Crystalac sealer has an amber tint to it which helps the water based topcoats look more like a traditional finish.
I guess the question is, do you use this product as your main lacquer-like finish? Do you use this instead of nitro lacquer now? How often would you say you use this finish? 20% of the time? 50% of the time? 75% of the time? Or do you prefer a different water borne finish? I know these are difficult questions to answer publicly, so if you don't answer I understand. Thank you so much for all your videos!!!
I extensively tested this product and wouldn't hesitate to use it on my personal instruments. However, my clients ask for French polished shellac, so that is what I do.
As a novice attempting my first refinish, I have no proper HVLP gun so I appreciate you showing the brush approach! Excellent results and & great video. Thanks! Would 16 oz do the trick for 1 telecaster body?
I was just thinking the other day Considering my environments at the moment waterbased is the way to go for me But I’m stuck between 2 products Now obviously we know LMII shut down which sucks cause it had a much more broader selection of tonewoods than many other luthier supplier sites. Anywho I’m stuck between 2 products. Stew Mac’s ColorTone water based and obviously Brite Tone product mentioned in this video. Have a you had any experience with ColorTone’s water based?
Hi Robbie, happy new year to you. I have finished up that varnish now. Went trough all the way using the micro mesh. I finished up then with macguire car compound and car polish. The result is incredible. Mirror like and beautiful gloss. One big issue and I don’t know why as I was super careful , in 1 part I went trough the varnish so I have a spot that shows up 😭😢 What is the best way to fix that , should I just apply a bit of varnish where I went through or just put a couple of entire coats and go through the sanding process again. I was expecting if I’d go trough to be at the sharp edges but it happened just in the middle of the shoulder side...!! ( size of a pinky nails) Everywhere else is perfect. Thanks in advance for tip
Happy new year to you as well. Glad you liked the results. Unfortunately, the only way to fix a sand through is to re-coat the entire surface and not just that spot. For example, if you sanded through on the back you will need to mask off everything but the back and then scuff sand and recoat the back. Sometimes just one or two light coats is all it takes. Note to self: Try not to sand through layers of finish. It happens.
@@OBrienGuitars ok robbie thanks a lot for the help. i will recoat lightly and go trough the process again. It Was the side of the guitar I went trough. I think this time I have the feel for the sand paper . Did all by hand was hard work but really good result. God I add lots of trouble to get the side and the heels connection smooth. Luckily I found some of my wife nail file and used that for accessing hard spots )😂 Putted some double sided tape on them with sand paper to it. Worked really good Thanks again
Thanks for the video. I notice on the LMI website instructions show to apply the sanding sealer prior to applying the pore filler. In this video the pore filler is applied prior to the sanding sealer. Is the order that these are applied critical? Is one option better than the other?
Hi Robbie thanks for the video.👍 Just using the product at the moment and looking trough your video . I am a bit confused about how many coat of the clear top coat you applied. Seems to be 3 plus a very light one ( so 4 altogether) but then a bit later you said you were going to apply 2 to 3 more coat...? I am using same technique as per video ( brush foam). How many clear top coat all togheter did you apply.? Thanks in advance,J
The amount of topcoats really depends on how heavy you apply the coats and your application method. it is important to get enough build to be able to level and buff the last coat without going through it to previous layers, or even worse, down to the bare wood. I really don't worry about getting too much on the surface when applying. The important things is how much is left on the surface when it is all said and done.
@@OBrienGuitars thanks Robbie for reply I think I got you. I’ll have to go easy with the levelling as I tried on few pieces of scrap before and went 3 times troughs 😄 ( kind of a strong fella here). A quick one ..what would be the equivalent of grain alcohol in Europe as The last coat really need to be thin Down . Got lots of running on the side at the curve. Will white spirit the same...? Or methylated spirits . I found the sanding sealer excellent and the clear coat very very nice ( perfectly clear and glossy) can’t wait to see the final result after hand polishing . ( no buffer here) I had a bit of trouble with the rosewood pore filer as it stained my binding. I had to scrape and cover the binding with some of the sanding sealer with small brush . Then that covered I finished pore filling with the lmi rosewood pore filler sand back and was perfect. Pore filler need really little and definitely goes before sanding sealer. Thanks for the video 👍🤞🤞🤞
@@jacquescarrera7180 The last few coats need to be as level as possible and this creates less work when leveling sanding and buffing. You should have this process dialed in before the final coats are applied. This way your last coat is supper level. I use grain alcohol to thin but have also heard of folks using acetone. I have no experience with that though. I am also not familiar with the products you mentioned. When in Spain I used pharmacy grade alcohol (isopropyl 99%) to dissolve shellac flakes. Perhaps that would work. It needs to be as pure as possible though. Hope this helps!
@@OBrienGuitars A pity about the thinning as I had it perfectly flat until the last step of the last few coat.. I was too excited to have this done 🤪really I Should have tried to find the right product to thin it down. In any case many thanks for for the very good video tutoriel so far it worked very well ( except the last few runs). I am into curing time now (2weeks ) and think I have enough on. I am already studying your video on the how to buff to high gloss and purchased the micro mesh. Thanks again for the help👍👍
Some people do both which might not be a bad idea. The sealer under the pore filler keeps the filler from staining the wood in any way and keeps the filler color only in the pores. We definitely recommend you seal after pore filling.
Great video. It was really nice to see it used in a practical application from start to finish. Takes the guess work out of it for the rest of us.
Awesome!! You made it simple. Please make more videos..thanks!
Wow! Looks great. I will give this a try.
Very informative video-I'll likely use Crystalac on my next build.
I understand the benefit of pore filling, but what's the difference between the sanding sealer and top coat? Why not just use as many layers of top coat as necessary to build the solids and get to final wet sand and buff? The powder sure looks very similar from both products. Thanks! Steve
The sanding sealer has two purposes. Think of it as a leveling agent and also a sealer. It helps seal any contaminants that could interfere with the adhesion of the topcoat. Also, the Crystalac sealer has an amber tint to it which helps the water based topcoats look more like a traditional finish.
So helpful! Many thanks for sharing.
I guess the question is, do you use this product as your main lacquer-like finish? Do you use this instead of nitro lacquer now? How often would you say you use this finish? 20% of the time? 50% of the time? 75% of the time? Or do you prefer a different water borne finish? I know these are difficult questions to answer publicly, so if you don't answer I understand. Thank you so much for all your videos!!!
I extensively tested this product and wouldn't hesitate to use it on my personal instruments. However, my clients ask for French polished shellac, so that is what I do.
@@OBrienGuitars Thank you for your reply!
As a novice attempting my first refinish, I have no proper HVLP gun so I appreciate you showing the brush approach! Excellent results and & great video. Thanks!
Would 16 oz do the trick for 1 telecaster body?
I was just thinking the other day
Considering my environments at the moment waterbased is the way to go for me
But I’m stuck between 2 products
Now obviously we know LMII shut down which sucks cause it had a much more broader selection of tonewoods than many other luthier supplier sites.
Anywho I’m stuck between 2 products.
Stew Mac’s ColorTone water based and obviously Brite Tone product mentioned in this video.
Have a you had any experience with
ColorTone’s water based?
Very nice! Thank you for the video. What size of package would you need for brushing 1 acoustic guitar, with say about 9 coats?
How heat tolerance is this
Hey Robbie, Nice demo and another video well done. Do you think this could be hand rubbed like a French polish?
Hi Ken,
We wouldn't recommend this.
I was thinking about using this for an acoustic I'm finishing. What do you use to remove the finish under the bridge extension and saddle?
Hi Robbie, happy new year to you.
I have finished up that varnish now. Went trough all the way using the micro mesh.
I finished up then with macguire car compound and car polish. The result is incredible.
Mirror like and beautiful gloss.
One big issue and I don’t know why as I was super careful , in 1 part I went trough the varnish so I have a spot that shows up 😭😢
What is the best way to fix that , should I just apply a bit of varnish where I went through or just put a couple of entire coats and go through the sanding process again.
I was expecting if I’d go trough to be at the sharp edges but it happened just in the middle of the shoulder side...!! ( size of a pinky nails)
Everywhere else is perfect.
Thanks in advance for tip
Happy new year to you as well. Glad you liked the results. Unfortunately, the only way to fix a sand through is to re-coat the entire surface and not just that spot. For example, if you sanded through on the back you will need to mask off everything but the back and then scuff sand and recoat the back. Sometimes just one or two light coats is all it takes. Note to self: Try not to sand through layers of finish. It happens.
@@OBrienGuitars ok robbie thanks a lot for the help.
i will recoat lightly and go trough the process again. It Was the side of the guitar I went trough. I think this time I have the feel for the sand paper . Did all by hand was hard work but really good result. God I add lots of trouble to get the side and the heels connection smooth.
Luckily I found some of my wife nail file and used that for accessing hard spots )😂
Putted some double sided tape on them with sand paper to it. Worked really good
Thanks again
@@jacquescarrera7180 Isn't this fun!!!
@@OBrienGuitars 😂😂😂
Rosewood is pretty oily.. Is the Crystalac waterbased sealer good for Rosewood? What kind of prep?
@Chris Herrod Thanks, should be way better than solarez for rosewood👍
Thanks for the video. I notice on the LMI website instructions show to apply the sanding sealer prior to applying the pore filler. In this video the pore filler is applied prior to the sanding sealer. Is the order that these are applied critical? Is one option better than the other?
@Chris Herrod Thanks!
Can I use any of this products to make a rim dip on a tumblers?
Sorry Nancy, I have no idea.
Hi Robbie thanks for the video.👍
Just using the product at the moment and looking trough your video . I am a bit confused about how many coat of the clear top coat you applied. Seems to be 3 plus a very light one ( so 4 altogether) but then a bit later you said you were going to apply 2 to 3 more coat...?
I am using same technique as per video ( brush foam).
How many clear top coat all togheter did you apply.?
Thanks in advance,J
The amount of topcoats really depends on how heavy you apply the coats and your application method. it is important to get enough build to be able to level and buff the last coat without going through it to previous layers, or even worse, down to the bare wood. I really don't worry about getting too much on the surface when applying. The important things is how much is left on the surface when it is all said and done.
@@OBrienGuitars thanks Robbie for reply
I think I got you. I’ll have to go easy with the levelling as I tried on few pieces of scrap before and went 3 times troughs 😄 ( kind of a strong fella here).
A quick one ..what would be the equivalent of grain alcohol in Europe as The last coat really need to be thin Down . Got lots of running on the side at the curve. Will white spirit the same...? Or methylated spirits .
I found the sanding sealer excellent and the clear coat very very nice ( perfectly clear and glossy) can’t wait to see the final result after hand polishing . ( no buffer here)
I had a bit of trouble with the rosewood pore filer as it stained my binding. I had to scrape and cover the binding with some of the sanding sealer with small brush . Then that covered I finished pore filling with the lmi rosewood pore filler sand back and was perfect.
Pore filler need really little and definitely goes before sanding sealer.
Thanks for the video 👍🤞🤞🤞
@@jacquescarrera7180 The last few coats need to be as level as possible and this creates less work when leveling sanding and buffing. You should have this process dialed in before the final coats are applied. This way your last coat is supper level. I use grain alcohol to thin but have also heard of folks using acetone. I have no experience with that though. I am also not familiar with the products you mentioned. When in Spain I used pharmacy grade alcohol (isopropyl 99%) to dissolve shellac flakes. Perhaps that would work. It needs to be as pure as possible though. Hope this helps!
@@OBrienGuitars
A pity about the thinning as I had it perfectly flat until the last step of the last few coat..
I was too excited to have this done 🤪really I Should have tried to find the right product to thin it down.
In any case many thanks for for the very good video tutoriel so far it worked very well ( except the last few runs). I am into curing time now (2weeks ) and think I have enough on.
I am already studying your video on the how to buff to high gloss and purchased the micro mesh.
Thanks again for the help👍👍
@@jacquescarrera7180 Good luck and keep me posted. The micro mesh will make you have to wear sunglasses while playing to avoid being blinded! haha
Greek Gods: THE best yogurt! (The lids are great for holding a portion of glue while binding.)
What was the grain filler you used?
I used a water based filler by LMI.
@@OBrienGuitars thanks
Can u use this for outside signs?
I am only aware of its application for guitars. You could always email the manufacturer.
Would you put the sanding sealer on after or before a grain filler?
Some people do both which might not be a bad idea. The sealer under the pore filler keeps the filler from staining the wood in any way and keeps the filler color only in the pores. We definitely recommend you seal after pore filling.
@@luthiersmercantileinternat5786 when can I tell if I’ve put enough pore filler? Should the wood look completely smooth?
@@HOWARDdlx Yes, it will be pretty smooth. Typically a couple of applications is sufficient.
Is this safe to use on cups?
I have no information on that. You might get an answer from the manufacturer.
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