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Permalink Reply by The Capo Kid on October 23, 2015 at 4:57am

Well I've used oil to remove paper and the sticky labels from boxes ? I use clear coat on my paper boxes to seal them using very thin coats to build up a finish .

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on October 23, 2015 at 5:20pm

I'm guessing you mean an oil based finish. Like lacquer or polyurethane. I'd try a test area first to make sure your not going to smear the ink. But ya. People have used oil based finishes to preserve paper for years. Most will turn yellow.  

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Permalink Reply by Angry Rooster Guitars on October 24, 2015 at 1:41am

Capo kid, not sure if my reply went through. Don't see it on here. I'm wondering if the oil would dissolve the glue but then harden it and make it better once the oil cured. Might have to try a scrap box first

Cause the blue rat, I'm using tongue oil and am thinking about using tru oil too. My first build was a box completely covered in paper. I coated it with polyurethane and it worked well. I kept the guitar for a couple years before selling it. So I don't know if the poly ever began to peel.

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on October 24, 2015 at 2:17am

I doubt there's any point in using Tung or Tru oil over paper covered boxes,i've never done it,so just surmising,i'd expect it would tend to release the paper cover at best,and may even get messy,probably better served with an acrylic clear coat/sealer,a good 2 pack clear would probably 'stiffen' the sound board as well,but,just my thoughts,no experiance to draw on

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Permalink Reply by Greg Thompson on October 24, 2015 at 2:27am

I wouldn't recommend using an oil on paper. Oil will break down the fibers of the paper in time and most likely release the adhesive. Sealing the paper with a poly spray or a fast drying lacquer is a better choice. Lacquers can dissolve some inks, so be careful not to concentrate it on one area. Poly is the safest.

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Permalink Reply by Angry Rooster Guitars on October 25, 2015 at 2:34pm

Thanks guys! I did try a sample box just to see what it does. So far, with 2 coats, it actually look nice. Now I'll let it sit around and see how it holds up.

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Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on October 28, 2015 at 9:03am

I'd go with poly ,lacquer or shellac on the paper covering.

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Permalink Reply by Cigar Man Mike on October 29, 2015 at 1:35pm

I've been using spray Shellac to help protect the box paper. I've heard it yellows over time but have not seen anything (yet). My new favorite is clear acrylic spray. It goes over any material or finish and dries hard and fast. You can use as many coats as needed. Poly was taking too long to dry and the dust nibs kept it from getting a smooth finish.

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Waszkiewicz on October 30, 2015 at 11:14am

I have in the past just covered my labels with diluted PVA craft glue. 5/1 water. Dries well, seals and clear finish. Final coat of water based satin varnish does the trick for me. Cheers

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Permalink Reply by Angry Rooster Guitars on October 31, 2015 at 2:02pm

Thanks guys. I tried oil over a small paper box. So far so good. It didn't discolor the paper. It's strange but it's a low shine oil, but over the paper, it became a pretty shiny finish.

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