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Permalink Reply by Fitzhugh on September 20, 2010 at 9:58am

I meant just mask and spray the tax stamp with fixer before using tru-oil or whatever else might mess up the stamp. In case you're not familiar with it, it just makes a thin covering, used to stabilize art like pencil or pastel drawings.

I most certainly was not saying you should hair spray your creations :)

I've got my favorite neck yet with tung oil finish hanging and drying right now (again, not real tung oil but a wipe on varnish with TUNG OIL on the label to fool fools like me), turning out well, and that last coat about half an hour ago worked out much better using Diane's brown paper approach.

I've got a scrap with 2nd coat of low gloss wipe on poly drying, think I'll use it for the neck of the gift for kid guitar since I gather is is tough. I did use spray on the body for that one, wouldn't use it again.

Off topic but have to show it off because I'm happy with it: tung oil is also drying on stand for a horse sculpture/doll. It gets mailed as soon as the stand drys - I made the horse, um, unicorn, gf made doll)

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on September 20, 2010 at 10:44am

I don't know if the fixative is really non -permeable. I find it only does a fair job of protecting artwork, and tends to spit coming from the spray can -- making dark marks on my pastel drawings. grrr. Test first in an inconspicuous location, as the label always says!

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Permalink Reply by Manic8-Ball on September 20, 2010 at 11:43am

Do you cut the holes and stuff in the box before or after you spray it with a clear coat??

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on September 20, 2010 at 11:54am

If you are having just holes like Fs or decorative circles, you'd want to cut and sand them first, and then treat your wood. But if you are going to have escutcheons or other froufrou on the holes, I don't think it matters.

Manic8-Ball said:

Do you cut the holes and stuff in the box before or after you spray it with a clear coat??

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Permalink Reply by Fitzhugh on September 20, 2010 at 12:11pm

In my very limited experience I cut first and finish last other than attaching neck and hardware, but others might know better.

No surprise you're ahead of me on this one Diane. I found mention of it on some decoupage art forum when looking for no-smear solutions but haven't tried it myself. Come to think of it, they were using it as a sealer before using white glue or similar to glue the paper down and not before a nice finish like we're after. Oops.

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Permalink Reply by Manic8-Ball on September 21, 2010 at 3:31am

Ok I'm thinking of doing a couple of thin coats of Clear Krylon then cuttings holes for the pickups and pots then others finale coat the seal it all up.

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Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on September 21, 2010 at 4:28am

I am very leery of using white glue or Mod Podge as a sealant in any form. I use it with children's art projects all the time (i'm a public school art teacher.) A significant drawback is that it will actually reabsorb moisture from the air and turn white again. So if you will ever encounter humidity in any quantity, you're in trouble. Also it does not actually bond with the paper and can easily start to peel up, like skin after a good sunburning.

And it tends to remain slightly tacky so will accumulate dust and grime.

High end bookbinding glue might be a better bet, but I have not yet tried it. My daughter has a stash, perhaps I'll raid that and report back someday.

Fitzhugh said:

In my very limited experience I cut first and finish last other than attaching neck and hardware, but others might know better.

No surprise you're ahead of me on this one Diane. I found mention of it on some decoupage art forum when looking for no-smear solutions but haven't tried it myself. Come to think of it, they were using it as a sealer before using white glue or similar to glue the paper down and not before a nice finish like we're after. Oops.

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Permalink Reply by Fitzhugh on September 21, 2010 at 6:25am

Sorry, I've was unclear again. I wasn't suggesting using them as a sealer. I was saying my mention of spray sealers was probably not good since they were prevent the glues from causing smearing, not oil finishes, polyurethane etc. In other words, don't listen to me :) I started this thread because I don't know what I'm doing.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on October 6, 2010 at 6:53pm

I have some questions too similar to start a new thread. The tips provided answer some, at least partially. But I was wondering about tips to protect the look of vintage somewhat worn boxes, as well as how to create a vintage look with new boxes.
And going in the other direction, how to remove paper, labels and such to get that wood only finished look?

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