waterbased varnish

Guitar varnishing with water-based products

Water-based varnishing process

  • Guitar disassembly process
  • Wood Preparation
  • Wood stained (Optional)
  • “Contaminated” Timber (Optional)
  • Finishing hands (Optional)
  • Tinting layers (Optional)
  • upper layers
  • Sanding and Polishing
  • Tips & Tricks

Wood Preparation:

  • The wood must be free of imperfections and blemishes.
  • Sand with varying degrees of sandpaper to reach P 220-320. Must be sanded in the direction of the grain, until no visible sanding marks.

Council to remove repelo:

  • Slightly wet the wood with a damp cloth and, when it is dry, very gently with a soft sandpaper to leave the smooth surface again. The sandpaper will start the raised fibers, which will no longer trouble again. If sanding very strong new fibers will loosen and have to repeat the operation. Anyway you can repeat the process, so be sure to have totally eliminated the repelo.

Wood stained (Optional)

  • Wood stain with dye dissolved in solvent concentrated 540421.
  • Let dry 15 “to 30” depending on environmental conditions; before proceeding with the process

Finishing hands (Optional)

  • Apply a coat of water-based varnish 270,037 Guitars “Eco-Guitar” Gloss 50% diluted in distilled water. It let dry four hours, sanding with sandpaper P400 and give another application, this time undiluted.
  • Let dry overnight before applying the next coat of finish sanding very gently again, this time with P800, and the direction of the grain. It is recommended after sanding clean the surface with a clean paper or cloth dampened with a solution of water and ethyl alcohol 50%.
  • Attention, when applied will catch a texture as “orange peel”. This is normal and small “bumps” that look with the newly sprayed, disappear during drying and be a level, even layer.
  • Let dry 4 hours between each hand. Sanding between coats.
  • Tinting layers (Optional) tinting is very traditional lacquer finishing directly guitars also if solid colors or shading seek “sunburst” this is an inevitable step.
  • It is recommended sanding very gently (P 800) before applying the color layers. The surface should be as smooth and soft as possible.
  • Apply water-based varnish “Eco Guitar” 30% dissolved in distilled water, colored with concentrated water at a maximum of 5% dye in proportion to the lacquer dye. It is recommended that hands or colored dye are not too concentrated to be applied as thin as possible in order to achieve the desired tone.
  • Apply two to three hands per day, with a wait of 4 hours between each hand. No sanding.
    upper layers
  • Apply water-based varnish “Eco Guitar”, it is not necessary to dissolve. The varnish applied will catch a texture as “orange peel”, this is normal and small “bumps” that look with the newly sprayed, disappear and be a level, even layer. Be especially careful with this feature and do not apply too thick hand looking “equalize” the hand when applying the lacquer. Contrary to the nitrocellulose lacquer Water Varnish “Eco Guitar” is not transparent when “wet”. This feature can be used to guide the implementation of each hand. While when applied in thin layers falls transparent varnish on the surface, if a minimum “veil” when applied with a gun is detected, that is a sign that the hand is sufficiently charged and should not be applied anymore.
  • Water Varnish “Eco Guitar” is ready for use, however, if desired can be dissolved in distilled water, however, if it dissolves there are chances of having more “sags” or “drops”.
  • Apply 2 to 3 hands per day, four to five hours of waiting hand. P 400 sanding between coats, the first two hands after color can not be sanded and sanded so risks mistakenly color layers are minimized.
  • Apply 6 to 8 hands, from 4 to 6 if a particularly fine or “open pore” finish is sought.

Sanding and Polishing

  • Leave “dry” finishing 3 to 4 weeks, preferably in a ventilated and dry.
  • Sandpaper with water to the desired point. (It is recommended if used automotive polishes sand until at least P1500)
  • After sanding and finishing level allow to dry for 24 hours
  • Polishing, both by hand and machine. If done by machine, keep in mind that the water-based varnish “Eco Guitar” is a thermoplastic resin, so it is advisable to avoid excessive heating of the surface to be polished. If you notice that the finish is heated to polish, wait for cool down again and continue the process. This will prevent the product “shrink” due to excessive temperature.

General Tips and Tricks:

Finished with varnish to water, depending on factors such as the wood is tinted or not, and how many layers of color are given, must have a total of 6 to 12 hands in total, including background – color – finished, with a minimum of 5 hands of translucent finish. This will give an approximate thickness of 150 microns (0.15 mm) depending on how much sand, how much lacquer is applied in each hand and what thickness of finish is desired. If you have not finished any instrument previously is advisable to apply a 12 to 14 hands, and the security of not sanding or polishing finishing excess, leaving parts of wood “Bare” will. As more experience with the product and the method of finishing is acquired, fewer hands are needed and can be achieved finest finishes.

The first layers of finish may have a “satin” when dry, effect as a rule to be applied several coats the water-based varnish “Eco Guitar” present a glossy appearance. However, if you keep the satiny this will go with polished sanding, after which it will offer a crystal and shiny.

If you choose not to use background can give a first layer of varnish water diluted 50% in distilled water, this layer must “wet” wood and penetrate it, favoring the adhesion of the successive coats of finish.

If an aspect of “open pore” desired product can be diluted with distilled water to apply less solids in each hand. However, we must bear in mind that the possibilities of “sags” or “drops” will increase and drying times are higher.

Varnish water allows to apply relatively thick hands without slumping, however it is recommended to apply highly fragmented and that each “strip paint is applied if it overlaps with pistol or” mountain “1/3 to half of the previous one, for even hand.

If you happen to accidentally applying a ‘pick “or” glob “be taken, leave to dry finish (about five hours or overnight) and level sanding with sandpaper P400, preferably on a block of hard material. It also can “cut” the drip edge with a razor blade, a faster method and the accidents that can cause excessive sanding are avoided.

To become familiar with the process, it is advisable to test discard timber, to assess for itself the characteristics of the process of finishing a guitar with water based varnish

It is also advisable to use a surface “witness” to go on applying the lacquer layers while on the piece to finish. A paper stuck with masking tape to a rigid support (wood, thick cardboard) is a suggestion. So, first measuring the paper thickness with a caliper and then measuring the resulting thickness of the successive layers once dry, they have a pretty accurate idea of ​​the thickness of the layer to be applied so we can have a more accurate idea of ​​the thickness Of the same. A thickness of 150-180 microns (0.15 to 0.18 mm) ensures a fine finish, which respects the natural vibrations of the instrument, both to protect it, avoiding excessive thicknesses.

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