Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey Folks.

I know three to four weeks is best, but as i am on a tight deadline and had to respray a significant portion of a back, you think i could get away with a week cure time before sand and buff??

Its Pau Ferro so minimal pores anyway... sealed with epoxy just to be sure.

Thanks

G.

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www.leddingtonguitars.com

I’ve buffed after a week many times without issue.

Of course you can buff it in a week, but you better not put it in a case for any length of time unless you want impressions in the finish. I just buffed a Cardinal finished classic with about 15 days of age and will let it sit for at least another week before doing the final fingerboard work just to avoid scuffing the finish on the back while I work on it.

Lacquer dries by evaporation of solvent, so anything which increases the evaporation rate (higher temperature, more air movement) will speed things up. We use a drying box, which is a 2' x 2' by 4' topless/bottomless box that uses a 20" box fan set on top to circulate air over the items drying. Our best guess on effect is to cut time to stable sand and buff by 1/3 to 1/2 of the 21 days we allocate without forced drying.

The box is simple to make - just 1/4" plywood, 2x2 legs which elevate the box off the floor, 2x2 framing around the top and bottom edges, and a 1/4" plywood top with fan cutout. Some 3/4" square cleats on the top keep the fan in place (horizontal orientation), and the 2 x 2 framing around the interior bottom edge holds some carpet-covered cleats which cross the bottom of the box to hold bodies off the floor. Small 3/4" plywood standoffs on one of the walls of the box allow necks to be hung.

Hinging one side would make insertion/removal much easier, and it's on the list of improvements after the new Jet 22-44 OSC is working properly and a few other lighting improvements (we have been slowly replacing the remaining pull-chain shop lighting with standard fixtures and centrally switched lights, plus putting at least 12,000 lumens - 3 x two-tube fixtures - of LED lighting over each work area). In the meantime, inserting or removing a body or neck requires some attention be paid.

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For the times they are a changin'

- Bob Dylan

"The box is simple to make - just 1/4" plywood, 2x2 legs which elevate the box off the floor, 2x2 framing around the top and bottom edges, and a 1/4" plywood top with fan cutout. Some 3/4" square cleats on the top keep the fan in place (horizontal orientation), and the 2 x 2 framing around the interior bottom edge holds some carpet-covered cleats which cross the bottom of the box to hold bodies off the floor. Small 3/4" plywood standoffs on one of the walls of the box allow necks to be hung."

Maybe a large cardboard box and a box fan might work for a temporary use.

Hmmm... good to know... i might just get away with it then!

Thanks for the replies guys.

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www.leddingtonguitars.com

I've been waiting for a luthiers report on one of these! Mostly about the accuracy.

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Pat

Pull the sound hole masking. Most of the off-gassing comes from the inside through the wood. Once a hard film forms on the outside, it's just easier for the solvent to evaporate from the inside of the box. Might even run a fan into the box, 42% humidified air, of course...