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I'm trying to finish my first guitar and I'm wondering if someone can tell me what Orange Peel looks like, and do I sand until I can't see it anymore?

Is this it?

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Barron Wesley Guitars

Yes it is. Can you sand it to it disappears. Yes. The thicker the finish the more elbow grease it will take. You most likely problem was afinish that was to thick or you sprayed it to thick. Coats should be thin. You gradially build up to a thciker finish. You sand between each coat to level the finish and then after that do final you rub out. be sure to let the finish dry properly between coats. If you were to look at a highly polished finish under a microsope there would still be orange peel texture. It's just so fine the naked eye cant see it. Now there can also be other issue beside a to thick of a finish like air pressre or the finish not properly thinned.

Rusty,

You can also get orange peel from holding the gun too far away, which allows too much drying before it hits the surface, preventing it from flowing out. This particular cause is more likely with fast-drying finishes like lacquer.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

That doesn't look like contamination orange peal, it looks more like poor atomization of the lacquer, which could be caused by any number of things. You might need to hold the gun closer to the work, as Pat stated, the pressure on the gun may be to low causing poor atomization. You may need to use a different tip on the spray gun, or some thinning of the lacquer may be necessary. If you are using Lacquer sand it lightly to flatten it out some then spray some more coats over the top, it should melt together. Make sure that you test your spray pattern on a test piece or on some cardboard first, play with the adjustments on your spray gun until you get a nice spray pattern, then spray the guitar.

Thank you very much for the help guys. I actually sprayed this first one from cans of Deft because I didn't have the right spray equipment yet. I have a compressor and 2 guns now and will be spraying my 2nd guitar starting tomorrow and will pay attention to what all of you mentioned.

Thanks again...

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Barron Wesley Guitars

I have done the spray cans. You have to go really thin light coats with these. It's to easy to over do it with cans. Deft is a good product but your better to go with auto lacquers. Deft is a furniture finish and it does not really expand and contract well like a auto lacquers. Guitars travel in varying climates either in your car trunk or in the case as you carry it to a gig. A furniture grade lacquer can check. Auto grade and guitar grade lacquers are quite similar in design. they can withstand the changes better.