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Advice please. I have used CA to glue in a abalone rosette ring. Where the glue overran the abalone it has yellowed the top, and sanding doesn't seem to take it out. Any advice how I can remove the yellow stain? Thanks, Jack

Well this is a lesson learned the hard way I am affarid.

when using CA on a top you want to seal the top and any end grain in the area of work with shellac first. That has happened is the Ca has penetrated the spruce or Cedar and I am afraid there is no way to get rid of it.

Well this is a lesson learned the hard way I am affarid.

when using CA on a top you want to seal the top and any end grain in the area of work with shellac first. What has happened is the Ca has penetrated the spruce or Cedar and I am afraid there is no way to get rid of it.

You might be able to enlarge the rosette, thereby removing the stained wood.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Or a burst finish?

Does the application of a finsih tend to mute this, i.e., is the CA really as stain, or is it just the different appearance of a finished wood? I don't know, just asking.

I've also wondered if the finish/sealer would hide the effect (since it is a 'wetting' effect).

As a closely related question, does hide glue do the same thing when inlaying? I've got to inlay some rosettes soon but so far I've been doing all my inlay work into fingerboards/headplates with CA. Titebond is my last resort...

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Good friend of mine is a professional builder and he says it is the type of CA that causes this. Not all CA's have this effect. But all CA's will cause staining in the end grain if not sealed. Also, the finish won't matter, once it is there, it will show under finish. He actually showed me one that had discolored, and it still showed under the finish.
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

It's not an error, it's a feature. Squeegee CA over the rest of the top to even out the color.

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D..

   Once the top yellows you can't get it out. I find that red spruce is a pain for that. I know some of you still use CA but I use tite bond on all wood rosettes and DUCO cement for the plastic.
    Once burned best learned
john hall
blues creek guitars

That's one of the two reasons I don't have any CA in the place. I know that I'd forget to put the shellac on one time and end up with a ruined top.

In fact I was inlaying a rosettte yesterday, no day before, using multiple strips of purfling and found that fish glue was perfect for the job.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Thanks for everyone's help; I had for the most part, decided that the stain wouldn't come out and am resigned to either doing a black or sunburst top. jack

I now shellac the area, but found that it only stained on red and engleman ... it sanded out of cedar and sitka before I sealed, at least with the brand I use. no longer an issue with sealing the area and the channel.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

This wasn't the first time that I have used CA for the rosette , but it was the first time it yellowed. The top was red spruce. I should have sealed with shellac. Thanks again for all the help, jack

[QUOTE=Dennis E.]It's not an error, it's a feature. Squeegee CA over the rest of the top to even out the color.

[/QUOTE]

I find professional woodworking isn't about how few mistakes you make, but how you cover them up. Nice.

Quite a few guys I know of use CA as a sealer, actually. Just make sure you've got a strong cross breeze from a fan or do it outside or you're going to feel the burn :)

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services