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I am going to be trying my firs tru-oil finish. I dont want to fill the grain on this project, I want an open pore look. I was wondering if I needed to use sanding sealer before the tru-oil? There are a few blemishes I would like semi-filled before I apply the finish, so I was wondering what was the best route?

I've use Tru-Oil over epoxy filled pores and it seemed to work ok....but that's a ways from saying it'll work over a sanding sealer. I doubt you're going to get a definitive answer to this....and you'll probably have to experiement with scrap to know.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

I did my firt bass with polymerized tung oil, wihtout porefill (swamp ash). Tru-oil is polymerized linseed oil, so I guess it's going to be similar. You don't need to apply a sealer IMO, tru-oil will drop in pores and semi-porefill them.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

http://www.divine-jones.com/jones_syrena_02LG.jpg

jimmy, this might inspire you. Danish oil if I remember correctly. This guy is literally an artist!

Mike

I never used any sealer under Tru-oil. I'm not sure why you would unless you plan to stain the wood. I like the open pore Tru-oil finish alot.
What type of blemishes are you trying to fill? You can use thick CA glue (super glue) and then sand it once cured if you want a clear fill

This picture shows a tru-oil finish applied directly to sapele, no grain filler or sanding sealer. You can see the grain where the light is reflecting. It's really down to how you want the finished wood to look.

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Custom Handmade Guitars Handcrafted Cornwall England Web Design Helston Cornwall

I have done tru-oil on all kinds of wood and experimented with and without sealers. I prefer not to seal the wood with anything. The real trick is to put the tru-oil on as thin as possible. The first coat will soak into the grain and seal it. If you put it on too thick, trying to fill the pores it will not dry properly.

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com