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So I’m thinking I’ll try EM6000 for the next finish... but I have a noob question. How much should I order? It isn’t cheap... and I only do 2-3 Guitars a year really (at least that’s the plan)...
if I buy a larger container... does it have a short shelf life?
I guess I just don’t want to have it go bad and waste it.
B


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For 3 guitars you will probably need more than a quart, and the price break for 5 gallons is not that great, so I would think a gallon is about the right size. And if you find you don't like the stuff you're not stuck with a bunch of it.

One quart does three OM-size guitars for me. The official shelf life is 24+ months.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

If you consider shipping cost, the gallon is a better deal. If you have plenty you won't be worrying about running out before you are done. Target frequently offers discounts. That's when I buy it...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

There are a few things you can do to make any finish last longer.
1 - never work out of the can when spraying or brushing. Pour what you need for each session into an other container.
2 - never pour leftover finish back into the can. This keeps any contamination out of the can.
3 - pour finish into progressively smaller containers as you use it to keep the amount of air it is exposed to to a minimum.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Speaking of containers, I strongly recommend that upon opening a can for the first time, that you transfer the contents to a plastic container (or containers) that has a lid with a gasket and snap-down locks that make it air tight. The reason is that if you keep going repeatedly into the original container, rust will inevitably develop along the lip of the opening and then fall into the finish in the can, which sucks.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

For photographic solutions we used to use accordion bottles.

http://www.calpaclab.com/collapsible-ac ... /dl-501835

If you think you are going to have stuff around for a long time they might be worth considering. Storing in liter bottles also reduces the amount of time the finish is in contact with the air. Most of the coatings I use have stayed good until used up, but I generally use solvent based stuff.
When I looked on the Target coatings site, it priced a gallon at a little more than the price of two quarts. I'm sure it works for coating things other than guitars, so if you like it, the gallon looks like a much better deal.