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Just finished spraying Satin nitro on my guitar body, it has a bit of a rough sandy feel to it but looks great.

Do I sand this flat? And what grit to use, don't want to create a shiny surface. I'm aiming for a Lowden type of satin finish.


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Satin finishes are generally an "as is - off the gun" type finish where no further work is required. As such a better quality gun that gives good atomization is prefered. Some finishers can achieve good results with less than first rate equipment, but that usually requires a level of experience most of us "finishing dilettantes" don't have.
A satin finish shouldn't have a rough sandy texture. That is usually from spraying a "dry" coat. You can try knocking it down a bit with some steel wool and see if you are still happy with the surface. If not, you might have to recoat it, possibly spraying a little heavier or adding a little retarder to get better flow out.

NO! NO SANDING!!! satin must run as is off the gun..... The rough texture is dust and dirt. A surgically clean spray facility is required get good results.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I've had some success smoothing rough bits and repairs (CA with waterbourne EV) with 2nd finest Scotchbrite, grey I believe. White scotchbrite will shine it up. May have to do the whole panel (top, sides or back) or even whole body to match it in.
Try it on test panels first.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I had a similar issue when first sprayed. You do want as dust free as you can get . In my case it was the gun . I didn't have it adjusted correctly and was drying the material before it was hitting the surface. I adjusted the gun added 10% retarder and thinner. There is a bit of a learning curve. Agree nothing after spraying it smoothed out nicely

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Pretty sure Lowden are hit with steel wool at the end, or wire brush as they call it...

yes lowden also uses a wipe on poly

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Hi John, thanks for your reply. Do you happen to have any details on Lowden's finishing process i.e. what wipe on poly they use and what the procedure is? I appreciate any tips you can provide

Matt

I used General wipe on poly.
Really like the finish.
Didn't polish or anything,
left it as it is.
Only caveat is, when I tested on a piece of mahogany, it went all the way through the 1/8"
scrap.
I wouldn't use it on an acoustic for that reason.
Alan