tire31539

Hi guys, I know this isn't a mustang, but I need help. I am building an electric guitar, and the body is made out of alder. I stained it and have applied about 15 coats of polyurethane. The polyurethane has been drying for about 3 weeks, and I want to wetsand and polish it to get a mirror finish. I put a lot of work into this thing and I want it to turn out nice, and the designated paint/finishing areas on my guitar forums haven't been a bit of help thus far.

Basically my plan is to start wetsanding with 400 grit sandpaper on a block. I know that is a rough grit, but that's why I put as many coats as I did on the guitar. When I get everything smooth, I'm going to move up to 600, 800, 1000, and then either 1200 or 1500 depending on what I can get my hands on locally. These will all be block sanded wet. After I get to the 1500 grit stage, I want to start with some polishing compounds. This is where I can't get a straight and confident answer from anyone, and since I'm going to use 3M automotive compounds I thought you guys might help me out. I'm thinking of using 3 compounds, and I'll link to them in order.

1.3M Scratch Remover applied by hand with a 100% cotton cloth. The description says that it removes scratches up to 1200 grit so I thought it would be a good starting point.

2.3M Fine Cut Rubbing Compound also applied by hand. This stuff is supposed to remove scratches up to 1500 grit, which I think would work well as a second step. Also, I own a bottle of this stuff already, and anything I can do to save money would be a good thing. I'd like to try and use this stuff if it is at all possible, I've already got waaaaay too much money tied up in this project.

3.3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish applied with a buffing pad attached to a power drill. I've been looking at This Buffing Pad but I am open to suggestions there. I'm looking at this stuff because that website says to follow the fine cut rubbing compound with it. The buffing pad is another area I'm not sure on, but I want something I can chuck in a drill, because I don't know really how often I'm going to use it, so being able to use tools I already have would be a plus.

4. A coat of a good paste wax, something probably of the Meguiar's variety that I can pick up in a store, just as a protective top coat.

Does this sound ok? If I sand up to 1500 grit real well do I still really need step 1? It'd be really nice if all I had to buy was the high grit sandpaper, the Machine Polish, and a buffing pad.

I'm open to any suggestions though, I honestly know nothing about this stuff. Like I said above, I want to do a good job, but I'm only polishing a guitar body and don't need commercial grade (priced) stuff. I will take any advice you have to offer though.

Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance.

tire31539

After a quick look through Autopia, I have already found out that my terminology is all wrong for this kind of stuff haha, and that is why I'm asking you guys.

I think I'm changing my mind a little bit about applying the scratch remover and rubbing compound by hand. Since my guitar body is small (roughly 12"w x 18"L), I think I'm just going to buy a 3" velcro polishing pad holder that fits in a drill chuck. I found a neat one Here, and now I just need to figure out which pad to use for what stage of polishing. The site that sells that pad holder sells 3" pads in wool, terry, medium/heavy yellow foam, medium/light black foam, and a felt disk thing. I'm a little lost. Above I said what I wanted to accomplish, can someone just please help me piece together the rest of the puzzle?

Mirage

Crucial info is missing here: Is it, or is it not clear-coated (hard clear finish applied after stain).

If it were me, I would do it all by hand. Not very much surface to do, and you dont want to mess it up. I'm not sure what it looks like now, but I wouldnt use anything less than 800 grit on it, 400 will leave scratches and swirls of its own. I would skip the 1200 and 1500 in favor of a good rubbing/polishing compound.

tire31539

I used oil based polyurethane that has fully cured. I purposely built up the finish though so I could polish it really well. On open pore wood you really have to use a lot of that stuff to fill up the grain and coat all of the soft spots in the wood that soak up the poly. I wetsanded between coats with 400 grit and it's pretty smooth now, I just need to polish it well. I think I'm going to sand it up to 1500 grit and then hand buff it with Optimum Compound, Polish, and Finish. I thought about buying one of those little 3" buffing pads and using a power drill but I'll just hand finish it. I stained and polyurethaned it by hand, why stop now?