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I have this problem finishing the necks of guitars and ukuleles. In my case I carve the heel by hand, but the effect is just the same - if I apply finish normally, the end grain is noticeably darker and also roughens up. My solution is several thinly wiped on coats of my finish (thinning if the...

I've researched this quite a lot for instrument finishing, but my actual experience is only with clear or with black tinted shellac, so read with caution. First, I think that what you need is dye, not stain. Here's a quote from another forum: What it says on the tin might be meaningless, so...

Ahah! Then you're asking the wrong question, because finish won't stop the marquetry falling off. You need to reglue the loose pieces. I'm guessing you don't have much woodworking experience, and I haven't worked with marquetry, but here is my guess about how an inexperienced person might...

I bought one not long back. I set the fence by locking one wedge at the right distance, then tapping the other rod/opposite side of fence until in position, then locking that. Mind you, I haven't been ploughing precision grooves, just close enough to work out. I'm not sure there's much else that...

I'd say there's something there already as the bare wood pieces of marquetry have a shine. Possibly wax, but that's only a guess. To apply most finishes you'd need to sand back to bare wood, which is not a good idea for this! If not, they'll probably fall off in patches. Also, all finishes...

I too wouldn't start from here! But if had no choice ... This might work (to some level of adequacy). 1. Make your blocks so the tops are a perfect 90 degrees to the side and apply a couple of coats of finish to the tops only. 2. Find a board of something very flat and stable - MDF probably...

In model making shops I've seen very thin square section carbon tube, probably less than 4mm. A few of these side by side, with carbon front and back, should be very stiff and strong. Worth considering?

I'd just saw along the glue joints, because you'd lose almost nothing of the wood that way. Start with a sacrificial saw (maybe even a hacksaw) in case there's a metal rod. If you want to keep the rings intact, leave a small margin. Then remove the surplus with heat (and moisture if needed), if...

Hide glue needs heat + moisture to release. Not much heat, hand hot is enough. The problem is getting moisture into the joint. Most PVAs and resins release with heat - uncomfortably hand hot should do, but you need the heat all through the joint. I believe Cascamite and some others don't...

Looking at those pictures I suspect you haven't sanded through all the old varnish. I get this when recycling wood. A quick test is to splash some white spirit on the sanded surface - any remaining old varnish will show up clearly. To get the colour even, I'd start with 2 or 3 wiped on coats...

I'm definitely on the side of compromise, especially as the neighbour has complained "most politely". Why not get together and find out the problem. It might just be the router, and the other machinery is no problem. In that case, the answer might be as simple as warning him on days when you...

Once wood shrinks, it usually expands again to less than it's previous size. This goes on for a few years, then stops. Thereafter it still expands and contracts, but less so. Musical instrument makers are very conscious of this - for example, on a new fretted instruments the fret ends will...

If you really want curl, you want koa! Contrasted with ash here.

I've never seen rippled Western Red Cedar, and as it's commonly used for guitar tops I'd expect to have seen examples if they exist. But there probably is some, somewhere. Holly? How could you tell without a magnifying glass? :D

I'm happy with "reasonable assumption". But that's not the same as knowledge. When you write: it comes across as saying that all the other explanations are wrong. Looking at those words again I can see that you might have meant "I know what I use it for", but that's not what you conveyed...

Chisels are useful for opening paint cans: therefore, chisels were designed for opening paint cans Planes are useful as paperweights: therefore planes were designed as paperweights At last, I've got the hang of logical thinking!

If you used Titebond or PVA, heat should soften the joint enough to prise the front off, though it will take some time to heat the joint through. Hand hot is enough. Common practice for musical instrument repair, though of course the thin wood heats up fast.

Just finished this: Fuller details in my Projects thread, a-slightly-oddball-guitar-t111602.html

Right, we're done! This is how it turned out: This was the finishing schedule I used, working with ready-made French Polish (i.e. shellac). 1. Wipe on a couple of coats with paper towels, sanding lightly after each because they roughen the grain. The reason for wiping on is to get an even...

The definition for the mail order offence is in section 17(1) and is much wider, certainly covering planes and chisels. I've just written to my MP as follows: It would be good if others also wrote (maybe changing my text so it doesn't look like an organised campaign, perhaps say how it would...