Colored oil based varnish finish mini tutorial.
Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 1:10 pmEver wanted to do a trans color but don't want to spray? Or want more of that "natural oil thing" well here you go.
This is a technique more from violin family building and repair then guitar so you just don't see people talk about this for guitars, but, it will work just fine and I will prove this as the tread gets underway.
So yes I have done this before and have posted my recipe/finish schedule other places after I did this on my double bass.
Here is the bass.
So here is my recipe plus a bit of chat.
I am going to be using this in a basic way to finish my bass VI project orange so I'll be post picts of the whole thing.
This is a technique more from violin family building and repair then guitar so you just don't see people talk about this for guitars, but, it will work just fine and I will prove this as the tread gets underway.
So yes I have done this before and have posted my recipe/finish schedule other places after I did this on my double bass.
Here is the bass.
So here is my recipe plus a bit of chat.
I took Arnold's advise given on this forum and tried whaterlox colored with artist oils. Most of what I did was "based" on what Ken McKay posted in a thread on [url="http://www.mimf.com/"]MIMF.com[/url] called "What is your favorite varnish pigment or color for violins?"
This is what Ken said
And here is what I did.
Materials used:
Waterlox High Gloss
Naphtha
Gamblin Artist’s oil Colors
1. “ground” - "wash coat" = 25%-75% Waterlox to naphtha mix; a small amount of turmeric was added to the naphtha a day before mixing to add a bit of gold color. And yes I strained it!
2. Glaze #1: 60%-40% Waterlox to Naphtha mix with a added 8% of Gamblin Alizarin Crimson was added for color, This was applied by hand [my hand were red for days], clear coat of 75%-25% Waterlox to Naphtha mix was then applied
Bass was then let to sit for a few days then sanded to 250 grit.
3. Glaze#2: 60%-40% Waterlox to Naphtha mix with a added 8% of Gamblin Alizarin Crimson, 4% of Gamblin Chromatic Black and 5% Gamblin Alizarin Violet were added for color; this was applied by hand again but ONLY to the scroll, top and sides, clear coat of 75%-25% Waterlox to Naphtha mix was then applied
Bass was then let to sit for a few days then sanded to 250 grit.
4. Glaze #3: 60%-40% Waterlox to Naphtha mix with a added 2% of Gamblin Alizarin Crimson, 8% of Gamblin Chromatic Black and 10% Gamblin Alizarin Violet were added for color; this was applied by hand again but ONLY to the scroll and top, clear coat of 75%-25% Waterlox to Naphtha mix was then applied.
Bass was then let to sit for a few days then sanded to 250 grit.
5. 3 clear coats of 75%-25% Waterlox to Naphtha mix to whole bass.
6. The top wasn’t getting the look I wanted so I sanded it in places with 200 grit down to the Alizarin Crimson coat in places to give the bass a worn and old look.
7. 2 clear coats of 80%-20% Waterlox to Naphtha mix to the top.
8. Fine sanding to whole bass, grits: 200-300-400-600-800-rotten stone.
9. Because of the dark color of the top scratches were still visible so a final buffing with novus 2 fine scratch remover.
I am going to be using this in a basic way to finish my bass VI project orange so I'll be post picts of the whole thing.
