Ding repair for satin finish?

Started by tikabear, July 26, 2012, 12:42:18 PM

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My wife was mopping the other day and knocked something off the buffet table in our dining room onto the side of my Forum II mahogany top.   :crying:  It's stand is right beside the table which is usually a very safe place for the guitar because no one ever goes in that room; even to eat. 

The guitar took a pretty good hit.  The object went through the finish and into the wood leaving a good quarter inch area exposed.  I could fix it if it were gloss but not sure how or what to do with the satin finish.  I'd be happy to hear any advice/suggestions.  Thanks in advance!
More than I deserve.

Sad to hear of it. My LSV-11 took an off balanced mic stand to the top when I wasn't home. Broke my heart.

If I'm not mistaken, yours is a catalyzed finish which are tough to touch up. Being a retired dentist, it dawned on me that the light cure wand we use for sealants could come in handy for touchups so I got some sealant out and was able to patch up the marks in the LSV a bit. Not an invisible repair, but less noticable since the surface was flat, but the wood fibers that get skewed around wouldn't respond to the steaming out process with a soldering iron, so it's not a perfect fix.

A satin finish makes this technique even more difficult. I was able to use cellophane to press the sealant onto the scratch which left a nice gloss surface that seperated nicely from the cellophane. You'd have to find some kind of plastic with a satin surface to do something similar to repair a satin finish. If you ever needed an excuse to polish your finish to a gloss, this would be the time.

Sorry again about your accident. <sigh> :blush:


Larrivee OO-05 • Larrivee OOV-03 SS • Larrivee OO-44  • Taylor 322ce • Strat • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/jpmist

Sorry to say I think you're going to have to live with it. You can drop fill the spot but the finish will never match unless you gloss the whole top.
Roger


"Live simply so that others may simply live"

QuoteSorry to say I think you're going to have to live with it. You can drop fill the spot but the finish will never match unless you gloss the whole top.

That's what I'll probably do.  Thanks guys!
More than I deserve.

Quote from: Mr_LV19E on July 26, 2012, 02:50:18 PM
Sorry to say I think you're going to have to live with it. You can drop fill the spot but the finish will never match unless you gloss the whole top.
You beat me too it. The other solution is to remove the finish around the damage , steam it out and spray the area. Let it sit for a few months and see if the new poly blends in.
     Better to just polish the top.

I am blessed because the ding is actually on the side of the guitar rather than the top.  It can be seen when holding the guitar in playing position sitting or standing.  What I have decided is to drop fill with superglue and polish the sides only using the Peter Cree method - 1500 grit wetsand then buffing compound.  I don't want to remove the clear pickguard and I really wanted this guitar to to stay satin but glossy sides with a filled ding is the best compromise.  I will try the steam but it's pretty deep.  Thanks!
More than I deserve.

Steaming it can result in very surprising results. I have lots of guitars that I have in pieces now and experiment on, and steaming really can bring the wood back up.
           How about some before, during and after pics. I really like those type of discussions myself.

QuoteHow about some before, during and after pics. I really like those type of discussions myself.

Will do.  I did what I could do with steam.  There was a smaller ding next to the big one that didn't go through the finish.  Seemed to raise that one some but it didn't help the one where the finish was gouged.  Superglue fill is drying now and pics are taken thus far.  I'll post 'em all when I'm done.  I enjoy doing this type of work and discussing it also.  Hope I don't have to do it again. :winkin:
More than I deserve.

Here are the pics of the process:

Guitar:

By tikabear at 2012-07-28
Ding :crying::

By tikabear at 2012-07-28
Superglue fill:



Prepped for surgery:  I used 400 grit on a small block and moved the tape out as I went, very slowly, to blend in the edges.  After I got it smooth and blended, I buffed lightly with a small bit of 3M rubbing compound then guitar polish.  It filled the ding nicely as exposed wood worried me more than the cosmetic factor.  I may try more steam on the adjacent ding that didn't go through the finish.  It left a little glossy spot which I can live with.  I didn't want to polish out the finish if I could avoid it.

By tikabear at 2012-07-28
Results:

By tikabear at 2012-07-28
Another:

By tikabear at 2012-07-28
It ain't perfect but it's not too bad either.  Looks better in person.  Better than the ding I think. :winkin:
More than I deserve.

Looks dang good.CONGRATS!!!!!!! :nanadance
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
OM03PA.98 L10 Koa
Favorite saying
 OB LA DE OB LA DA,LIFE GOES ON---BRA,It is what it is,You just gotta deal it,
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity, Keith and Barefoot Rob on youtube
Still unclrob
#19
12 people ignoring me,so cool
rpjguitarworks
Call PM me I may be able to help

    Just a blemish now and not a big deal.  It looks like the larger ding was a "chip out". Like you lost some wood altogether.


           Thanks for the pics.

QuoteIt looks like the larger ding was a "chip out".

It was.  I looked for the piece but couldn't find it.  Thanks and thanks for the compliment Unclrob!
More than I deserve.

So you know for next time or this happens to someone else if your very carefull in some case just using your fingers from inside push the damage wood out.I do this with crack repairs.Oh ya my forarm is bendable after all these years of putting my arm in soundhole's.Also if you can post picture's first,it help.
A REPAIRPERSON,Barefoot Rob gone to a better place
OM03PA.98 L10 Koa
Favorite saying
 OB LA DE OB LA DA,LIFE GOES ON---BRA,It is what it is,You just gotta deal it,
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity, Keith and Barefoot Rob on youtube
Still unclrob
#19
12 people ignoring me,so cool
rpjguitarworks
Call PM me I may be able to help

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