Category: Project builds

To add a little colour I switched to Pure Button Polish. This is shellac with an amber hue. I planned to apply a few coats of this then switch back to the transparent for a few final coats. No change in the application method, and after 2 layers I was happy with the colour, but […]

The shellac I am using is a pre-mix. I chose pre-mix over mixing my own from flakes for pure ease of use. I’m thinning the shellac with methylated spirit (de-natured alcohol for our transatlantic friends)  – about 50%. This makes it easier to apply as it doesn’t dry so quickly, and believe me, it dries […]

Mighty Mite bodies come sanded and sealed with a thin oil based sealer. There is no need to do any further prep if you don’t want to, you can just start applying your finish. However, when grain filling it is a good idea to add a sealer coat to hold it in place and make […]

Ash is an open grained wood, so if you want a smooth flat finish it will require grain filling. You can do this a few ways – a couple of thick poly undercoats might get it level, three or four heavy coats of sanding sealer will certainly do the trick, but the standard method is […]

Here’s the victim donor for this assembly project. Mighty Mite Telecaster body, 3 piece swamp ash, weighing a very back friendly 3lbs 13oz.  I am planning a semi-rustic finish for this guitar – I’m very much the archetypal “bedroom” hack, so a durable finish to handle life on the road isn’t necessary. To that end, […]