French polishing a Clark F5 mandolin

First round of French polish on a Clark F5

[@waltersguitars3336]

Great job. Your technique is very similar to mine. I found out French polishing is very intuitive. Everyone has their own technique. Very good instructions. When I first started, I practiced on scrap pieces of wood until I felt confident enough to do it on my own instruments. Thank you

[@urwholefamilydied]

Damn bro... although I am a LONG time musician... guitar, mandolin, bass, etc etc... I came across this looking for a good FURNITURE french polish tutorial. I must say, this mandolin french polish tutorial is maybe the best I've come across. Very nice and simple. I like the oil on the hand technique.

[@davidgale6213]

Thanks for showing us your french polishing technique. I've been struggling with french polishing for quite a while and will be trying your method shortly. There are a lot of methods out there but they all fall short of the mark.....Cheers!

[@geoycs]

So informative!

[@markmelville6670]

I sure would like to see how you do the top and deal with the tricky area around and under the fretboard extender. After a few mandolins using your technique, I'm just starting to get it figured out.

[@austinclark6577]

Hi Mark, Think popsicle stick with cloth on the end for under the fingerboard extension! Otherwise, the top is no different than the back. Just work carefully around the sound holes.

[@robinhoodwasasocialist.1401]

Gorgeous

[@dr.chandrakantt.morephysic1901]

Nice

[@oldbikerbear]

Do you not fill the pores with 600 GT and oil ?

[@andrew719]

How does the process differ when you're not using the varnish under finish as a leveling coat? I tried French polishing an ebony headstock in June (60% humidity) but it turned cloudy every time. Now its January (20%humidity)), I have new Everclear - and going to try again. Would varnish work better on ebony though? It has some pores - afraid the shellac won't fill them. Your video is very helpful. Thanks.

[@austinclark6577]

Hi Andrew, Humidity shouldn’t make a difference. Cloudiness usually comes from wax or other adjuncts in shellac or too much oil. I use super blond shellac flakes and basic denatured alcohol. I used to use walnut oil but have since switched to mineral oil. You can fill the ebony pores with super glue or epoxy prior to FP as an option.

[@markmelville6670]

how long did you wait after your last coat of varnish to French polish? By the way I'm liking the Epiphanes varnish. Thanks!

[@austinclark6577]

Typically 4-6 weeks

[@beak85]

Did you pore fill prior to doing the burst? If so, was it traditional shellac/pumice or something else? If so, what keeps the alcohol from french polishing from pulling that out? (I guess I'm confused about the process prior to the french polish for doing a rubbed sunburst.)

[@austinclark6577]

Hi Matt, I don’t pore fill. The oil varnish gets everything nice and level.

[@aaronvanwyk]

Looks great! How do you finish on the final session to remove any residual oil, just buff with a soft dry cloth?

[@austinclark6577]

Thanks! Typically a clean dry cloth is fine but you can also use a mild plastic polish like Novus #2 or a meguires product.

[@Rhythm.Studio]

how you apply color before

[@chessguru900]

how do i finish a snooker cue to make it shine gloss finish without having to use lacquer?

[@harryodum5598]

Hi new to your site recently built a guitar using Rosewood back and sides a kit from Martin guitar I filled the grain on the Rosewood and the sides with a two-part resin. The soundboard unfortunately had a lot of dents and I tried sending as much as I could but don't want to get it too thin. I sanded the back and work myself down until I got down too2000 grit I haven't cut back yet to a thinner shellac but it looks really good so far. The soundboard is the problem with some low spots can I fill those dents with shellac tape them off and then fill them? Cuz you know they will show up and they have. Can you recommend what to do?

[@austinclark6577]

Harry Odum Unfortunately, shellac and especially French polish is not good at filling and leveling the types of dents it sounds like you are describing. Additionally, it has some color to it even if you are using super blonde shellac. As the shellac is built up in a dent like that the color will become more obvious. Ideally, the time to deal with surface imperfections is before starting finish work but since this is where you are perhaps you could try filling the dents with a CA glue such as GluBoost Fill ‘n Finish, then level those spots and French polish over.

[@harryodum5598]

@@austinclark6577 thank you for the advice! It looks like I have a problem here with the soundboard if it wasn't a Guitar Building class I would have sent the kit back. I can't believe that Martin would even send out a kit in that condition with the sound board that bad. I'll figure out something thank you for your help. I did like your show though. Keep up the good work I'll be tuning in

[@hafizramiqi7614]

gut

[@grasser82]

Hello i have some pick scratches on my mandolin someone left for me at a jam do you know if there is anything i can do to get them out or lighten them up? Help!!!!!???

[@MichaelScottPerkins]

This is an issue that I've had for quite a while. You said that there is an, "oil varnish undercoat," laid down first and wet sanded. Coming from being a furniture building woodworker for decades, I've always understood that there are Three types of finish. 1.) Pure oil finishes, i.e. pure Tung oil, or pure Lindseed oils (not the blends like "Danish Oil"). 2.) Varnish, i.e. Polyurethane (which can be cut with one of the aforementioned oils and a solvent to make a bland, i.e. Danish oil etc., and then 3.) Lacquer/Shellac. (the 'lac" in shellac is where lacquer gets it's name). I may be wrong, but I cannot imagine that luthiers put anything containing polyurethane on the tops of their instruments. So when you say "oil varnish," what product(s) are you using in that varnish?

[@austinclark6577]

Hi Michael, There are a number of oil varnishes that are not polyurethane. Generally speaking they are resins cooked with linseed or tung oil. Resins range from alkyd, phenolic to tree and plant based such as mastic and turps. In my case, I use an alkyd/tung oil spar varnish. It dries quite hard after adequate cure. Putting shellac over oil doesn’t exactly follow the rule of fat over lean, but the fp is so thin it doesn’t matter.

[@marcosantoniomaciel9280]

Qual e o produto que você sua?

[@marklozano8388]

confused about what's in the tall container ,is it ,pure shellac or shellac cut with alcohol and if so ,what % of each?

[@austinclark6577]

Mark Lozano its a very light cut of shellac and alcohol. Maybe a 1 lb cut mixed down with another 60/40 percentage alcohol/shellac. Should be the color of light tea.

[@MRcaterpus]

vry vry load! u vid itch my ear! lol i wqnnq see y face. genger al is fav xspeceilally w aholohol! but just very nice one carlk ! wish it was w string n not a mummy right? but fyi. does not that hurt the hand w all ur firguners?

[@jonq8714]

Is the burst sprayed? It's gorgeous.

[@austinclark6577]

It’s a rubbed burst, though I’ll sometimes spray to even things out if needed.

[@austinclark6577]

Thanks! I hand rub the bursts but will sometimes spray if I need to even out some uneven absorption of the dyes.

[@bahed1]

@@austinclark6577 Beautiful demo, thank you for taking the time to provide the time honored French polish and all the info you mention while you're polishing. I was curious if the sun burst was water based, applied with a pad, underneath that varnish?

[@austinclark6577]

Bret Hedenkamp , it’s alcohol based TransTint dye. You could use water in the base but the alcohol raises the grain less.

[@darsg3021]

WHAT MATERIAL did HE PUT ON THE CLOTH?

[@austinclark6577]

Shellac in a very light cut.