Kala Acacia Tenor...All Dressed Up

KevinFL

KevinFL

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When I ordered my KAT from MGM I asked if he could pick one out with some nice flame to it. What arrived at my house was drop dead gorgeous, but the satin finish just didn't do it justice. I love the look of wood and a nice gloss finish really brings it out. I did the back/sides last night, and the top/neck tonight. I'm very happy with the results. The crappy lighting doesn't do it justice...I'll get some in the sunlight that will really show off the flame.

I absolutely love this 'uke. Once my Tone-Gard is built and I get her on...she'll be just the way I want her.

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Wow, can you explain how you did it? Did you have to sand off the original finish before the new polish would take? Just beautiful.
 
That really looks great.
 
I would love to do it on mine, but fear it would be far too much work!
How do you get into all the corners and tight places?
 
That's the second Kala Acacia tenor I've seen that had been refinished in gloss. They sure look a lot better that way! Not that they look bad in the satin finish, mind you, but the gloss really dresses them up nicely. If I didn't still have a 7th grade woodshop project in my garage to remind me that I should never EVER try to do anything like that, I might try to do something like that.
 
Thanks, guys.

This is the original finish, just polished up. I wet sanded with 1000/1200/1500/2000, then polished with 3M Finesse-it II using a plain white t-shirt. It's the same stuff I use when doing a lacquer finish from scratch. As far as getting into corners, I just spend extra time there to make enough passes, use a Q-tip when needed, and will be going over a few areas with a small buffing wheel on my Dremel when I get a new one (burned my old one out last week).
 
Kevin, That is gorgeous! Are you a woodworker by trade? I prefer gloss finish and would love to attempt this on mine, but am afraid to screw it up. I've 0000 steel wooled guitar fretboards to clean them up, but am not to sure about wet sanding an instrument finish. I need to do some research and make this a possible summer project. Any other comments/tips you would be willing to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Regards,
Ray
 
From the description - you are cutting back the satin finish a little, or 'keying the surface' at a fine microscopic level - so the surface will take a lacquer type finish?

6sc
 
Very nice. The gloss really brings out the grain. I wonder - has anyone ever tried a glosss back/side with satin top finish?
 
Kevin, I love the gloss finish! But I'm even more interested in your Tone Gard. Are you making one, or have you ordered one? I have studied their website, and I'm really intrigued....
 
did this have any effect on the sound of the instrument? video comparison maybe?
 
KevinV said:
Thanks, guys.

This is the original finish, just polished up. I wet sanded with 1000/1200/1500/2000, then polished with 3M Finesse-it II using a plain white t-shirt. It's the same stuff I use when doing a lacquer finish from scratch. As far as getting into corners, I just spend extra time there to make enough passes, use a Q-tip when needed, and will be going over a few areas with a small buffing wheel on my Dremel when I get a new one (burned my old one out last week).
Click to expand...

I think there's no need for any sanding as the satin surface can be seen as already perfectly sanded. I would not use any high speed buffing equipment; the heat these things produce may damage the already very thin lacquer or the wood fast than you expect it. Some of my polished victims can be seen here.
 
Raygf said:
Are you a woodworker by trade?
Click to expand...

No, it's just a hobby.

6stringconvert said:
From the description - you are cutting back the satin finish a little, or 'keying the surface' at a fine microscopic level - so the surface will take a lacquer type finish?
Click to expand...

I'm not putting any additional finish on, just cutting back and polishing the poly finish it already has.

ichadwick said:
I wonder - has anyone ever tried a glosss back/side with satin top finish?
Click to expand...

That's how mine was after the first night. I didn't much care for it.

mailman said:
I'm even more interested in your Tone Gard. Are you making one, or have you ordered one? I have studied their website, and I'm really intrigued....
Click to expand...

I ordered one from Tony. I'll let you know what I think when I get it.

StanDaManTX said:
did this have any effect on the sound of the instrument?
Click to expand...

It seems more resonant to me. There was obvious removal of finish material while wet sanding so it seems plausible that the wood is now vibrating more freely than it was with the slightly thicker finish.
 
I'm reviving this as im going to be owning one soon and that looks incredible! A few questions is this a dangerous project ie can it go wrong and damage the ukulele? I wouldn't do this myself but my father is good at wood work
 
Beautiful finish! Really brings out the wood grain :D
 
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