Interesting Poly-stripping technique

[benecol]

My policy on stripping poly has always been "fuck it' don't bother (nuke the site from orbit maybe)". The one time I've done it, using a heatgun, I got asbestosis or something from the weird finish, then the two piece body fell in half down the centre seam.

This clever cat, however, seems to have stripped the poly finish from a Baja using a hairdryer and a pancake flipper.

Even better, when he weighed the removed finish, it came in at half a pound.

[cur]

Pretty cool. Wonder what the melting temp/softening temp is for the finish? Might be, one could put it in their oven close to the temp and then hit it with the hair dryer and spatula to enhance stripping. Might not be that much of a benefit since it only took under an hour. Thanks for posting.

[YuriK]

Sanding is the best way to get rid of poly. Although I wouldn't get rid of it on guitars that come with it cuz it's usually there to cover up the fact that the wood isn't really good. Unless youre gonna repoly I wouldn't take the poly off.

[Nick]

Sanding is the best way to get rid of poly. Although I wouldn't get rid of it on guitars that come with it cuz it's usually there to cover up the fact that the wood isn't really good. Unless youre gonna repoly I wouldn't take the poly off.

You're trolling pretty hard here but I'll bite.

Did you even read the link? That Baja tele has fantastic grain! It's true manufacturers usually use their less pretty wood for SOLID COLORS that don't show the grain (which can be poly, nitro, etc). Poly can be transparent as was the case with the Baja in the link; and the grain was visible through the original finish (though shows through much more beautifully now with the refin).

I've sanded poly guitars before. It's a mess, and very time consuming, and if not done perfectly will leave scratches in the wood/sealer that will show through on the refinish. I have not attempted to strip a body with either chemicals or heat, but this looks like a much better way (shorter, beautiful results).

[YuriK]

Sanding is the best way to get rid of poly. Although I wouldn't get rid of it on guitars that come with it cuz it's usually there to cover up the fact that the wood isn't really good. Unless youre gonna repoly I wouldn't take the poly off.

You're trolling pretty hard here but I'll bite.

Did you even read the link? That Baja tele has fantastic grain! It's true manufacturers usually use their less pretty wood for SOLID COLORS that don't show the grain (which can be poly, nitro, etc). Poly can be transparent as was the case with the Baja in the link; and the grain was visible through the original finish (though shows through much more beautifully now with the refin).

I've sanded poly guitars before. It's a mess, and very time consuming, and if not done perfectly will leave scratches in the wood/sealer that will show through on the refinish. I have not attempted to strip a body with either chemicals or heat, but this looks like a much better way (shorter, beautiful results).

I knew nothing about the guitar itself but usually the poly is for bad wood. By covering up I meant the sonic properties. Sanding is the proper way but if you do it wrong you can fuck it up. It's real easy if you're gentle.

[benecol]

Pffft. I'm a snob, but even I don't agree with that "poly is for bad wood" jive turkey.

Also, fuck ever sanding a guitar.

[YuriK]

Pffft. I'm a snob, but even I don't agree with that "poly is for bad wood" jive turkey.

Also, fuck ever sanding a guitar.

Poly is really thick so it masks the sound and gives it's own sonic properties.
You just sand until it starts getting white then stop, clean and go on, then youll never hurt the wood. Don't use a sanding machine and use light paper.

[NickD]

Poly has fuck all to do with the wood, it was just the way guitars were finished for a long while, they have only gone back to nitro finishes on any mass produced guitar in the last few years.

I've sanded the finish off every time I've removed a poly finish, but it is massively time consuming. Sand using progressive lighter papers, reseal, and paint.

[Josh]

they moved to poly b/c the finishes basically rubbed off on old nitro guitars. so provided it doesn't get dinged or apparently spatula'd and hair dryer'd(which is awesome definitely gonna remember that if I ever strip a guitar finish) poly doesn't wear away and, sometimes, retains its color overtime.

didn't think poly aged but ive seen examples on here. not as quick as nitro.

I like nitro because it doesn't look as glossy and looks a lil thinner. less candy car finish like.

edit: heard somewhere they stopped using it b/c it was bad for the environment. at least in mass quantities. any clarification on this?

[Progrockabuse]

Hmmmm a week off work and a hairdryer

I've stripped a squire p-bass using a heatgun and a shavehook. This dryer method looks well easy and less mess.

[cur]

Poly is easy to use, sets and hardens quickly, is less toxic to shoot and very durable. They even have water based poly that is purely wonderful to use and has super easy water clean up. If you are making a lot of guitars it is the way to go. I have been getting really cool paints custom made at the auto paint distributor. It is great to shoot and you can re coat in 5 minutes for BC and every 20 for Clear. And it sets up hard as a rock, but you have to invest in a respirator or you die, and this is with the new mixes that are legal to shoot in the city. It is also dependent on temp and costs big bucks.

I stripped a poly finish one time. Nothing would touch it, but when I sanded and had some scuffs into the primer layer, the striper could get under it and lift it off. Took a day of dicking around with every chemical I could get my hands on to come up with that process.

Better living through modern chemistry.

[YuriK]

edit: heard somewhere they stopped using it b/c it was bad for the environment. at least in mass quantities. any clarification on this?

I'm not sure thats true. Poly does give off a very chemically smell though if you know what i mean.

I prefer nitro personally because it is less glossy and fingerprints dont show up as much and stuff and also because it wears instead of chipping. What i mean by that is poly is brittler i believe.

[benecol]

Nitro is bad for the environment and bad for the people working with it. Which is why many painting places now refuse to use it.

[cur]

edit: heard somewhere they stopped using it b/c it was bad for the environment. at least in mass quantities. any clarification on this?

Most paints have changed due to their volatiles over the years for this very reason.

[YuriK]

Does anyone use any other finishes besides poly and nitro?

[benecol]

Yes. People stain wood, for example, or use oils.

That was one of those questions that may have worked better in a popular search engine, you know?

[cur]

That was one of those questions that may have worked better in a poplar search engine, you know?

[NickD]

Nitro is bad for the environment and bad for the people working with it. Which is why many painting places now refuse to use it.

Nitro isn't too bad for the person using it, I've used it a fair amount. Two pack on the other hand is lethal - contains cyanide, which is why I have never sprayed with it. As said, the current paints use water, so it's much safer.

[theshadowofseattle]

ITT: a bunch of shortscalers huff hella paint, a 14 year old repeats info he believed 100% unquestioningly having read it on a website for blues lawyers, and a telecaster turns into a kool sonding coffee table.

That 225 grams of finish is nuts though. I thought lobsterbacks used metric.

[benecol]

We do. Apart from when we measure distances of a quarter of a mile or more, or weigh ourselves. Or buy pot.