Balloon to fill soundhole while spraying .

[Len Biglin]

I use a balloon to fill the soundhole when spraying , and I spray Nitro . This time around I am having the worst ever problem with fish-eyes , mostly around the hole , and I wonder if it might be talc powder from the balloons ( they only last one spray then get replaced ) . Does anyone have experience with this ?

[William F.Eden]

I have never had that problem but there may have been  oil on your balloon .I hope you don't have W.D40 around your shop.Bill.........

[Len Biglin]

Thanks Bill , I do use WD40 on electric guitar pots , but this problem is only on the soundboard , I think they may be using stearate on the balloons to prevent them sticking together .

[William F.Eden]

I would have to tell you that I was working on a piece of machenary one day and made the mistake of taking it in to my 

Instrument shop to put it in the vise and happend to spray the piece with W.D 40. Well I had problems for a long time after with fish eyes  in the finish so I sure would not have it any were neer the shop again just my exp. After all that is what it is made of fish oil. Bill............

[Paul Verticchio]

Len,

This is not personally directed at you.  You are simply one of thousands who have been misguided by misinformation about WD40.

Contrary to what many hack internet sites recommend, WD40 should NEVER be used on electronics.

1. It actually "attracts" dirt and contaminants.

2. It doesn't 'clean' the part (no solvent action).

3. Well, you're experiencing the other reason.

WD40 is for squeaky doors and frozen bolts on things like lawn mowers.

The industry standard for cleaning pots and switches is Caig Deoxit.  Buy it. Use it. Love it (:

I've seen this very subject discussed ad infinitum on other forums.  I must caution that I am immovable on this issue.

And please, don't anyone quote the WD-40 website's "uses" pertaining to electronics. They are absolutely wrong with that call.

I'm sorry if this post comes off as preachy but the whole "WD-40 for electronics" discussion is one of the greatest bits of misinformation out there today.  It is about the "wrongest" application ever and should be challenged and corrected at every chance possible.

or...as Tarzan might have said, "Good for door.  Bad for dirty CTS 500K-A potentiometer".  Jane taught him to say potentiometer. He still has no idea what 500K means ;-)

[Russell Vance]

I agree with Paul and I do so not because we use Caig products (which we do) but because it establishes a know readily accessible industry standard that is for a specific purposes and works.  

The problem with best guess/might work/cheap substitutes is that it leaves the subsequent technician in the dark as to what he is up against and the customer wondering what went wrong.  

I am still standing on my "Industry Standards" soapbox - we here should be the ones demanding our fellow technicians adopt best practice and charge accordingly - for our own sakes and the customers sakes.

Rusty.

[Len Biglin]

Great to get that advice on WD40 , I actually converted to it from Switch lube/cleaner as it seemed to work better . Caig is a bit harder to find here but I will get it . Any ideas on the balloons ? Thanks Guys

[William F.Eden]

Len the next time you do an other one try and just tape a piece of paper to the bottom and see if you still get the fish eyes.Bill.....

[Len Biglin]

Oh Yea , Im stopping the balloon idea now! Thanks Bill

[Mark Pollock]

Or you could just be lazy like the old Harmony factory and just leave a ton of overspray inside the guitar.

[Len Biglin]

Hmm , I think on my 1st guitar I had a ton of dust blow back out onto the board , so I quit that method ! Im surprised more of you dont use balloons though !

[Cal Maier]

I use a balloon to hold an inverted plastic chip dip or similar lid in the sound hole. You basically blow the balloon up in the guitar and fit the lid inside the sound hole with the lip facing up, the balloon will hold it in place. This works much better that using just a balloon, and it allows me to measure the finish thickness by peeling it off the lid after it has dried enough to do so.

Also, the balloon does not touch the edges of the sound hole so cross contamination isn't a problem.

Cal

[William F.Eden]

Cal that sound's like a good idea but how many hands dose it take to handel all this.Bill...........