Finish repair on a Flatiron mandolin

[Mark Ergazos]

 I have a 1995 flatiron performer A that has several chips in the finish. I am going to attempt to repair them by dropping in lacquer and building up the finish. My question "did flatiron stain the wood and then put clear lacquer over it or did they tint the lacquer and build the finish color" The chip color is much lighter than the lacquered area next to it.
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> I am trying to decide if I should stain wood exposed in the chip  to get the color matched and then fill with clear lacquer or tint the lacquer and then build up the repair? This is my first attempt at this type of repair and I want to try and get it right the first time if possible. Thanks

 

Mark

[FRANK]

I WOULD TRY A BASE COLOR,THEN TONE IT AS YOU DROP FILL FILLING PAST THE LEVEL YOU WILL EVENTUALLY NEED. SCRAPE FLAT SAND AND BUFF IS IT NITRO?

[Mark Ergazos]

Yes it is nitro lacquer. thanks

[FRANK]

I BELIEVE IN MARK ,SO I WOULD MAKE A THICK DARK COLOR TO DROP IN, MAKE SEVERAL TEST RUNS NO PUN INTENDED DROP IN AND LET SIT FOR A GOOD 2 OR 3 DAYS AND WATCH IT START TO SINK, LEAVE THE CLEAN UP TILL THE END NO NEED TO CLEAN UP YET CAUSE YOU WILL DROP FILL AGAIN AND IF YOU HAVE MADE A SMALL CRATER THEN THE SECOND FILL WILL DROP IN AND HAVE A STABLE PLACE TO SIT TILL IT SETS UP .I PREFER TO SEE A MOUND OF LACQUER BUILT UP LIKE A GLASS OF WATER JUST ABOUT TO SPILL YOU CAN SEE IT HAS RETENTION THIS IS HOW I LIKE TO SEE THE FINAL DROP .IN A PERFECT WORLD ID LET IT SET FOR 3 WEEKS AFTER THAT AND THEN ,SAND %15 FLAT WITH A SANDING BLOCK TILL FINDING STABLE ENOUGH LACQUER TIMES SURFACE AREA TO SCRAPE FLAT TURN A HOOK ON A STRAIGHT BLADE RAZOR AND SCRAPE %80 FLAT.NOW DEPENDING ON THE SURROUNDING LACQUER AND THE NEW DROP AFTER RUFFLY %80 IS SCRAPED DOWN I PREFER TO WET SAND THE REST BY HAND AND OCCASIONALLY PULLING OUT THE GUN TO APPLY A BIT MORE NITRO WITH AN AIR BRUSH OR A SMALL HVLP . IF IT SOUNDS BRUTAL IT IS I HAVE BEEN SHOOTING LACQUER FOR 20 YEARS I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING AND THINGS STILL COME BACK TO ME ON OCASSI0N .P.S I TONE THE DROP FILLS TILL I HIT MY MARK

[Greg Mirken]

Mark, if this your first attempt at this repair you will not get it right. This is about the toughest challenge for an instrument repairer. I have been doing finish touchups for 35 years, and I usually get them right the first time.

If you want to be able to say you fixed it yourself, fine. There may be a base color on the wood, but most of the color is in the bottom layers of finish.

Good luck!

[Mark Ergazos]

Thanks guys that is what I needed to know. I assumed that since the color seemed to be with the chip that broke away (long gone before I got it) that the lacquer had the color not the neck wood itself. I realize that I am naively optimistic hoping to nail it on my first time out. I was really just trying to dial in the best process to eliminate the amount of ways to screw it up. Thanks again for your help. I will shoot pictures to document.

Mark