MIMF

Most finishing schedules call for wiping the surface with naptha. Well, we can't get naptha in California. Is there a suitable substitute?

I never do that. Just make sure it's clean, if you have freshly sanded it'll be fine.

Ok, thanks.

Yep, it is hard to get finishing materials in CA now.

I've been having good luck using a tack cloth alone.

Naphtha is gone now? Geez, I didn't notice that. Mark's right though - I've never wiped with any solvent before finishing either.

I just bought a bottle at Home Depot a few months back. Dang, I would have picked up more if I knew they were going to pull it.

The purpose of wiping the guitar down with naptha is to:
a. Clean the dust off without raising the grain.
b. Wiping shows any scratches, glue, or flaws in your wood work.

You can wipe with alcohol and get the same results. Water, as you know, will raise the grain,

You should raise the grain and final sand before starting the finish application.

I've never used naphtha that I can think of.
I use denatured methanol for stain and shellac
I use acetone for everything else.
I wouldn't dream of putting a finish on without raising the grain first. It's going to raise eventually no matter what you put on it so I get that out of the way.

I have no problem getting naphtha here in my part of CA at the local paint dealer. True, it's not at Walmart or Ace Hardware.

David King wrote:I wouldn't dream of putting a finish on without raising the grain first. It's going to raise eventually no matter what you put on it so I get that out of the way.

I'm new to finishes, but my understanding is that products based on ethanol or nitrocellulose lacquer don't raise the grain. I've been using them without any notably raised grain.

But this brings up another question. If I raise the grain on figured maple, and then stain it before sanding, will it give a more contrasty figure? Guess I'll have to try it and see.

No Naptha in California? Not even in the Naptha Valley?

And I'm sure they are wining about it too!

(GROAN)

Its good to see some personality from the old Forum is still alive. Are puns alive? Anyhow...

Forget about naphtha - has anyone ever tried the "Mineral Spirits" that they sell in those plastic jugs? What is up with that s#!t !?! It's a friggin' emulsion - WHITE - I don't want water-bourn thinner, that's crazy.
I couldn't see any difference on the label while looking at it in the store, but the price difference made me suspicious that something was wrong, well it was wrong. Took it back and got the real stuff in the tin can.

I'm as environmentally conscious as most people, but a product that may actually get thrown down the drain and never used is NOT green.

I need to try this OSMO stuff that David King keeps going on about.

Osmo uses a low odor naphtha but it's mostly hidden by the nutty smells of the seed oils. It's much less smelly than Tru-Oil for instance.