Crackled finish

[stevem]

Can anything be done to cheaply fix a mando that has crackling in the finish? By "crackling" I mean all the wavy lines in the photo below--see esp. by the point. E.g. would buffing the heck out of it make it look better? None of the crackles go into the wood, but they're all over the mando. What caused it in the first place?
Thanks!

[F5G WIZ]

How old is your Mandolin? What kind of mandolin is it. I've seen this happen to new laquered instrumnets that have gotten to cold and then were brought into a warm environment. Some call it cold checking. There should be no damage to the instrument and other than getting it refinished there isn't much you can do.

[Rick Lindstrom]

Hey- my Yellowstone looks just like that! Those are character lines! You'd pay a lot to get that done as an upgrade.

Rick

[John Saxon]

It looks like laquer craze. Sudden changes in temp.

[stevem]

It's a '99 Yellowstone Mandola. I definitely wouldn't pay more than $50 for a fix, as it's only cosmetic. I guess it's added character, but I think it's sort of unsightly, esp. on the headstock.

[Rick Lindstrom]

My reply might have been flippant, and I apologize. As a woodworker and instrument builder what I think you are seeing is grain characteristic of the maple through a thin lacquer finish. My Yellowstone is 3 or 4 years old and looks the same way. I don't mind; in fact I think it makes the instrument unique and gives it character.

Did you buy that mandola from Charles? If so, you got a really good deal on it, and I wouldn't worry too much about something that matters so little in the long run, especially if you intend to play it.

Rick

[stevem]

Thanks Rick. I wasn't offended at all. I did get a good deal on it, and yes, it was from Charles. He was fantastic to work with--honest and very kind. I was fully aware of the crackling before I bought it too, so absolutely no worries there.

I was just wondered if buffing, or something else might wipe it out easily. If not, oh well. It's really not a big deal. Overall, the instrument is just awesome--the tone gets a 10+.

[sunburst]

When lacquer does that, it can be amalgamated with one of several solvents, but a Yellowstone is made by Weber isn't it? I don't think Weber has ever used lacquer (but I could be wrong), and if it isn't lacquer, amalgamation isn't an option.

[Michael Lewis]

That finish checking is caused by excessive moisture. The wood swells from the moisture and cracks the finish, then dries out and shrinks back to near where it began.

[HoGo]

I'm with Michael on this. Cold checking usually goes in random directions while the moisture checks are usually perpendicular to direction of grain as wood swells most in that direction. Also the edges of the cracks on the pic look like the lacquer was stretchd first and after cracking and drying the edges met and created little peaks that are visible.

[Hans]

Adrian, might you have meant that moisture checks are parallel to the grain as the wood swells most in a perpendicular direction to the grain?

[Rick Banuelos]

When lacquer does that, it can be amalgamated with one of several solvents, but a Yellowstone is made by Weber isn't it? I don't think Weber has ever used lacquer (but I could be wrong), and if it isn't lacquer, amalgamation isn't an option.
We only use two types of finshes as standard. One is Nitrocellulose Lacquer, and the other is an uncatalyzed spirit varnish.

[HoGo]

Thanks Hans, I screwed it. English is not my mother language.