Sunbursting over wood bindings

[HoGo]

I'm finishing three mandolins (F5) with wood bindings. What is your preferred method for sunbursting this?
What I currently use is 1. sealcoat of clear spirit varnish to prevent soaking color into wood and especially into bindings. 2. applying stains with some spirit varnish added as a binder 3. scraping binding 4. applying clear varnish. This works fine but it is too easy to spoil it during any of the steps.
Any tips and other methods of doing the job are appreciated. I just want to see all the possibilities for oil varnished instruments.
Thanks,
Adrian

[Luthier Vandross]

Well, I just seal the bindings, color, scrape bindings, then on to clear.

Wooden bindings on colored instruments are worth an extra day in Heaven... they take that off your life, at least. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


M

[HoGo]

Thanks for the quick reply.
Well, maybe I'll have an extra day in hell for all that cursing while I was scraping the bindings. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

"Well, I just seal the bindings, color, scrape bindings, then on to clear"
You do not seal the whole instrument? How do you prevent streakiness then?

[sunburst]

If you're lucky the bindings are Ebony!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I have lacquered the wooden bindings with an artists brush and magnifying visors. A good stereo helps, as does good ventilation.
It takes a couple of coats and enough time and peace of mind to "paint" a very crisp line.
My sunbursts are hand rubbed so I can't seal the whole instrument.
The lacquer is scraped off of the bindings after the stain is dry.

[Luthier Vandross]

Yeah, I apply my color by hand, on the wood.


M

[Darryl Wolfe]

Yes..I found this to be a difficult subject on that brown face A2 with the two rings of rosette. I tried brushing shellac on the rings beforehand, but still ended up scraping the rings somewhat below the surface of the stained instrument..live and learn

[HoGo]

Thanks guys. I think I'm not that good with the artist brush so I'll stay with my old method for now.
I used a sealcoat of spirit varnish on whole instrument and used the colors more like a shaded lacquer is used- I added enough spirit varnish to prevent dissolving previous coats. It is very easy to scrape the color off the bindings but as easy to scrape it off the rest of the instrument when one is not concentrated enough and hands start to tremble.

[Luthier Vandross]

It takes me about 8 hours to scrape a mandolin, with bathroom time, and lunch included.

I hate scraping mandolins, thank God for guitars.


M

[sunburst]

I hate scraping mandolins, thank God for guitars.
That's one of the good things about banjos!

[Luthier Vandross]

LOL! The ONLY good thing!

Have you seen the "9lb Banjo Mute" t-shirt? What a HOOT!

M