Hand rubbed sunburst

[violinvic]

I have been trying to build up the nerve to attempt a hand rubbed sunburst on an F5 project. I have been checking out other people's work and I came across Mowry Instruments. He has some eye popping beautiful sunbursts on his gallery and I suspect that they are sprayed. Is it possible to get a burst like that without spraying??

[Timbofood]

Only one way I know of.....
It's just like getting to Carnegie Hall,
"Practice man, Practice!"

[billhay4]

Try James Condino's Fine Woodworking video.
Bill

[Walt]

Some of the best sunbursters in the world hang out on this forum. I would start out by watching this video of James Condino (grandcanyonminstrel).
And then there's this video from John Hamlett (sunburst) from when he stained the mando for the Mandolin Cafe Restoration Challenge.
Both videos demonstrate a hand-rubbed technique.

[Jim Hilburn]

Andrew Mowry hand rubs his sunbursts to my knowledge. We've discussed it before.

[sunburst]

Andrew posts here fairly regularly, I suspect the definitive answer might come from him.

[violinvic]

Thanks, fellas. I have some transtint colors have been experimenting and getting what I think are pretty good results. But putting the color to a mandolin gives me the willies. I guess I just need to keep practicing and gain confidence.

[MikeEdgerton]

The nice thing about mandolins is that if you don't like the sunburst you create you can always start liking black topped mandolins.

[Walt]

In addition to the Hamlett and Condino videos above, here's a video of Andrew Mowry himself doing a hand rubbed sunburst. And a video from Dan Voight.

[j. condino]

I believe some of the "best sunbursters in the world" are currently in the old Kalamazoo cemetery!

VIC: Where are you located? There is always the option to come by the shop for a day of laughter, stories, play a few tunes, and get a private workshop on finishing.

We shot that video for Fine Woodworking with the hopes that I'd never have to explain it again. Just the opposite happened: it has generated probably close to 500 student sunburst days over the last ten years. I take it on the road regularly and give workshops on request to local luthier groups, in conjunction with Woodcraft stores, at universities, at several large nerdy gatherings and conventions, and here at corporate headquarters. Visit Asheville when the fall colors come in and you'll have polychromatic inspiration for a lifetime.

Sunburst your workbench and your tablesaw and your tools and shop jigs and your moulds and your doors and your kitchen cabinets and your kids toys and everything you can get your hands on. The same for French polishing; every chance you get. Then when the time comes to 'burst your mandolin, you'll be an old pro.....

Good luck,

j.

American Lutherie magazine #125 featured a nice detailed article on the process and approach as well as a cover shot:

http://luth.org/back_issue/al125-128/al125.html

[Timbofood]

Some are still above ground! Not me by any means, I can screw up black paint!

[fscotte]

Thanks, fellas. I have some transtint colors have been experimenting and getting what I think are pretty good results. But putting the color to a mandolin gives me the willies. I guess I just need to keep practicing and gain confidence.

Start by using a diluted concentration. Another option is to dampen the surface first before applying stain.

[Jonathan Ward]

Andrew sure works fast!

[Jim Hilburn]

Actually, some of the Loars have pretty crude bursts where you can see hand swipes where they just got in the ballpark and called it good. They were in much more of a hurry than most modern builders.

[Jim Hilburn]

This is David Grisman's crusher from the Archives and one that I've had the opportunity to see up close. You can see from the bass f-hole to the end of the fingerboard is a pretty straight line of dark color. In person it really looks like just a swipe instead of an attempt at a blend. However, I don't think it has hurt the value of the instrument.