Padouk Finishing Question - Geno... I’m lookin’ at you 🤔

"Don't look at me! Don't you effin' look at me!"


xoxo,
Frank Booth


Padauk is a hard, brittle wood that is oily, similar to rosewood, so it protects itself from within.  It doesn't need a finish.

I didn't apply a finish to the padauk neck mostly because I like the feel of bare wood.  Sort of like the difference between a varnished axe handle and one that is well-used and feels like wood instead of plastic.

There is a very good reason to apply a finish, however--and that is to help the wood retain its color.  Most padauks are a rich dark red to milk-chocolatey brown and uniform in color when first cut and sanded; some have contrasting grain with reds and light tans, and some even lean toward dark violet.  Leaving these unfinished allows the wood to oxidize and become duller/darker in color.    On colored/figured woods like this, the sooner you get finish on it after cutting/sanding, the better it will retain its color.

If you apply a penetrating oil or wiping varnish such as Danish oil, have at it as soon as it's sanded smooth. 

If you're applying a hard clear coat (nitro, poly, Tru Oil, etc.), it's good practice to wipe the surface first with a lint-free cloth dampened with acetone to remove oil from the surface layer, and then shoot finish as soon as it evaporates.  This ensures a good bond between the finish and the wood.  Skip this step and you risk getting milky/hazy patches where air gets between the wood and loose finish.

Cool! Looking forward to pics of the project!

If you've never used Danish oil, here's how.

Cut open a cardboard box and lay it flat to provide a work surface and protect the benchtop.  Put on a pair of painter's gloves.  Pour some Danish Oil into a rag and rub it into the wood.  Wipe all surfaces and let it sit for no longer than about 20 minutes.  Pick it up and wipe it completely dry, and hang it up to dry for a few hours in front of a fan to keep air moving over it and speed the process.  Repeat this four or five times.  Danish oil does not leave a hard surfaces finish.  

The 'wipe completely dry' step prevents shiny/sticky areas from forming on the surface.

If I ever do another build I'm thinking Padouk or Bloodwood will be in order. I think Bloodwood maintains its red hue while Padouk oxidizes and turns brown over time, no?

Definitely post up some pics Leftee.

Wow, Peegoo with top notch empirical evidence. Very cool. I'll have to look again but I thought I saw reference at Warmoth that Bloodwood retains it color. Liars!

I think Peegoo must have started with Bloodwood that was done medium well.

The body arrived today.

I took my lunch break and sanded both the body and the neck and started the Danish Oil process. This is going to be a stunning guitar in a natural wood sort of way.

I really should have ordered a chambered body, though. It’s heavy.

Alder

OhhhhhMAaaaannnn that looks shweet!

Garjus

Waiting on a pot.

Yes, and if I had it to do over, I’d go chambered mahogany.

That looks fantastic!

That actually has nice-looking grain for alder. Usually it's like poplar: fairly unremarkable and sometimes with unattractive grain. That's why Fender moved to alder for opaque-painted bodies. It was cheaper than prettier-grained ash.