I'm watching this series of videos for the third time to see the details. The spectacular work, your diatics and generosity are fantastic. I'm sorry for living far away and not speaking English very well because I'm Brazilian. But it would be great if one day you could come here to Brazil to teach a course. I've been building guitars for several years but I always learn something new from your videos. Thank you very much.

Excellent! You know I have a special interest in French polishing, so looking forward to the series!

Excellent video, very clear and useful instructions. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

What a great professor, Pablo. Congrats.

Pablo, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us!

Excellent video and quite informative.

Epoxy grain filling done. Thank you so much for the confidence I gained watching this.

Great video, I'm becoming your fan! Thanks a lot, Pablo!

Great Pablo!

Hello again Pablo just put the first coat on of the resin came out real well thank you so much for sharing your talents with the public.

Hello Pablo, thanks again for sharing your knowledge and craft. I tried some pore-filling materials, but sofar wasn't very happy with the result. I will give your method a try. Can't wait for the rest of the series.

Grandísimo Maestro ! Muchas Gracias por sus excelentes videos y compartirnos de manera tan detallada, tantos valiosos conocimientos.

Thank you for your patience with the masses. It is easy to follow someone that you feel inside that he is a master. Thank you master Pablo.

Pablo Thanks for showing me how too do the job. I just built my first Guitar a Martin 000 28 this will sure make it nice.....

Your videos are informative, and a joy to watch- I read somewhere in here that you may be doing a video series for sale eventually. Looking forward to this.

Pablo , you always present the little nuances that are so important . The slower setting 206 West System hardener is definitely better to use in the application , not only to provide a longer working time , but also to allow the applied resin a longer period of time to ‘flow out’ and level the surface porosity .

Mr. Requena is exceptionally articulate about his craft....a rare combination to be able to teach as well as expertly perform.

It's great you returned, you're always very clear

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Simone Camplani. Thanks

Thank you Pablo! Patiently waiting more. Soon I hope.

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, next chapter is coming soon

Brilliant ! Thank you very much...

Thanks for publishing all these videos Pablo...they are so useful for we budding luthiers. Clear and inspiring.

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Steve, I am pleased you enjoy them.

Nice work!

Pablo is so humble it becomes even a better job to watch. I'm brazillian and I need to restore a Di Giorgio, Romeo and this seams the perfect way considering the marks I have on the wood. Thank you!

Thank You.

I enjoy it mucho!

Hola Pablo, interesante, impaciente de ver tu manera de hacer, un abrazo!

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Gracias, un abrazo.

I love your channel!!!

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you

Pablo, It's great to see this. I'm getting ready to finish Bruce's guitar now and intend to do it exactly as you teach it here. Thank you my brother for all your kindness.

@redkitekk

2 ай бұрын

That’s great Brian. Bruce’s guitar is going to look amazing once it’s done. Best wishes

Good job. This is one way of filling pores. I prefer paste pore filler or pumice/shellac/alcohol (not sprinkled on the wood!). But I have tried epoxy a few times before and didn't like it. That said, there are many ways to skin a cat. You must find the best way FOR YOU to fill the pores, and also to French polish. What one maker likes, another hates. We are all different. Looking forward to the rest of this series, Maestro. Thank you for sharing your methods.

Brilliant, thank you. I'm not sure I have the courage to try epoxy, but your technique is great.

This is very interesting. I restore concertinas and harmoniums and have been French polishing for a number of years. The idea of using epoxy as a grain filler is a relevation - so many thanks for the great tip!!

@PeterPete

4 жыл бұрын

I've just done the epoxy grain filler and works a treat! Next time I might just put it on the soundboard too! hahaha!

Thanks!

Gracias Pablo por el tutorial sobre Frensh polish. soy Edwin Aponte de Puerto Rico, me gustó el vídeo y espero por el proximo. Saludos.

Maestro I have fair amount of experience with West System epoxy for my various boat projects. The 207 Special Clear Hardener is ideal as a base for clear finishes / varnishes as it is very clear and has UV inhibitors in it. This might be ideal for your application as well.

Thank you you have just made my job easy! I hope i can find the West System fill. I really did not want too use the powder that stewmac has maybe i hope he may have the West System....

@harryodum5598

4 жыл бұрын

I found every thing! I made my first Guitar a Martin 000 28 this will do it justice. Thanks for the enfo

You can buy the larger cans of West system and use their pumps that pump out the correct ratio. Also, epoxy doesn't dry, it cures. Epoxy is an exothermic reaction, not an evaporative process. You can also use Cyanoacrylate adhesive (super glue) to do pore filling too. Easier to sand. Apply with a cotton ball and work fast.

Beautiful work maestro! Just a couple of thoughts: 1. You can 'hot coat' West System epoxy, which means after the first coat is sticky to the touch you can apply a second coat without sanding and so on. So if the goal is to create a three coat base, this can be done easily in one day. Then the last coat is gently sanded in preparation for your final finishes. 2. You can use a larger plastic spreader just like the ones used for auto body filler. This will dramatically reduce the number of lines when the epoxy is cured. 3. There is a product called PeelPly which can be applied to the last coat of wet epoxy. When the epoxy has cured, this material is peeled off and a very smooth finish is the result. You can also simply use thick plastic which is available cheaply at Home Depot. Using this method will result in no lines from the spreader.

@redkitekk

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your suggestions.

Thank you so much for this series’s of videos on French polishing, you have encouraged me to restore me 1978 Yamaha FG512 ii 12 string which has almost exactly the same woods are your guitar is video. Question, do i need to take it all the way back to bare wood?

I absolutely love your video's. I have just about finished constructing my workshop so that i may be able to hopefully attempt making guitars myself. Your video's are a mine of information. I only wish I could afford to attend one of your courses. Have you ever thought of putting your knowledge down in a book ? I cant wait for your next video.Cheers

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

I don't have a book, but I am working on a video series where I show the hole process and I will be available for sale soon.

@GuitarRasguado

5 жыл бұрын

Hi@@redkitekk, I don't want to sound impatient, but how soon is soon? I have been really enjoying your videos, so this prospect sounds very exciting :)

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

GuitarRasguado I don’t have the answer to that, all I can tell you is that I am working on it at the moment and as soon as it is ready I will announce it so that people can purchase it. Hopefully later this year.

@GuitarRasguado

5 жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk Thanks Pablo, looking forward to it!

Interesting Pablo, I’ve used Pumice but I fancy trying this. I checked out the West System and they have a 207 clear hardener. What’s your thoughts on using it instead of the 206? Look forward to seeing the other videos, they’re always very informative. 😊

I'm looking for the other 8 videos...

Ole!

K recuerdos Pablo! Buen video, saludos!

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Jesus Mora, un abrazo!!

Pablo, thanks for this series, its excellent. Do you seal the raw wood with Shellac first or do you apply the Epoxy directly to the raw wood.

@redkitekk

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Paul, I apply it directly to the wood, but only to the back and sides if they are made of rosewood or another open grain wood.

Thanks for a great series of videos! Would you say that walnut needs grain filling?

@redkitekk

Жыл бұрын

Yes, it would be better if you fill the grain.

Hello Paplo, Thanks for your videos they have been most helpful in my french polishing my mahogany guitar which has turned out beautifully. I am currently french polishing a new guitar I made with rosewood back and sides. However I have hit a snag. I large area (about 10%) of the back remains a flat finish whilst the rest polishes up nicely. It's as if this part of the back has some foreign substance on it and wont take the polish. I have sanded back (by hand) all the polish on the back and repolished but same result. Have you any suggestions please. Peter

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Peter, I wonder if you are using oil too early in the process and it has managed to get to the wood. Perhaps you could remove the polish again and give the back a good clean and cut back and then clean the wood with acetone before you polish again, that way you will remove any unwanted oils from the wood that might interfere with the French polish. I hope this helps.

Really enjoying this, it's a great start and I'm very much looking forward to the coming episodes. Forgive my ignorance, but if you're mixing 1ml hardener with 6ml resin, wouldn't that give you a 6:1 ratio?

@yrikk

4 жыл бұрын

no, 6ml is 1ml of hardener + 5 ml of epoxy, so ratio is still 5:1

@diemturner5755

4 жыл бұрын

@@yrikk Ah damn man, I'm just retarded...that's all. I somehow overlooked that he still had the hardener in the syringe when he went to draw up the resin. Cheers bro.

Hello Pablo I have a question for you if you can answer it please. My Rosewood and the guitar is ready to be started can I clean the wood with alcohol before I start to put on fiberglass? And the shellac on The Binding. I have looked at probably a dozen different polishers on KZread and you are the best. Thank you so much giving us access to this valuable information on polishing. You are number one.

@redkitekk

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Harry, Thank you for your feedback. You don't need to clean the rosewood with alcohol, if you do you will get stains from the rosewood in the purflings. When you say fibreglass I hope you mean epoxy resin, It isn't the same thing. You can apply the resin strait into the rosewood and it will not stain the white lines. Once you remove the resin and the grain is filled then you have to seal all the white lines first with shellac in a cloth before polishing. I hope it goes well!

@harryodum5598

4 жыл бұрын

Hello Pablo no I'm not using fiberglass I'm using the same dressing I'm using the same as you. I've used that dressing before as a gel coat! I used it on motorcycles and other things a friend of mine is a painter of signs he told me where to go and purchase the right brush. Thank you for getting back to me.

Thank you for these videos!!! That guitar has a beautiful shape! what kind of plantilla did you use? Thanks

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, it is a plantilla that I created using dimensions from different guitars to come up with my own shape. Just in case you are interested I have recently launched a guitar making course that you can find on www.onlineguitarmakingcourse.com

@antoniopicc97

3 жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk I will join your online course! Thanks to your videos I made my first rosette!!!

great video. Thanks for sharing. Apologies if you've answered this elsewhere but what grit do you sand to before using the epoxy? Thanks

@redkitekk

2 ай бұрын

320 grit

How long have you been using Epoxy for grain filling?

Why do you have to do the grain filling at all? Thanks for your videos, they are very well done and informative.

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

With some timbers it is necessary as otherwise you will never get the flat surface you need for the polish to shine deep. In the other hand it is a matter of choice, not everyone polish their guitars to a high gloss.

@bobbyb7127

3 жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk Thank you very much for taking the time to answer. I really appreciate it. This will be my first attempt at French polishing so i have to watch the rest of your videos. :) God Bless!

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

Bobby B I hope you find them useful. Also, just in case you are interested I have a complete guitar making course available on www.onlineguitarmakingcourse.com

Maestro, do you know if it is possible to use a epoxy filler like West System 404 to thicken the resin, for the very first application? In case which one?

@redkitekk

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, I have only used the west system resin without a filler and it works very well for me. Perhaps you can try on an separate piece and try it out, you might find that it works as well.

I have been watching your videos which I enjoy very much. One thing I do not understand is, why don´t you use two syringes, one for the resin and another for the hardener. It looks to me to be an easier and better way of doing the job, nevertheless I would be very much interested to know if you have a strong reason for doing the mixer with just one syringe. Best regards and thanks for the videos.

@redkitekk

2 жыл бұрын

The reason why I only use one syringe is because it isn’t so easy to clean them so I throw them in the bin and it is a way to not to throw away too many of them. It is just my personal preference but if you find it easier to use two syringes that’s fine as well.

Hello Pablo, I’m Steve your videos and explanations are amazing so informative and extremely helpful I have a small question I’m watching the tutorial on French polishing and it’s great but my question is what is the polish you use is it just the shellac with little alcohol or is the a named product you use?

@redkitekk

Жыл бұрын

I use dewaxed blonde shellac mixed with alcohol. You have to mix it yourself. Don’t buy one already mixed as it will not dry properly.

@stephenrimmer5364

Жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk thank you pablo I am considering taking you up on your training course as I am new to this but it’s a dream of mine to build a classical guitar

@redkitekk

Жыл бұрын

@@stephenrimmer5364 that would be great, have a look at the info on www.guitarmakingcourse.org

Hay una guitarrista clasica de nombre REQUENA és familiar suya. Gracias

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Se a quien te refieres, muy buena guitarrista, pero no, no es familia mia.

Does the epoxy counter act the benefit of the French polish on tone by soaking into the wood

@redkitekk

Жыл бұрын

I don’t think so. Epoxy doesn’t soak in and once applied you have to remove most of it leaving just the resin in the pores.

Congrats for the videos! Is french polish recommended only for classical guitar? If yes, why the reason?

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Christian Ricardo Cardoso French polish is very easy to scratch so it isn’t ideal for guitars that are played with a plectrum and using techniques that can be quite aggressive. When classical guitars are played properly the fingernails don’t touch anything apart from the strings so they are ok with a more delicate finish that is also more beneficial for the sound. This is just my opinion by the way.

@christianricardocardoso9113

5 жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk really appreciatte!

Can we use Epoxy on Acoustic guitar also? Here Araldite is available , it is also useable?

@redkitekk

Жыл бұрын

Yes, you can use it in any type of guitar. Araldite isn’t the best but if that’s all you can get then use it. Make sure you don’t use the fast setting type.

Pablo, im about to embark on my 1st French polish on my most recent build (nearly finished) My current build has a 3 piece back, mahogany with a rosewood center, and mahogany sides. Do you recommend using an epoxy filler like this on mahogany back and sides? Or should I just utilize pumice? I also have rosewood binding & rosewood rosette (the rosette has HUGE pores) do you think I should try and fill the pores on the binding and rosette using epoxy?

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

Hi, for mahogany I would use pumice.You can fill the grain on the rosette with resin but be very careful not to get it on the soundboard.

@becomingalulabro4536

3 жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk thanks Pablo, Will it damage the abalone and purfling in my rosette if the epoxy gets in them? I very much appreciate you making this series. These videos will be my guide as I work through the steps, and I’m a great admirer of your work. Not to take advantage, but any advice on rounding a bevel on my bindings the way you’ve done here? I assume they’re just regular bindings that you’ve sanded to a 45 degree angle?

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

@Becoming a LuLaBro The abalone and purflings will be fine. To round the bindings I first made a 45 degree angle and then I rounded them using a file and sandpaper. For your next guitar you might want to consider the course I have on www.onlineguitarmakingcourse.com

Hi Pablo, so if one wants to stay with all natural material French polishing using shellac , what do you recommend for sealer instead of epoxy?

@redkitekk

2 жыл бұрын

I would do it in the traditional way using pumice powder. Have a look at this video kzread.info/dash/bejne/p4GEqKmzn6admbw.html

Isn't shellac a grain filler itself? I saw shellac solution marketed as "sanding sealer", is that the same thing as grain filler? Thanks!

@redkitekk

3 ай бұрын

Shellac is not a grain filler. There might be shellac based grain fillers but I don’t know about sanding sealer, I am not familiar with this product.

Has this epoxy layer any impact on sound ?

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

I don’t think so. Don’t forget that most of the resin applied will be removed to leave just enough to fill the tiny pores in the wood. I have use this method of grain filling many times with great results.

Mr Pablo I want to filling pores back and sides wenge wood..it has really open pores..this way is suitable or the pores will become green??thanks for sharing these videos!

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Γρηγορης Μαυρακης yes, west system will work well with wenge.

A quick question Pablo, if the resin is clear why not use it on the heel to stabilise the wood of the neck?

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

You could do that, but I find that to cut back resin from the heel is quite tedious and I think that filling the grain on the neck and heel using pumice gives very good results.

@paulmcelhennon939

5 жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk Thank you for the advice Pablo.

What’s the best way and product to strip a lacquered guitar ?

@redkitekk

5 ай бұрын

If it is shellac you use alcohol. If it is nitrocellulose or polyurethane you need a strong paint stripper.

@deniswoodbury313

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for your quick answer@@redkitekk

@deniswoodbury313

5 ай бұрын

@@redkitekk thanks for the quick answer, I have another question which is not related to French polish but maybe you know the answer, I purchased a used classical guitar the other day and it had a .254mm shim under the saddle, any idea why, I don’t think.254mm is significant enough to really raise the action

Hi Pablo, you are obviously a very skilled craftsmen and have perfected your technique but did cringe when you used the same syringe in hardener and resin, I was always told not to just incase of contamination. Carry on making videos on making your fantastic creations

@billbertolino8946

2 жыл бұрын

I had the exact same thought! As long as the syringe body is perfectly clean, I'm guessing there will no contamination, unless you accidently push down on the syringe, instead of pull up. This is obviously not his first rodeo!

I can only find 6 of the 9 where are the rest Pablo??

@redkitekk

5 жыл бұрын

Khasab the rest I will be uploading in the next few weeks

@Philrc

5 жыл бұрын

@@redkitekk oh ok thanks

Very nice, thanks for detailed explanations! Except for saying 1000 times “soy” 😆

I want to apprentice in your shop. Ill work my ass off for next to nothing.

For anybody using epoxy resin, please be very careful, in many countries you have to be certified to use this stuff, at the very least wear gloves and work in a very well ventilated place or outside.

Hello, my name is George, I'm from Romania and I follow your tutorials on the internet. Out of love for music and for the Spanish guitar in particular, due to a medical condition in my left hand I could no longer play and that's when I learned to bring it back to life, to repair it a little bit, to set up for the guitars. At this moment I would like some advice regarding the finishing of an Alhambra 4P guitar, namely the back of the guitar had damaged lacquer, it was whitish like milk in a places.I don't have a workshop or a suitable place to paint the guitar, I want to finish it with Shellack. I sanded this back from guitar down to the bare wood, it's a veneer that I damaged in some places when I sanded the surface to make it flat and clean without any traces of old finishes. Until today, I tried repeatedly to finish the back of this Alhambra 4P guitar, but the wood became uneven when I applied Schelack.French Polisch The first time - I sanded the varnish down to the wood -I finished the wood with P320 sandpaper - I sealed the edges with Shellac - -I then applied pumice powder with Shellac 2 times, then I sanded lightly and proceeded to the French polish technique. I had left because the wood was not uniform The second time -sanded to the wood -finished the wood with P320 -applied Aqua Coat 2 layers and lightly sanded with P320 between the two applications -then French Polish and again those uneven spots appeared in the wood. Now I don't know what to do? I saw that you use Epoxy for the back of the guitar and its sides. I would like if you have any advice on how to renovate only the back without damaging the sides of the guitar.

@redkitekk

Жыл бұрын

It isn’t unusual to have spots or bits of dust stuck into the polish. You can sand them down with 320 paper on a small sanding cork block until they are gone and then carry on polishing. You don’t need to remove all the polish to start from zero again.

Hope you use an activated charcoal face mask normally when using epoxy. Also gassing off is not in your workshop.

Pablo, have you ever used glaire (egg whites) to fill the pores?

@redkitekk

3 жыл бұрын

Jason Brown yes I have used it on spruce but I didn’t think it made a lot of difference. You need to try for yourself and see if it works for you.

si hablas español porque no haces los tutoriales wn español

@hvitskog

Жыл бұрын

Porque vive en UK y la mayoria de las personas que ven sus videos son de habla inglesa :-)

meh...you just made that wood guitar a plastic one...

Obviously you're a master builder.. but please tell me you didn't just put epoxy all over the guitar to fill the grain??!!! Jesus... why even bother french polishing it... might as well spray some poly on and call it a day. (the whole point of the wood is to let it resonate in a natural and organic way... all of your grain is now filled with epoxy... I know it's incredibly subtle, and probably not too many people could hear a difference, but ... Your top is part hard plastic!! Besides filling the grain there's a nice thin layer over the wood!!).

@redkitekk

4 жыл бұрын

Charles J Gartner I explain in the beginning of the video that I don’t use epoxy on the soundboard or on the neck, I only apply it to the back and sides only if they are made of rosewood or other open grain timbers, but I am very careful not to get any resin on the top or the neck. This works very well for me but of course it isn’t the only way, you have to find the method that works for you.

I just subscribed to the channel before I watched the entire video. Then I saw 'grain filling with epoxy' ... sorry - had to unsubscribe immediatelly ....