Recent content by Pete Howlett

I've used french polish, acid-cat, pre-cat, conform lacquers (American melamines) and have settled on cellulose for one good reason - ease of application and you can repair it. You won't be able to do that with Rustins...

Behlen now has 'Musical Instrument Lacquer' in aerosol can form and a great DVD on doing a spray can sunburst on an acoustic guitar. However they have not yet got the sunburst tints in stock. I'm just figuring out how to use their spray cans so I can do a video. Unlike other cans I have used...

Us lutheirs keep our workshops heated and humidified. if you are making furniture out of solid wood for the home, you need to do the same. The wood is shrinking because it has too much moisture in it...

If they have advised you then the advice stands. I am explaining the difference between traditional cellulose lacquers and instrument lacquers. Look at the can and you will probably find that there are ingredients other than nitro cellulose and solvents. Behlen's instrument lacquer like...

It's not a new product. Stringed Instrument Lacquers have plasticisers in them that allow for the movement of the wood. If you look carefully at old cellulose finished products they craze because the lacquer is brittle. Dave Dearnly in Cardiff uses Fiddes lacquer specifically because it will...

Behlen UK have now in stock their stringed instrument lacquers in aerosol can form. They also have a DVD which shows you how to use these (I was going to do one but no need now) and are introducing kits for finishing. I use Behlen lacquers and they are great. You will need one can of lacquer for...

Squirt glue onto as piece of PVC sheet and pick it up onto a wallpaper seam roller - apply to wood. Efficient, very little squeeze out and maximum control!

To answer your question: Hinge fitting is a fit and try method. If you have quality hinges there should be an odd number of knuckles. The first thing to do is to check that the hinges are the same dimensions and fettle off any radius created in the drawing rpocess. With the max number of...

Burrs are unstable and the last thing you want is a brittle glue. Advice given me by a veneer manufacturer who had an office panneled in walnut burr, one panel of which was layed up with a 'cascamite' type glue, the rest, PVA. The only cracked and crazed panel was the cascamite one...

I am amazed at the high quality of skill demonstrated in the projects section often applied to mundane and dull designs. We all got to start somewhere - may I suggest that before you make a project you look at real Shaker (this fake catchall modern style is miles away from Shaker philosophy)...

Dollar for pound is normally how it goes after you have paid all the duty and stuff. But it is worth it - the velcro backed Klingspor (which is unavailable in the UK at present so order your grits with the parts - 100 and 180 should be adequate) is so easy to fit and because there is an air gap...

It's my understanding that if the item has been used by you there would be no import duty or VAT to pay so the Sales TAx may be the lesser of the taxes to pay...

There seems to be a proliferation of the use of breadboard ends for projects here. Is there a reason for this?

Over on the ukulele forums where I am active I get adverse psotings and it is really irritating - and my work is never bad. if I make a cock-up it goes on the bonfire - no-one gets a second... However this was a clear rip-off and if wouldwoods's only recourse to an evaluation on this site then...

You really want to know what happened to other bits of Ash don't you?