Tru Oil/ Nitrocellulose question

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blackalex1952
Blackwood
Posts: 776
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:36 pm
Location: North East Victoria

Tru Oil/ Nitrocellulose question

Post by blackalex1952 » Sat Dec 02, 2017 5:10 pm

I have a job to do where I have to apply a Rothco and Frost logo transfer to a Telecaster headstock. I have done the lacquer and cotton bud test on an area of the headstock underneath the tuning machine and it checks the nitro box. However the guitar's owner tells me that a few years ago he had someone refine the neck then put Tru Oil on it. I suspect that the oil was only applied to the back of the neck where the thumb sits, but given that the headstock is a matt finish of sorts and the bolt on part of the neck looks more glossy, I suspect that the Tru Oil has been rubbed with perhaps steel wool on to the headstock where the logo needs to go. Rothco and Frost say that their logo transfers won't stick to Tru Oil.
If I do the cotton bud test on the area where I suspect the tru oil is, the sticky result isn't as intense to the touch, but there is still the confirmation that it is nitro. I am wondering if the Tru Oil penetrates Nitro, which I suspect it does, and how to test for it and perhaps clean it off with some kind of chemical, eg shellite, or will I have to scrub back to bare wood and respay in order to ensure that the transfer will stick? Can't experiment with this transfer as it is custom made in pommie land I believe, was costly and quite a wait for it to be made and shipped to Aus.
-Ross
"Everything I say on the topic is based solely upon inexperience and assumption!"

simso
Blackwood
Posts: 1768
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:36 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Tru Oil/ Nitrocellulose question

Post by simso » Sun Dec 03, 2017 6:18 pm

No reason that I know off, that will allow the oil to penetrate into the nitro, regardless, I would wet sand the exisiting nitro, wax and grease remove the surface and put a fresh keycoat on and then apply the decal, followed up with a few follow up clear coats

Steve
Steve
Master of nothing,

Do your own repairs - http://www.mirwa.com.au/How_to_Series.html

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