finish "repair" is blotchy and uneven

[Ryan Mazzocco]

Okay, I did a bad thing, but at least I know that now.

Here's what happened... New build, acoustic spruce top. Applied finish about 6 to 8 months ago. I decided to fix some things that were wrong a couple weeks ago. I originally filled with epoxy but didn't get everything, specifically in the rosette. I decided to refill the rosette, and a few other spots, with epoxy. I know, I know... You can't put epoxy on top of lacquer! I know that now. It just peeled off like a bad sun burn. well.. most of it anyway... the rest I had to scrape and sand off. In the scraping and sanding process I damaged some of the surrounding finish and had to sand much of it back down to bare wood. Then I refilled the rosette with that new color tone water based pore filler that stew mac just started carrying. Looks good. but when I reapplied the finish it was very white in all the places that I had to sand as compared to the places that I didn't touch. It was the exact same lacquer (the same kind, not the same can) that I used the first time. is it just because it's new? maybe it will darken with time? Or do I have to pop the bridge and refinish the whole top?

[Michael Lewis]

It sounds like the surface of the top has taken on some color from UV exposure and you sanded through some of that or the lacquer has taken on color from UV exposure and you sanded through that.

The deal with getting a surface to have even appearance is to do the whole surface 'the same way'. If you sand part of it you should probably sand the whole surface. Touch ups tend to show, even if you are good at it. It will be right when you do it right, and not until.

[Ryan Mazzocco]

Thanks Michael. You are right as usual. I'm refinishing as we speak. Thanks.

[Todd Stock]

Always an option to lacquer it black...filler, bad joinery, dents, dings, and assorted screw-ups not a problem...