Cleaning up and refinishing the cast iron plate adds nothing to the sound of the rebuild job, but it is the most prominent visual aspect of the rebuild job. I strive to get a great looking finish, but don't go overboard. The process in begun by cleaning the plate with scotch-brite pads and paint thinner. Note that I also sand the pressure bars to clean them and remove the groves left by the old strings.I blow the excess paint thinner off with compressed air. When the plate is dry, it is cleaned with a tack rag and sealed with a schellac seal coat. After this is dry I use a mixture of clear lacquer and bronzing powder to color the plate. When this is dry, the plate is lettered by hand, and the serial number is put on with transfer numbers. A final clear coat of lacquer gives the plate a slight wet look when dry. Note that the agraffes are removed and that I mask the pressure bars.
No comments:
Post a Comment