Soundboard Refinishing Query reply

[pianoman]

If it were me I would not use stain.  I would finish the board with water
white lacquer (solvent based) or water borne (my preference).  When the
board is grain filled then I would spray on a very light mixture of toning
lacquer until you get an even color and then top coats.  You don't want any
color washing down into the grain of an already blotchy board.
James Grebe
R.P.T. from St. Louis
pianoman@inlink.com
"Only my best is good enough"

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> From: BSimon1234@aol.com
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Soundboard Refinishing Query
> Date: Saturday, November 29, 1997 8:14 PM
> 
> I am rebuilding a piano which has a particularly blotchy soundboard,
> discolored in some areas and like new  where the decal was applied.  I
have
> shimmed it, scraped it, sanded at it, and still - when tested to see what
it
> will look like refinished in clear lacquer, just wettting it with
thinner,
>  it will look very uneven and awful.
> 
> I don't want to paint it and fake grain it, but am looking for
suggestions
> for finishing it. I was thinking of putting a little opaque material into
the
> lacquer to make it semi-opaque and hide the worst of the discolorations
> without covering the grain completely. I experimented with some light
stains
> without much luck.
> 
> This problem cannot be new. Any suggestions that I might use?
> 
> Thanks 
> Bill Simon
> Phoenix