[Marlow]

I slipped on ice and dislocated/chipped a finger the same day the last part for my Alligator build arrived (so I'm naming it "Caution" instead). I can't do any real building (or playing ) for another month, so to keep myself sane I figured I'd at least do the finish -- Danish Oil on swamp ash. Thing is, I can't manipulate a body that's hanging up. Is it possible to oil-finish an entire side of a guitar, then flip it over and do the other side, without winding up with some weird seam around the edge? Who's ever done it, I guess, but thought I'd ask. Google doesn't seem to know.

[PaulJay]

Hey Marlow, sorry about your injury. If it is possible to leave the neck attached and mask where it meets the body and around the mounting plate, my idea would be to hang the guitar from a wall guitar hanger. Finish one side then turn the guitar around by grabbing it by the neck, then immediately continue finishing the guitar before it sets up. Use one hand to hold the neck steady while its hanging. Try not to overlap to much on areas you already did. hope this helps ,Paul

[Rusty the Scoob]

Even better is to attach a temporary handle in the neck cavity, a little smaller than a real neck and with a little scrap of wood as a spacer in between so it doesn't touch the edge of the neck cavity at all. Then you can do a super clean job on the whole neck. I put a hook on the end so I could hang it up between coats of Tru Oil. Worked out well!

[TI4-1009]

Even better is to attach a temporary handle in the neck cavity, a little smaller than a real neck and with a little scrap of wood as a spacer in between so it doesn't touch the edge of the neck cavity at all. Then you can do a super clean job on the whole neck. I put a hook on the end so I could hang it up between coats of Tru Oil. Worked out well!

What he said ^ !

Take a look about 2/3 of the way through this video. It's about spray can coating, but same idea.

http://buy.precisionguitarkits.com/guit ... the-guitar

On mine I had the neck glued in already so I had to tape off around the neck joint and hang the guitar from the tuner holes. I did the face laying on the bench to make it easier, then hung it up to do the sides and back (rub-on finish).

[Marlow]

These are excellent suggestions; thanks. I am going to have a crack at it this weekend. With any luck I will have pics to post next week!

[Mr.Burns]

All good advice. Just don't try to do it in halves. Milobender talked me out of this exact thing and now I couldn't be happier. Patience is a virtue.