Just a quickie, darling!

[LowMoFo]

Hi all,

I have a quick question regarding the order of things:

Is it better to pre-drill screw holes BEFORE lacquering, or to lacquer first, then burnish & drill after?

Over to you, lords of the low end.

S.

[donslow]

I would / have done before, pre-drill, put full length cocktail sticks in the holes and then lacquer, once lacquer is done and set, either snap off the cocktail sticks or VERY carefully, cut off level to the body with a craft knife or similar. Lightly and carefully jab the sticks in the holes with a bradawl or similar and then screw in equally as carefully into the unlacquered wood of the sticks.

 

has worked for me in the past with no ill effects.

[Christine]

I generally lacquer first then tape and drill through the lacquer with a slightly oversized brad point drill before drilling the pilot hole. There's advantages and disadvantages with both methods, take your pick

[LowMoFo]

Thank you guys, a little more insight provided there, into both methods, very much appreciated.

 

[BigRedX]

IIRC Martin Petersen of Sei bass gets the basses finished first before drilling any of the holes including those for the pots and switches as well as the screws.

Edited July 26, 2019 by BigRedX

[Andyjr1515]

I lacquer first.  For wipe-on finishes you tend to get a bow-wave effect as you go over the hole.  For spray, you tend to get pooling around the hole.

As @Christine says, a decent bradpoint drill will cut cleanly through the lacquer.  Twist drills can be a bit more problematic.  In both cases, centre-punching before drilling the hole helps enormously.

Hope this helps.

[LowMoFo]

More excellent advice from those who know WAY more than I do. Eternally grateful, guys, thanks loads!