joerobson

My wife and ran this company for 20 years....she is now aggressively retired...and I'm not... on we go, Joe

As you know, I am not a fan of pore fillers of any sort. However, kaolin is interesting. It can absorb 3x it's weight in linseed oil. on we go, Joe

In Upstate NY we call this waterfall maple....most common in sugar maple. on we go, Joe

I don't advise using the Balsam Ground on the neck....just wet sand with GOOD linseed oil.

After the ground...apply some varnish to the area...swipe it off with a piece of printer paper cross grain until the surface feels dry. on we go, Joe

Don't, The Alizarin Color Concentrate Varnishes match your list and in combination will produce the variety of colors madder root is capable of....and this is info....not an ad...glad to know you are back at the bench. on we go, Joe

Give me a call...

That's the Jackson...I know it well.

Here is a picture of my current varnishing job....a work in progress... One of the aspects of the Cremonese varnish...particularly Stradivari Bergonzi and Peter of Mantua...that I have observed is how the figure in the maple [latitude] seems to float over the grain of the back [longitude]

Weight after reduction.

All my varnishes are 1:1....with one exception....the Balsam Ground Varnish is 4 parts resin to 1 part oil.

Combing linseed oil (properly prepared) and colophony using turpentine at room temperature makes a mixture. The physical and chemical properties of the materials remain the same. Combining linseed oil (properly prepared) and colophony (with or without turpentine) at temperature that exceeds 150C creates a compound(varnish)which has properties (film forming, increased surface protection , higher index of refraction) than any of the original components. on we go , Joe

Your recovery was excellent. You have received a lot of good advice. I'll add on thing. When you.pat the varnish use a crosshatch pattern....first cross grain and then with the grain. on we, Joe

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit.