Building "Pistol Pete" - $52 Temu Guitar Kit - Body Prep (OSU Tribute Part 2)

We are officially getting to work on the body of Pistol Pete—the $52 Temu guitar kit that’s becoming an Oklahoma State tribute for my son. In this episode, we’re tackling the mahogany body. After seeing how the grain pores showed through the paint on the neck, I’ve decided we need to do some serious grain filling before the "Cowboy Orange" (Rust-Oleum Real Orange) goes on. I’m using Aqua Coat for a less toxic shop solution and walking you through my process for prep, sanding, and application. If you’ve ever wondered if these ultra-cheap kits have decent wood underneath, you’ll want to see what happens when I hit this mahogany with a little denatured alcohol! Grab a Diet Coke and a big bowl of popcorn, come on back to the workbench, and let's get into it. Note: This project is a personal fan tribute and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Oklahoma State University. Just a dad building a cool guitar for his son! Timestamps 0:33 – The plan: Rust-Oleum "Real Orange" and OSU vibes 1:25 – Learning from the neck: Why we’re grain filling 2:56 – Assessing the $52 Temu mahogany body 3:52 – Using Aqua Coat: A less toxic shop solution 4:36 – The Shop Song 5:14 – Sanding mistakes and the "Record" button struggle 6:31 – The "Pores through the Paint" problem (Exhibit A) 8:36 – Cleaning the body: Denatured alcohol reveals the grain 12:09 – Knocking down the grain with 320 grit 13:56 – Applying Aqua Coat: Why I use my hands 16:41 – The truth about Temu links and availability 21:21 – Strategy: Getting the best price on budget kits 24:32 – Encouragement for first-time kit builders 27:10 – Body specs: Full thickness vs. 1.6 inch 28:35 – Next steps: Drying times and second coats 30:03 – Shoutout to The Jacks and the Pit Crew The Pistol Pete Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMhTW3lOIKQ3f6ekNy_Ghk0cbRaBeJrZl The Orange Crush Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMhTW3lOIKQ3D_rFZEpiG2HbSZbdsSu0S Support the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBr6kaWeOvldTHvntB3tnMg/join ____ Shoutout: @TonJager (Brant) @sparkyguitars971 (Sparky) @BCG5150GUITARS (Chris) @aquacoatinc4702 Checkout our playlist page for more series and journeys https://www.youtube.com/@TedTalksGuitars/playlists Special Thanks to our channel members "The Jacks" Want to support the channel? Feel free to explore Channel membership options: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBr6kaWeOvldTHvntB3tnMg/join Ted Talks Guitars & Life Merch Store: https://tedtalksguitars-shop.fourthwall.com/ Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3W3PZox *If you click on this link to shop at Amazon the channel will receive a modest financial commission from your purchases. Guyker Referral Link: https://www.guyker.com/?ref=tedtalksguitars If you use the link you will save 15% at Guyker Use the coupon code: TEDSMITH #GuitarKit #TemuGuitar #PistolPete #GuitarRestoration #AquaCoat #LuthierTips #diyguitar #TedTalksGuitars