Fixing Guitar Finish Cracks and Flaking | Rescuing Big Tex (Part 2)

Ever had a project go sideways? In today's episode, I’m giving you a raw look at the rescue of "Big Tex," my $40 Six Flags marketplace find. From chemical reactions with accelerants to "textured" poly finishes and the great debate between thin vs. thick CA glue, I’m sharing all my mistakes so you don't have to make them! We’re diving deep into the "trial and error" phase of guitar restoration—covering how I tackled those pesky finish cracks, experimented with DIY wipe-on poly, and eventually found a smooth (if not perfect) result through wet sanding. Grab your snacks and let's get to work! Inside This Episode: 0:00 – Welcome back to Ted Talks Guitars and Life! 0:18 – The $40 "Big Tex" Six Flags guitar backstory. 1:41 – Mistake #1: Why thin CA glue failed to seat the finish cracks. 2:54 – The Fix: Using thicker Loctite CA glue (Shoutout to Smoke Eater Guitars!). 4:40 – Mistake #2: The "Grey Cloud" chemical reaction (CA glue + Accelerant). 6:45 – DIY Wipe-on Poly: Mixing 50/50 Mineral Spirits and Polyurethane. 7:25 – Mistake #3: The struggle with acid brushes and "hair loss" in the finish. 8:50 – The "Texture" Experiment: Moving from smooth to rugged. 11:00 – The Rubber Glove Technique: Creating jagged, unique finish lines. 14:40 – Final Poly application plan and "Aged Flag" aesthetic. 17:17 – Health update: "This too shall pass (like a kidney stone)." 18:14 – Wet Sanding with 2000 grit: Smoothing out the bumps. 21:24 – Using the "Poly Slurry" to fill open grain and imperfections. 25:59 – The Texas Connection: Chatting with the community. 30:24 – Final thoughts: Why Big Tex is a reminder of love. Check out the full Big Tex Rescue Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6DIzTY14PQ&list=PLMhTW3lOIKQ1egUpZI7r4qU4UYAoAIkKt&pp=sAgC ____ @SmokeEaterGuitars (Jon) @sparkyguitars971 (Sparky) @j-mansgearcave (J-man) @Stringjoy @MusicNomadCare 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 #GuitarRepair #LuthierTips #BigTex #GuitarRestoration #TedTalksGuitars #DIYGuitar #GuitarFinish #SixFlagsGuitar #WorkshopLife #GuitarCommunity