Sealer Coat
Cleaning off the Excess Gypsum
I used scrapers, very gently, in tight corners, and very worn 400-grit abrasive paper, more aggressively, on the easily accessible areas, to remove all the loose, or overly thick areas of the gypsum pore-filler from yesterday. It took longer than I expected, but this was the result:
You can see that the grain is somewhat obscured, and the color is quite light. I am wondering whether I did not succeed in rubbing the gypsum into the wood, as thoroughly as usual. Usually, the color has been nearly chalk-white. I can see the gypsum in the wood, though, so I am going to press on with the sealer coat.
Sealer Coat
This time, the sealer consisted of ordinary rosin in a solution of “pure spirits of gum turpentine”. I probably should have made it a little thinner. It was about like light syrup; so, afterward, I dipped the brush in plain turpentine, and went back over the instrument to help the stuff penetrate a little better. The turpentine will all evaporate over the next few days (I hope), leaving only the rosin, solidifying in the pores of the wood. It is always impressive to see just how completely the gypsum disappears, under the sealer.
Now What?
Until that sealer dries completely, I will have to find other things to do. But it is hanging in a warm room, so it should dry rapidly.
After that, It will be varnish coat after varnish coat, until it it is all done. Then the final set-up can occur.
Thanks for looking.