Learning how to build an electric guitar

[Griff]

Finishes are a mystery to me. I bet there is a finishing bible out there...

[Clodfobble]

Interesting! I'd never heard of that.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by Griff

Finishes are a mystery to me. I bet there is a finishing bible out there...

I don't know about a bible, but there was a finishing God.

His name was Homer Formby.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

I don't know about a bible, but there was a finishing God.

His name was Homer Formby.

Attachment 66485

I made the twin to that chessboard in ninth grade.

I still have it.

[Undertoad]

Little known fact: shellac is secreted by the back end of the female lac beetle

Little known gross fact: it's why Junior Mints are shiny

[fargon]

Junior Mints GOOD!!!

[Undertoad]

tasty lac beetle secretion

[fargon]

Yummm!

[Gravdigr]

Soo...

Lacquer is secreted by gay male lac beetles?

[Clodfobble]

Lacquer? I barely even know her!

[Flint]

what shellacs in looks she makes up for in secretions

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by Griff

Finishes are a mystery to me. I bet there is a finishing bible out there...

I clearly need to seek help. I got some good pointers from a big guitar forum called Tdpri.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...3&share_type=t


If I were you I would get that paint out of the control cavity as well. Pick your paint solvent and use a small wire brush to get in it out.<br /><br />You have a couple of ways to do this:<br /><br />Wash the body thoroughly with mineral spirits and let dry for 3 days.<br />Get a can of vinyl sanding sealer. Some are great others not so much. DO NOT USE DEFT BRAND! Its never dries.<br />The best would be Behlen's sanding sealer for guitar:<br /><br /><br /><br />Next. let the sealer dry a day at least and sand to 320 grit.<br /><br />Now you have choice you can paint your color coat directly onto the sealer. Like Gibson does or prime the body Like Fender used to do.<br /><br />If I were you I would prime the body using white sandable primer. I use Dupli-color. It plays well with just about any acrylic lacquer paint.<br /><br />Both Fender and Gibson used acrylic Lacquer under their nitro clear coat which is more acrylic than nitro these days. :twisted:<br /><br />It can be found in just about any auto store. One can is all you need. It relatively cheap about $7.00 YMMV.<br /><br /><br /><br />Let your primer dry a day at the least but longer is better and sand smooth to 320 grit. A couple of light passes with the sand paper is all you need to do. Any sand throughs cover again with left over primer.<br /><br />Now here is the most complicated part, sourcing your color coat:<br /><br />Most rattle can manufactures, (Duplicolor Perfect Match product line is what I have used) use acrylic lacquer for their touch up sprays.<br />The problem is most companies make paint for the most recent car colors used in the last 5 years and by and large lately they are mostly metallics. It looks like you are using a non metallic color paint. Very close to what Fender called "surf green".<br /><br />So your easiest choices are: 1) Change to a metallic and find something in the same shade or 2) Order a can of Surf Green from Reranch. I did a Sonic Blue Strat some years back and one can is all I needed.<br /><br />A more complicated way but will get you exactly what you want is to take a 3"x 3" color sample of your current spray and taking into an autobody paint supply, they will scan it and their computer will mix out a pint or whatever size you want. At some locations they will even load some of it into rattle cans for you but comparatively this is expensive and you will have much more material than you need for one body.<br /><br />Whatever choice you make the application of your color coat will be the same; 3 overlapping passes = 1 coat is the general rule depending on your technique. Let is gas out over a couple of days between each coat to be on the safe side.<br /><br />After your 2nd and, if needed, 3rd coat has dried completely you can now apply your clear coat.<br /><br />I strongly recommend you get Behlen's String Instrument Lacquer if you want nitro! It has more durable resins in it.<br /><br />One can maybe two cans should do it. They run about $13.00-$14.00 a can plus shipping.<br />Woodcrafters sells the sanding sealer and lacquer so order them together and save on the shipping charges.<br />I think Behlen's is also the retail line name for Mohawk finishes so you might want to check the Googles to source the product from Mohawk to save a few bucks.<br /><br /><br /><br />Follow the rule of 3s for applying you clear coat. Maybe sand lightly your between your second and third coat of clear with 400 grit if you have some orange peel. Make sure to wipe all the dust from the body before applying the next coat.<br /><br />Time is your friend in all this !!! The more time you have between for all your coat applications to gas out the better chance you have for avoiding problems.

[Undertoad]

Very close to what Fender called "surf green"

I've always heard it called "seafoam green".

[xoxoxoBruce]

Ouch, I knew that, just didn't catch you were using enamel. My bad.

[lumberjim]

I should have done better research on this part. I'm very impatient to assemble what I've created and this looks like a month long process minimum. I'm tempted to put it together as is and play it, then take it apart to paint it in the spring when conditions are more favorable for painting.