sscovill Posted August 29, 2004 Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 I had an idea for an alternative to the standard binding and wanted to see anyone had tried this or if you guys think it would work. There is a material used primarily on custom motorcycles called silver flake (also comes in gold). I'm not sure how to explain it other than to say that it is a "sheet" of thin silver that you cut and adhere and then clear coat over (at least in the application to a motorcycle). My question is...could you use this material to simply overlap the top and side of a guitar and then clear coat over to give it a unique look? What do you think? Am I way off base here... Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted August 29, 2004 Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 You could do that, but it would be hard to hide the thickness of the material(sheet). If you have a router you could cut a channel just deep (probably a just few thousandths of an inch) enough for the sheet to sit on to make it flush with the top and sides of the guitar. If not you would have to build the finish as thick as the sheet. I hope this helps. Without seeing it, this is all I could come up with. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscovill Posted August 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Any idea where to get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Does this help? Searched on google for silver leaf! gildingHere There were a few more sites on the search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscovill Posted August 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 I'm not sure if this is the right thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Ummm! Thought it was going to help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren wilson Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 It sounds like you're looking for pinstriping tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 I've used gold and silver leaf on motorcycles. If you are hoping for a chrome or high polished look you're looking in the wrong place. What gold and silver leaf is, is a VERY thin (less than .001") gold or silver sheet. You can also get bronze leaf, white gold leaf etc. It comes on a backing sheet. First thing you do is you mask out the area you want the leaf to be (you can also freehand the next step if you are very good with a paintbrush) Then you apply a special glue called "size". It is a low tack glue but enough to hold the leaf. It also stays very pliable so when you burnish the leaf it flattens out. Then you apply the gold leaf off the backing sheet onto the size. It will come off in huge chunks but you then need to use a cotton ball or soft paint brush to brush away the leaf. It will crumble away from all area's except where the size is. Then you can burnish it down with a cotton ball. Last but not least you can burnish it smooth, to look brushed, or like engine turning with a variety of different burnishing tools. Its not really that hard to work with but it can be very trying patience wise. Doing binding around a corner would not be something I would suggest for learning how to use it. It is also very very fragile until cleared, it takes nothing to scrape it off. It looks very very nice, but if you are looking for a chrome or high polished look, like I said earlier, leaf is not the material to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sscovill Posted August 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Thanks for the reply LGM. I didn't know it was such an in-depth process. I thought it was more like a sticker (for lack of a better term). I wanted to do somthing unique and honestly, easier than binding because I've never done binding before. Any ideas or suggestion? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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