Will This Method Work?

[cwoodall]

I have my ash strat body sanded to 320. The way the blank s were cut and glued up made for some nice grain pattern (kind of tiger striped). I want to end up with a very shiny blue finish that lets the grain show through, transparent blue I guess you might call it. Will this work?

From where I'm at (320 grit sanded), fill with paste filler. Use dark filler to make the alternating grain more definite.

Then use sanding sealer or Behlen Vinyl Sealer, as I'm going to use Behlen nitro lacquer later. Get the surface all leveled up with sealer (sanded between coats).

Then use Behlen nitro-lacquer tinted with ColorTone blue liquid stain. Sand between each coat and adjust amount of stain to get the desired darkness of blue.

Finish up with several coats of nitro-lacquer to build a thickness that will allow for polishing to high gloss (sanding between where applicable).

I'm using a SATA Minijet IV spray rig. Does my approach seem plausible?

I'm all ears for some good advice/help.

Thanks,

CUrtis

[AlGeeEater]

please search this forum a bit. Theres TONS of info about finishing ash here.

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=14881

Read that thread^. Search a little before you post almost the exact same question. Ash is very difficult to stain, and you're better off using Dupli-Color Metalcast. In a nutshell, spray the bare ash with it, then fill the grain with black epoxy, then spray your clear coats. Just make sure that the paint you plan to spray are compatible.

Edited March 1, 2005 by AlGeeEater

[cwoodall]

please search this forum a bit. Theres TONS of info about finishing ash here.

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=14881

Read that thread^. Search a little before you post almost the exact same question. Ash is very difficult to stain, and you're better off using Dupli-Color Metalcast. In a nutshell, spray the bare ash with it, then fill the grain with black epoxy, then spray your clear coats. Just make sure that the paint you plan to spray are compatible.

←

AlGee,

Part of the reason of my post is because I haven't seen one that addresses my question. Is MetalCast compatible with nitrocellulose lacquer? If not, then it won't meet my needs, because I know what the final coats are going to be.....nitrocellulose. It's just the first preps and finishes that I have questions about. I can see where the black epoxy would give the open-end grain the dark contrast I'm looking for. How is it to snad compared with say a dark grain filler like the black ColorTone that StewMac sells?

Anybody with similar experience as to what I'm looking for?

Thanks

[AlGeeEater]

You can spray metalcast on a scrapy pice then test it with a little bit of the nitro. I think i head somewhere that nitro will lift the underlaying lacquer, but dont quote me on it...

[Devon Headen]

No, the metalcast probably won't be compatible. I wouldn't swear on it in a court of law, but I seriously doubt they're compatible. Just tint some nitro lacquer with dyes and spray a few shader coats til you get the color you want. Then topcoat it with the rest of your nitro. If you're useing rattlecans, then I think reranch sells a blue shader.

[cwoodall]

One thing I have is plenty of scrap. But all is not lost there either. Ash/maple-smoked brisket ain't half bad, especially at about 3 in the morning. I am still kind of wondering about using the dark (or black) filler first, then going with vinyl sealer to get everything leveled out real good. Then the tinted coats of nitro until the color and depth is right.......time to start doin' it and see what happens.

Thanks again.

[Maiden69]

AlGee, read his post! What he is asking is better than using the metalcast!

Curtis

Then use sanding sealer or Behlen Vinyl Sealer, as I'm going to use Behlen nitro lacquer later. Get the surface all leveled up with sealer (sanded between coats).

Nice way to start, but I would fill the grain first, the sanding sealer is good but it will take for ever to fill the pores. I recomend you use black epoxy since it will work very well with the blue top coat. Like mine

Then use Behlen nitro-lacquer tinted with ColorTone blue liquid stain. Sand between each coat and adjust amount of stain to get the desired darkness of blue.

yes this is the way to go. Metalcast is good, but if you can spray the nitro with a gun, this is a better choice. Remember to build up the tone that you want slowly, not too heavy, transparent colors are not very forgiving on mistakes.

Finish up with several coats of nitro-lacquer to build a thickness that will allow for polishing to high gloss (sanding between where applicable).

Remember not to sand the toned coat, after this be very carefull sanding the clear coats as not to go thru the clear into the blue.

[cwoodall]

Nice way to start, but I would fill the grain first, the sanding sealer is good but it will take for ever to fill the pores. I recomend you use black epoxy since it will work very well with the blue top coat.

Tell me about the "black epoxy". Is there a brand/part number you use and/or recommend? Best way to mix/apply???

Like mine

EXACTLY!!!!! Hey how bout we just swap?? That's beautiful, and it's exactly the look I want. You've done yourself proud here, my hat's off.

Then use Behlen nitro-lacquer tinted with ColorTone blue liquid stain. Sand between each coat and adjust amount of stain to get the desired darkness of blue.

Your help will get me on my way. (BTW, I wired up a set of Texas Specials to it, plugged into a little Marshall MG15DFX and it actually made noise. And that's good seein's how I'm not a player and noise is all I will probably ever be able to make)

THANKS! Hope you don't mind if I keep pumpin' you for info.

Curtis

[Maiden69]

Slow setting black epoxy