Guitarfrenzy Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Ok.. I got out a scrap piece of wood .. sanded it down.. and went to buy some acrylic lacquer in a spray can... but all I can find from local parts place is black, white, red.. just basic colors... so I notice that they have the color I'm looking for in enamel paint.. so I sealed the wood.. painted it with the enamel about 3 coats.. didn't have to sand.. had no runs in the paint.. then later on I used a can of clear lacquer that I also bought.. I put 2 coats on it.. then the next day sprayed a few more on and sanded with 2000 grit for the last coat... the finish looked good.. but it was just an experiment.. and I was wondering if the enamel paint is a bad idea... you know down the road will it hold up.. I guess what I'm asking is... I want to get a nice finish that will last... so I'm willing to buy from other places like Stew-Mac.. and I don't think they sell straight paint... or at least I couldn't find color paints.. only dyes and stains... so I might have to go with ReRanch.. but I wouldn't if this paint job will hold up.. also.. on the neck.. can i use regular amber stain before I paint it with lacquer or am I gonna be messing up... Please help a newbie finisher.. lol.. If nothing else just write down a list of stuff I need and where i can get it for an awesome finish... money is no object and I got access to a thousand dollar paint rig.. thanks for the help!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Your good to go bro I've used enamels on several different occasions with no problems, just make sure they dry good first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 The only real problem with enamels on wood is, in about 10 or 15 years they will be cracking and look awful. Enamels became very popular in the late 80's, and now, I get a lot of stuff in for a refinish because it's all cracked. I also charge more to strip a guitar finished in enamel for the simple fact that it just goes rubbery and crappy when you sand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Thanks for the quick response Brian.. .. I just got back from a good Automotive place that sells the kinda paint I've been hearing alot about.. acrylic lacquer... and found the color I wanted in it.. so I'm gonna go with a sure thing... Simply because I hadn't read your post yet.. so I was sure that enamel wouldn't work.. lol.. but now that gives me more options... I picked up 3 things today that I needed... a feeler guage set.. from .004" up to .025" so now I can use that to measure neck relief, nut slot, string height at the 12th fret, etc. I talked to a guy at Sherwin-Williams who only had like three cans I could actually use... he had acrylic lacquer in glossy white, black, and clear.. it's made by Krylon.. I bought the clear one simply to try it out because it said on the back that it was actually great to use on musical instruments.. lol.. I was like wow... that kinda helps me out alot.. it's suppose to be some heavy heavy duty lacquer.. and comes in a spray can... I also saw the Preval spay bottle.. which was only like 4 dollars... I'm just not sure I can use that yet.. because I don't know what kind of paint to buy to mix my own etc. etc. but I'm searching and learning everyday.. thanks to great people on this web-site who help out.. I feel like I'm gaining alot of ground... although on the test piece of wood I set it near a cloth and it stuck to it.. even after 5 hours of drying time.. lol. I thought it would be dry.. but I can see that letting each coat have proper drying time will only help you get a better finish.. so I learned that even if you have time to put on 10 coats a day.. your best not to do so... and if not mistaken I think Dan Erlewine said he recommends no more than like 2 to 3 coats a day.. wow.... So yeah, I've got to learn to be more patient with this stuff... I bought a variety pack of sandpaper for the job... 220, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000... maybe someone can tell me the benifit of using each one and at what stage... So basically the way I'm thinking is.... after I'm done sanding .. and since I'm not working with a wood that has big pores in it... i won't need to use wood filler or such... i will do the following 1. seal the wood.. (this one has me kinda worried, since I don't know what to really use.. I mean what kinda product does the best job) I probably will use lacquer to do this step.. since I think I read somewhere that you can do that.. not sure though.. someone correct me on this one.. let dry for 2 hrs 2. Paint the body with an acrylic lacquer... just 2 to 3 coats should do... let each coat dry for 45 minutes before applying more... might have to sand between each coat.. but If it doesn't run is there really a need to? 3. Use the Krylon hard lacquer in about 3 coats a day and use different grades from 600, 800, 1000, 1500 between each coat to get a great clear finish... 4. After I have sprayed about 12 coats.. which is what people have suggested since I'm using a spray can to apply... and in thin coats... I wet sand it with 2000 grit lightly.. then a week to a month later use swirl remover glaze on it and buff it out good.. Hopefully I've got a decent idea on how this is done.. Only other questions that still remain for me are these.... 1. What is best to use to seal the body before painting? and where can i get it? 2. Still don't know if i can stain the neck and apply lacquer over it.. without any problems.. or should i order the vintage amber paint that you can get from ReRanch... then lacquer it 3. How to sand each phase of the process for best results.. Again thanks for your help!!! p.s. Sorry about writing so much.. but I'm trying to figure this whole mess out.. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted July 6, 2003 Report Share Posted July 6, 2003 well.... that was a nice article..... lol i mean post.... for a sealer on the wood i'm using sanding sealer, available at most harware stores in the paint section. i'm in the same boat Gfrenzy, i'm trying to get ahold of TSL, he's supposed to be the "sanding master" or so i've heard people say here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2003 just do like I'm gonna do... paint every scrap piece you can find.. lol... something will have to work eventually... but I can tell you.. Pine wood has to be sealed.. lol.... not that I'd use it for a guitar.. The roller your wanting or the one TSL uses can be bought at any paint store.. I've used them before painting metal doors and they do good but you don't want to press down too hard or it will leave streaks.. but then again.. sand, sand, sand.. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott D. Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 I have a dean 88 that i sand a while back, and its from the late 80's. and im pretty sure it was enamel because it was cracked to ****, and then it was a bitch to sand, i went through so many sanding disc's because it would clog, and the aircompressor wouldnt unclog them... That was an expierience I would much rather NOT forgot.... Incase I want to buy another guitar from the 80's and refinish it... I would rather be playing the guitar than sanding it LOL... It took me about... 8-10 hours to sand it... with a CRAFTSMAN POWERSANDER LOL. Also because i had to sand the horns by hand.... but there the paint was thinner than on the rest of the body, but i guess it will look good when im done... Its gunna be metal flake red, with black ghost flames (kick ass). -scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted July 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Definitely send pics of that guitar when your done Scott... I was thinking of painting one of my guitar with the same colors... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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