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Posted

Continued from an E-mail

-Ok, I got some Aileen's Tacky Glue, as I couldn't find TiteBond (couldn't

find it in the Arts & Crafts section at WalMart). Ever tried this Tacky Glue

stuff?

-Since I'm not set up for spraying, I got the jar of ModPodge as in your

pics. Just to clarify the major steps:

--First I glue the fabric on the body (after I've cut the body shape) front

and back and let the glue dry

--Apply the clearcoat/ModPodge in several coats, sanding each coat smooth

Since I have never done this before, how do you tell the difference between

sanding the coat smooth and completely sanding it off? I assume the glue

itself will create the illusion of a thin clearcoat if I go down too far?

You can actually skip the Tacky Glue if you already have the ModPodge, just use that to adhear the material onto the body.

Build it up with several coats (3-4) and then you should have enough to sand it smooth, it will appear cloudy or white in some area's at times while sanding but thats normal. Hand sand using a block sander. You'll know if you have gone to far because the material will start to break the surface. If this happens simply add a couple more layers, let dry overnight and smooth some more.

The final stage will be easy, just clearcoat over it. This will clear up even the cloudy area's if they are still present before you hit them with your topcoat.

Posted

Glad ya like it :D

Anyhoo, after 4 days I'm ready to unveil the results:

Have a lookee here :D

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/frontsand.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/backsand.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/bodytempblank.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/horncuts.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/horncuts2.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/sidecuts.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/frontdone.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/jcf/backdone.jpg

I really learned a lot doing this. This one is the experimental/guinea pig - the one where I learn what NOT to do and WHY you shouldn't do it that way B) as well as how to sand something. It's not 100% perfect, as there are a few places that need to be smoother, the back coating is not as thick as the front coating, and the sides are not covered, but I think I've got enough of this technique down that I can jump on the "real thing" :D

One thing I did find out (with help from Brian) is that if you use ModPodge paste to glue the material to the body, you can skip the sanding-to-the-wood :D That piece inside the trem cavity is attached to the original clearcoat/paint, and it ain't goin nowhere B)

Newc

Posted

Ok, now I'm moving on to the REAL project axe (first was the guinea pig B))

I'm going to try covering a neckthrough Jackson King V, neck back and all, with only one piece of material for the entire back. This should be interesting to say the least B)

I started off without sanding the finish off first, as a nice thick coat of Mod Podge seems to be enough to hold the material down. Drying time is increased, but overall labor should be decreased :D

Even if it doesn't hold as tightly as sanding or roughing up the clear would hold, I can always tear it off easily and sand off the glue/finish/paint and start over B)

I did the template a little differently this time; Though Brian's idea of using 4 sheets of printer paper taped together works great if you're doing just the body, a neckthrough V presents a problem: You'd need 7 sheets, and waste half a sheet on the rest of the headstock. I know, quibbling over a 2cent sheet of paper is extreme, but I'm always open to new ideas :D

So I had this roll of white paper sitting around, hoping to use it to print posters and banners - picked it up at WalMart a few years ago and never used it. It's 24" wide, which means it won't fit in a standard printer, so it's perfect for making one-piece templates :D

winter.jpg

Of course, it comes rolled up so you have to straighten it out before you cut. I just drug it off the edge of the kitchen counter a foot at a time and it was straight enough to lay down without curling up :D

Since the flattish sides of the body will be covered, I'm using painter's tape (blue masking tape that sticks good, but doesn't leave glue behind) to hold down the excess on the face of the guitar while the sides dry. This tape is also great for holding your template to your material once you've got the pattern centered.

Newc

Posted

i do love a v and i also love a good camo.let me know how it sounds when you're done.i am cautious about deadening the resonance with material.i would like to know if my fears are unfounded. :D

Posted

Budman! I figured you'd be here :D

Post that 24 fret RR you made :D

And I, too, am interested in seeing if the sound is affected by not sanding off the finish first. Hopefully it isn't, but if it is, it shouldn't be too hard to peel it all off and start over.

If I could find a way to treat the material to have a flexible, glassy smooth surface then theoretically I could remove it and re-apply it at will.

Hmmmm, clothes for your guitars.... :D

O course, I've just applied the first sealer coat but it's starting to rain outside, which means I can't sand it to apply the second coat B)

Newc

Posted

hi to everybody.

i´m from argentina. unfortunately we don´t have titebond nor modepodge. i want to knw, what exactly does each one and the components, so i can buy something like those sealer and glues...

other question:

can i glue the matrial directly to the paint, without sanding it first???

thanks

Posted

Titebond is nothing more then a wood glue and Modpodge is more or less a white wood glue.

I would recommend not gluing to an exsisting finish because chances are it will give you problems seperating from the body later on. The adhesive will not hold as well to a Poly or Lacquer finish.

Posted

Brian's right - the Mod Podge glue didn't hold well to the poly finish of the V, and since I messed up the back of the neck (crooked cut lines near the binding, as well as mysterious lumps under the fabric) I had to tear it off and start over :D

Anyway, it was easy enough to tear off, and I've just about figured out that if you glue each piece of fabric to each other instead of the body, you can make guitar-clothes :D Remember the AxeSak? :D

Ok, so I broke out some 320 sandpaper and matted the finish of the V in preparation to start over, but while I contemplated the actual refinishing (before restarting) I decided to tackle a Warmoth Star body I've had for a few months :D This one's coming along (with more thought into each step than I used before), and I've just about got it nailed on how to cover the sides of the body with fabric. Obviously I can't do seamless sides because of the slits in the fabric and the curves around the body, but here's basically what I came up with (forgot to take progress pics DOH!)

Ok, so I covered the front and back first and glued those down. Following Brian's tutorial, I trimmed off the edges, which messed me up because I was not going to paint the sides like Brian did. Another problem I ran into was starting with a raw unfinished/unprimered body - natural brown/red mahogany - and using a fairly thin lightweight fabric (100% cotton). Once the glue dried, the wood color gave the white parts in the fabric a pinkish hue. So, since I had already screwed the edges, and now found that I screwed up by not using a primer coat, I decided to just slap on another layer of fabric (after sanding the first one smooth). This time I left a ton of overhang to cover the sides.

I took the rest of this trip a step at a time - glue the top down, then coat it, putting a generous amount of glue over the edges of the body onto the overhanging fabric (BEFORE I made my contour slits). This works great because when it comes time to cut the slits, the fabric is kinda rubbery and very easy to work with - and doesn't unravel if you do straight cuts!

Ok, so of course once you fold the edges over, you see bare wood. Since I'm using a patterned fabric, I just took some scraps that had a matching pattern (or close enough match) and glued them down into the curves/contours, THEN glued the top layer's overhang on top of the scrap "patch". So far, this trick is working out great.

The only trouble I expect at this point is doing the rounded points - those will have to be cut and folded carefully B)

But then, I don't mind a few lumps in it as I should be able to build up the top coat of Mod Podge to blend them in smoothly.

Also, I'm using the Matte finish Mod Podge - I used the Gloss Coat MP before, and it still felt tacky after a few days, even when sanded smooth. So far the Matte MP hasn't tackied up since I sanded it.

Newc

Posted

no progress pics...hmm...

okay, it's agreed. you're satan.

Posted

B)

Yeah, I wanted it to be a surprise - I already blew half the secret when I said I was using a Star-shaped body, and almost blew the other half by saying what colors the material had in it :D

But I just put the first sealer coat on top of all the fabric (had to patch a few holes) and I should be ready for show and tell by tomorrow MUAHAHAHAHAHHAHA :D

Newc

Posted

Oh, forgot to say I also found a neat trick!

You can use a boom-style mic stand for a drying rack! Just set the boom flat and even on both sides of the center pole, get a metal clothes hanger, run the hook through one of the neckbolt holes, and hang the hanger on the boom. You'll do better to put the hanger's corner (where it bends - the one closest to the hook) on the bar itself - don't want the hanger to stretch out :D

You might also have to secure the opposite end of the boom - I just hung another body off another hanger on the back half of the boom for balance B)

This way you can paint/coat all sides of the body like the pros do (if you're cramped for space like I am :D )

Newc

Posted

yeah, my workroom was the former laundry room, so i had the vents (drier) and these nylon ropes strung across the top from where the stuff used to be hung. i've got about 6 coat hangers twisted up in this really cool way and i just hang the guitars up there. i even made one especially for neck-thrus, so it can hold onto the headstock instead of the body. but most of my work is with strats, 'cause i know those inside and out way better than gibson styled or just plain oddities.

but yeah, i think (if i ever need more room or more places to hold guitars) that that would be a good idea...

good job. you're no longer satan in my book.

Posted

Ok, here it is - the Warmoth Zebra Star :D

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starfront.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starback.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starside1.jpg

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starside2.jpg

It's definitely not smooth and perfect. I had to patch a few bare spots, and the tips have folds. I suppose I could level it out with topcoats, but how's that going to alter the sound? Probably kill it.

Maybe I'll strip it and redo it one day B)

Now I just gotta figure out which neck to put on it :D

Jackson USA maple/ebony AT-1 neck with trans black flametop head

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarAT1.jpg

Jackson USA maple/maple neck with White Pearl head

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarWoodburn.jpg

Jackson USA maple/rosewood/fins reverse neck

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarSDJRVS.jpg

Warmoth Baritone Conversion neck (maple/ebony) with White Pearl Strathead

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarBari.jpg

Warmoth birdseye/birdseye Strathead

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/StarBirds.jpg

Warmoth plain maple/maple Strathead

http://autumn-frost.com/Projects/Starmoth.jpg

Any suggestions?

Newc

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