Painting Process

[Sir_Lex]

Hi guys I'm just here to pick your brains, i'm soon to be moving onto my first painting project and i'm after a green metallic. The first question is this : Shall I use a regular green metallic all in one car paint jobby. or shall I spray silver then a transparent green over the top - which would you say gave the best result. I'm figuring it would be silver first then transparent green.

The second question is this - what do you guys think of this painting process that I have bumping around my head.

Sealer--> Sand --> Sealer ---> Scuff up ---> silver paint ---> sand smooth ---> silver ----> silver ---> silver ----> sand ---> silver ---> silver ---> trans. green ---> trans green ----> trans green ---> Scuff up ---> clear coat ---> scuff ---> clearcoat ---> clearcoat ---> polish.

This does seem a bit long winded .. but I reckon that would get a near perfect finish, anyway what do you guys think. What painting process do you use ? Whats your preferred sealer ? Ohh and what are your thoughts about leaving your guitar drying in the sun as I am planning on doing this in summer in britain, as I have nowhere else to spray so it will be outside. but yeah just a " few " questions lol. Any help would be appriciated i'm planning on going for a metallic strat with led neck ( Custom led neck by myself ) with black pickguard and chrome fittings. Cheers guys.

[Sir_Lex]

Bump- Sorry about the bump But I could really use some help on what the best process is to use, i've used the search feature and the processes all seem to vary. Whats your preference when it comes to process ?

[thegarehanman]

The processes vary because people use different finishes which require different drying times and because different people lay their coats down at different thicknesses. I use a two part poly. The only times I sand the finish are after spraying the vinyl sealer and wetsanding after the final clear coat. Then again, I can spray the sealer, the color coat, and all of the clear coats within the same day. You're not going to be able to set in stone how many coats of silver, green, or clear you want. Lay the silver down in progressive coats(maybe medium wet) until you achieve full coverage. Anything more would be wastefull. Then lay down your trans. green until you're happy with the coverage. Then lay down your clear until you feel like you have enough that will allow you to wetsand without sanding through. This is one of those things where you just have to get a feel for what you're doing.

peace,

russ

[Mattia]

That looks like a lot of silver; my rule, for tinted or solid colours, is put as much on as you need to get the right colour, and nothing else. I scuff sand between days of shooting, level-sand every other but ONLY IF NECESSARY (and try to limit level sanding to clearcoats, and the later the better, unless it's going on twonked). As soon as you've got cover, quit spraying that. Then spray tinted green. When coverage is good, quit spraying that. The switch to many a clearcoat. For the silver paint, I'd seal/prime with the manufacturer's reccomended primer. Craft Supplies and Behlen UK carry nitro, sealer, the whole lot, if you want, and be sure to test on scrap to make sure your paints are compatible.

As for shooting outside, fine, as long as there's no wind or dust, but I let 'em dry indoors. Not in a room you're currently in if it's nitro, if you can help it (smells, solvents gassing off are toxic).

[badsnap]

Clear green on silver will give more of a candy apple look which IMHO is far superior to a solid metalic...Rog