First Finish, Looking For Tips On Spraying Edges

[stoberto]

Hello again,

I have read through pretty much every page of this forum I feel like, and have started my first finish project. I am finishing a telecaster, I have stained it with dye and am in the process of sealing it with sealcoat. Everything has gone really well with a mistake here or there, but I am not feeling confident about spraying the lacquer finish. I have read all the tips I can, but the thing I am worried about is the edges. The thing I have had alot of trouble with when it came to dyeing and now the sanding sealer is getting build up right around the edges (think a little line around the top and bottom). It caused a darker line with the dye (which took alot of work to fix), and some runs with the sealer...so does anyone have any tips on how to avoid this when I spray? Should I spray the edges first? Will it be a big deal if there are some runs? Or can I not worry about it too much and just buff it out later? If the coats are thin enough will I not have to think about it? I know I should make sure the sealer is perfectly smooth before I start.

If anyone could give me some advice, or point me to a thread or tutorial that talks specifically about how to avoid this that would be great. Thanks so much for your time!

Andrew

ps - I'll be using rattlecans

[godzilla]

Hi Andrew,

I used minwax poly on my first build and it turned out pretty nice. follow the directions on the can. I used 7 cans and waited 30 mins. between coats it ended up with 16 coats. Light coats is the key imho. I suspect you meant light when you said "if the coats are thin enough". And yes you do want the body smooth. All the prep work will pay off when you sand the clear coat. Don't rush.

Hope this helps some.

Steve

Edited May 1, 2008 by godzilla