Southpa Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 I take this whole business as a learning experience. So I'm not really pissed off with this, life is too short these days anyway. Here is the lesson... When spraying clear automotive laquer from a rattlecan make sure all conditions are right. I do all my spraying on the back workbench, outside. It was a little on the breezy side at times and very warm outside. The guitar base color is mostly black and I sprayed a fairly thick coat of laquer on the front (flat position). Here is what happened, my clearcoat bubbled up within 10 minutes! And this occurred from deep in the finish. I wetsanded quite a bit with 220 grit but the front of the guitar is still covered with hundreds of pockmarks. It sorta looks like the moon. I figure the heat and light wind caused a fast drying reaction. So fast that the laquer formed a skin on the outside surface and wouldn't allow the still wet laquer underneath to gas off quickly enough. The result being numerous "hard skinned" bubbles up to 1/2 cm across. I don't think that would have happened with a lighter colored guitar. Black objects tend to absorb a lot of heat. So from now on I will limit my spraying times to early morning or evening, rather than high noon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 Was the guitar directly in the face of the sun by chance? I had that happen once, I had just shot it (outside under the Maple tree I always shoot under) and then I hung the body in front of the barn door, directly in the path of the setting sun (it was evening too, 'boud 6:00pm) Bubbled like a witches' cauldron it did. The direct light of the sun was (apparently) a leedle beed too much for it. It also happened to be the -very- final clearcoats of a beautiful burst I had spent a lot of time on. Oh well, just cursed it out, sanded it off, and started over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 yeah, pretty much the same scenario. I don't curse things anymore, just myself, . If i have to sand it so far down that I'll be into the dye job, then so be it. I'll just keep going and do it again, minus the mistakes. Its good practice and experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 Yeah, I thought it was a good idea at the time. Well actually, after cussing it out ( ) what I usually do is ask myself, 'well, if it has to be this way, what can I do next time that will make it better than it was at first?' Would I like the basecoat more yellow than it was, would I have liked the edge 'burst to not come in so far as I did, should I have used less retarder than I did...that kind of thing. If I can find a way to better it next time around, then I don't mind re-doing it, I have something to look forward to, beating myself at my own game with another shot at it. Best state-of-mind I can come up with in those situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 I learned the hardway too! It was winter and I tried to use a 150 watt light to help keep the body warm while drying. I had a lot of fun sanding it all down again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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