Maiden69 Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 *Cough cough*.... gentlemen, when you're quite finished with the thread hijack... My Bad Setch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68 lost souls Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Yeah sorry setch went on a bit of a tangent. The LPs looking very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camcool Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 ~bump~ setch how's your guitar comin' if it's done post pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 Unchanged since last update. I was waiting on some alcohol soluable dyes from LMII to complete the burst. They arrrived today, so I'll experiment a bit before completing the burst, and hopefully have an update in a few days. Of course, if I get stuck with loads of extra hours at work it may be longer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 I know where your coming from Setch. If it wasn't for my 9 to 5 job, I could have already been done with 3 more. lol.. But that doesn't pay the bills. I can't wait to see this Les Paul finished, it's looking very good if ya know what I mean. Ah back to the neck jig constructions lol... Sometimes even making the tools you need takes away from building time also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camcool Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 just post when you have the opportunity and by the way the guitar looks great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Hmmmm.... been a while since I posted. Spent the last few guitar days back peddaling, after messing up my tinted coats I had to sand back, got a couple of sand-thoughs, and had to go back to wood After *a lot* of sanding, and then some re-dyeing and clearcoating, here she is: The arrow shows the booboo I'm trying to hide with the dark border of the burst. It's barely visible in this shot, but it does stick out from certain angles , so I need to get it sorted if I'm going to be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Wow.. looking very nice, and I presume your using Nitro? That's one of the bad things about it, you have to spray up to 15 coats just so you don't have sandthrough. Lacquer sprays on as you know in very thin coats. That's the main reason I gave up on it for solid body guitars. Just too much hassle, and cure time is killer. But for lacquer that guitar is really shining very nice!!! Again, I have nothing against lacquer, it's just not my cup of tea. I can't wait to see it when you get finished.. First class all the way Setch!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Nice setch, can't wait to see it finished. I know that feeling, I been there in my little time as painter. Like Guitarfrenzy point out, I am begining to hate laquers. Too much drying time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 This isn't actually a lacquer finish - it's a 2 pack cold cure finish, called Rustin's Plastic coating. It's main claim to fame is that Brian May used it to finish the Red Special he built with his dad. It's touch dry in 30 minutes, and you can recoat after 2 hours (less if you're willing to chance slightly slower curing in the long run). I could, assuming good surface prep, finish the whole guitar in a day, and buff it out a couple of days later. I used this on the maple and mahogany DC, and it's very nice to use, apart from the toxicity, which is on a par with nitro. It dries *very* tough, and I think it's great for electric solidbodies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 Nice to know, I woul like to have something like that. I've been waiting for 3 weeks now for my LP to get cured. It's taking forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulNeeds Posted August 20, 2004 Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 called Rustin's Plastic coating. Hmmm sounds very interesting. How's it applied Setch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2004 I apply it with a £16.99 touch up gun from Axminster tools. For a cheap jamb gun this is a great tool, and it lays down the Rustin's very smoothly. The Rustin's is very thick for a sprayed finish, so you need to spray at relatively high pressure (40 psi) but it builds very quickly, and can be flowed out very evenly without runs, if you practice a little. I already had access to a compressor with a good sized tank, which is essential. It's also very easy to apply by brush, or diluted with special thinners it can be applied with rag for an oil like open grained finish - See the attached pic of some weaving bobbins I made for a friend. The complete finishing process took about 45 minutes: I used the same finish on the little carving (oops!) planes shown earlier in the tread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Okay - finally a bit of progress after a week of rain, or work, or both... Yesterday I shot the rest of my burst, taking the edges and transition darker, and hiding the tearout repair. It's still visible in very bright light, but not remotely obtrusive. Here's a shot of the result using a flash. I scuff sanded the top to knock down any nibs of finish, then cleaned it very carefully with Naptha and a rag. I mixed up LMII alcohol soluable stain with Rustin's plastic coating thinners (very similar to nitro thinners) until I got a hue and saturation I was happy with. To get the darker colour to be less overpoweringly red, I used (very approximately!) 2 parts brown powdered dye to 1 part red, and a very small touch of blue. I experimented with shooting this stain straight, but it beaded up very easily, so I added it to some Rustin's plastic coating (approx 50/50 lacquer/stain). Using relatively low pressure, and a very dry setting on the paint adjustment I laid down the colour in the upper bouts, using about 5 or 6 thin dry coats till the colour was right. Once I was happy with this area I did the same around the perimeter of the lower bouts and waist, feathering the colour into the uppr bouts to avoid a darker area where they met. Once the colour was down, I thought the amber section in the centre looked a bit wishy-washy, so I tinted some more thinners with a yellow amber mixture, then added this to some clear (70/30 lacquer/dye) and sprayed the whole top with the amber tinted clear. here's how it looks by house light: Neither shot is perfect - I'll try to get some better ones outside ift he weather clears again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Just amazing... very very nice work!!! I can't believe that burst is made with stain and a cloth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 It isn't! I did try using David Myka's technique, but I found it didn't work for me. That said, I am impressed with how easy it was to get a nice cherry burst using just the waterbased dyes shot from a cheapo touchup gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 It isn't! I did try using David Myka's technique, but I found it didn't work for me. That said, I am impressed with how easy it was to get a nice cherry burst using just the waterbased dyes shot from a cheapo touchup gun. HAHAHA... I should go and read from the first pages again... oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Heh, skim reading bites yet another innocent victim on the a!$*e! Now that the colour coats are done I can attach the fretboard. I've always used titebond for this in the past, but after a few issues with backbow I've decided to try epoxy for this joint (I've still used Titebond for all the other wood to wood joints on this guitar). I'm using araldite, a slow cure epoxy which allows plenty of time for positioning everything right, and is significantly stronger than quick setting 5 minute epoxies. I do a dry run to make sure everything closes up nicely, then lay out all the materials I need in easy reach. I apply a liberal coating of epoxy to both surfaces, spreading it out as evenly as possible. I check my index pins to ensure that my board will not slide around during glueup. Once the glue has had a few minutes to soak into the gluing surfaces I assemble the joint and clamp it up. I use a long straight piece of steel square section with an old leather belt as a pad to hold the neck straight whilst the glue sets. I snug the clamps good and tight, checking the edges are perfectly aligned as I go, then set the neck aside to dry. This shot shows the guitar laid down, but I leave it to dry with the neck unsupported - I don't want any weight on the neck which could cause it to set with any bow in it. After 24 hours to set I'll shape the rest of the neck, then I can finish sand and grain fill the mahogany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american_jesus Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 that is a VERY nice looking piece setch. the color is beautiful. the only thing i would change on that would be a very slighly flamed top. nothing extreme, no AAA tops, just some very light flame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 This is a very beautiful guitar, but I will like to know why did you painted the top before gluing the fret board, dont the epoxy that sweeps out will damage the paint in the corners, also, since the neck is not finshed won't it gives you any issues with painting without damaging the top? I'm new to this and will like to know if there is a method to it... I guess it's simpler to get everything togheter and then paint, at least in my opinion. I like the top. Is not figured but its nie looking, I would like one like that but with the grain on both sides the same as the one on your control side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 This is a very beautiful guitar, but I will like to know why did you painted the top before gluing the fret board, dont the epoxy that sweeps out will damage the paint in the corners, also, since the neck is not finshed won't it gives you any issues with painting without damaging the top? I glued the fretboard on after colour coating the top to get a crisp line around the binding on the neck and body. Masking or scraping the colour off the fretboard binding is a pain, and it's easier to scrape the body binding in the cutaway without having to work around the fretboard. Glue squeeze out from the epoxy isn't a problem, since the top is sealed with clear lacquer I was able to clean away the squeezout with a rag dampened with alcohol (methylated spirits in the UK). Thanks for all the positive comments - after several miserable hours stripping the top back to wood it's nice to know people like the results or my second attempt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsilver Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Setch, that is a beautiful finish. What impresses me is how you adjusted the finish during the process based on the rusults you observed during the process and came out with a truly fine result. I am also pleased to hear you used waterbase products and a cheap gun - because that is what I plan to use to finish my LP in progress. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannoG Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Looks great Setch. Plus your usual fine photos and explanations. And, as could be predicted, it is quite close to the scheme on my DC. I'll have to post something on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeR Posted August 29, 2004 Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 (edited) Hi Setch, I was wondering... did the Rustins plastic coat react at all with the binding? May I ask what sort of binding you used? (I was just wondering, because apparently Rustins can react with different finishes, and with most binding being cellulose....) Anyway, congratulations again, Luke Edited August 29, 2004 by LukeR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted August 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 I think the Rustin's technical tips are very conservative - they play it safe by telling people not to use Plastic Coating over...well, anything I've applied it over shellac, over cellulose nitrate and ABS binding and over PSL waterbased lacquer, all with no noticable problems, either in eating the old finish, or in curing or discolouring. I think the chemically aggressive nature of the plastic coating is actually advantageous with binding - it softens the surface of the binding, so it sticks like s**t to blanket, just like nitro lacquer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.