butnut

I stole that idea from Fender...they used to paint guitars like that originally. Finish nails act as 'legs' when you flip the guitar over to shoot the bottom. The nail holes are hidden with the hardware. Works good.

Hot rodders use metalflake...school kids use glitter. j/k bro. If you can use a spray gun, you can shoot flakes. I did quite a few kustom bikes and guitars in metalflake and it's just another step. I use lacquer for it's fast dry and ease of building up all the coats fast. Primer, sand, sealer, sliver base (lacquer) let that flash dry, mix a pot of clear lacquer and dump in your flakes (real big flakes (glitter sized) need a big tip 2.0) and shoot. I use House of Kolor flakes and pearls...good quality stuff. Do as many coats as needed to fill in any gaps, again let each coat flash dry a few minutes...NO sanding. Since you're not shooting any kandy color, you're ready to clear. You can use lacquer, but it takes a LOT to cover up the metalflake texture. I prefer to use polyurethane...it's catalysed so it dries hard and fast. There is a lot of clear needed to bury the flakes, but it looks deep and thick. I go about 4-5 coats. After it's dried completely, sand with 1200, 1500, 2000 and buff. Have a look at my album for some pics, the 2nd page shows 2 metalflaked Teles...good luck. Metalflakes and more...

From what I can see in the pic, there worn areas are badly 'stained' and the wood has absorbed all the sweat and finger oils. I don't think you can 'clean' that up. Only resort is sanding which is very difficult to cut level and tricky around that inlay. If that was a Tele neck, I'd call it a nice relic. If you can rub out those stains, than you're lucky. Shoot the clear right after.

I use Radio Shacks Ferrous Chloride to age metal. On unplated screws, it turns to rusty **** in seconds...with finesse, chrome looks dull and old. Gotta use gloves, this stuff is nasty. Just drop pickguard screws in a few seconds and it's tarnished, dull, half peeling...perfect! Funky metal With the Kiwi (see my other post) it works well on plastic. You'll need to wipe with alcohol or lacquer thinner/water to remove all polish or mold release if parts are new. It will stain, but seems to get light on heavily used parts (like my bridge Strat pup where I rest my fingers) but I just reapply, seems to stain better 2nd or 3rd time. I will try to shoot nitro over my poly Tele and do the finsh check using hot/cold and post some pics. It was very uncool of that guy to dis the way he did, one day he'll grow up. Not everyone likes relics and I totally agree, it takes just as long to get a good relic look as a perfect finish...I do both and both are fun and I really get into it.

Great info on the glass and resin. Thanks.

hehe, I have'nt been down the rattle can aisle in a spell douh! Is Duplicolor all lacquer?

Killer stuff. That's art. Be kool to see it on a guitar. That drum set is wild, you guys are mad modders too.

Duplicolor is good rattle can stuff, but I highly doubt they'll have a pink color as their colors are based on existing factory colors only. Pink may be hard to find in rattle period. You may find an enamel, but I would'nt use that for masking off stripes unless you wait a real long time. Can't help you with the paint, but as far as masking, the paint must be dry before you lay any tape on...that's why I use lacquer...dries fast in a few minutes. After your coats are built up enough, let it dry about 1/2 hour. You MUST get the 3M lime green masking tape. It will say for use on lacquer. I've used it with perfect results on 1/2 hour cured lacquer with no lift or gumminess and nice clean edge. It costs more that regular masking. After you shoot your contrast color, wait 15 minutes and pull the tape up sharply 90 degrees, slowly. I clearcoat after to bury any ridge left by the 2nd color. This instruction is for lacquer use only.

Nice relic job. I did my Tele and Strat. I'm gonna do a nitro finish check on my new Tele. Here's some razor checking on the poly finish...got bored one night. Tele relic...

I read where soldering 'guns' have transformers that will degauss pups. Gotta use da irons. Magnets do get weaker with age, but you're talking decades...

My guess it's this stuff... Inlay sticker

Airbrush usually works with lacquers as it's real thin, so as long as you're working on a lacquer base or clear, yes. Lots of pro artists have switched to waterbased paints, safer and still clearcoatable. I think you'll have a ton of fun with an airbrush being an artist. You can dial in a real fine line for detail work...lots of books on the techniques. I use mine mostly for touch up work and shadows, and recently flames. Good luck.

What kind of buffer did you get? You will need to wetsand first. If you used lacquer, go easy...it cuts fast. But first, let the clear dry a few days, longer better...unless you used a catalysed urethane. I usually start with 1200, sand a few strokes in an area, wipe dry...if you see 'orange peel' you'll have to level it all smooth. 1200 should cut it pretty fast, change your paper each side..move up to 1500..it will get smoother, and finally 2000. Call a body shop supplier to recommend the type of pad and buffing compound that will work with your buffer and type of clear as there are a ton of options there.

Awesome art Goat. I'd probably use an airbrush with a very small tip and just freehand outline. Auto pinstripe tape would look bogus and you'll need a ton of clear to bury it.

That company wouldnt happen to be the Musical Instuments Supersore? No...it was a store I bought an emblem for my custom grille for my truck. I take it you had a bad experience with the MI Supersore?

Hey, I got the black and satin part right...

I use One-Shot lettering enamel for pin stripes, but you can't clear over it without messing around with it...House of Kolor makes a striping paint but you can only clearcoat it with poly. The 1shot is made to gloss off and wears well without a clearcoat...that's very intricate outlines though...maybe use a paintpen? Art/graphics shops carry paintpens...I used 'em to pinstripe my flamed case, don't know if you can find a super fine tip or if clearcoatable...

Send them an email (click urgent) and ask for status update of my order. Provide any info (customer #, invoice...anything they gave you at time of order). 'Try' to act professional instead of a raving lunatic if this is your first attempt at contacting them re: your order. They should get right back to you. Sometimes companies forget we are anxious and back orders and mishandled paperwork need to be explained via email or phone call to explain any delays BEFORE the customer blows a fuse. I was just about to cancel my order (a different company) when the mailman drops off my order...no email...nothing about it being shipped after several emails from me...the last one not so polite. Good luck BTW, Reranch got back very promtly with my questions...but refused to ship any products to the 50th state of the USA just because we live in the middle of the ocean...with balmy breezes and deep blue skies and crystal clear waters and beautiful women and...hehe, bastids.

If it's lacquer, I just let it flash-dry a few minutes between coats. Lacquer will dry to the touch in minutes and solvents evap quickly. If you're shooting lacquer clearcoat after your color coat is perfect, just wait a few minutes too. If going with a poly clearcoat, 1/2-1 hour dry time is all you need. Been doing it this way for years but with auto paint and spray gun...not rattle can. May be a different dry time but as Brian sez, the can 'should' tell you recoat time window. If you wait too long, you'll have to scuff the dry coat before proceeding...you don't wanna sand metalflakes or kandy...trust me. If you must, use the 3M scotchbrite pad to dull it up...sandpaper will remove too much paint. Good luck.

Thanks man...rock on Garth

I did a simlar finish before. The Mahogany body does have deep grain. First paint step after prep. Shoot the body black. Get a good solid build (I recommend lacquer). Next, shoot a light coat of red, shooting a bit heavier where you see deep grain. Using 600-800 grit, sand the red off with a block. Stop when you see black, you don't wanna cut through that. When all the red is gone off the higher flat spots, you'll have red deep in the grain. Clean up and shoot clear. Looks like the Voodoo finish was not buffed out, kinda satin gloss.

Very interesting...my friend made a few decals for me using the plain decal sheet and his good printer. They look awesome, but do leave a slight ridge where you cut the film out. It is still visible after clearing with poly and a very faint haze of the decal film...no biggie, I think it looks kinda vintage. I have used NOS decals and the film dissappears completely, but those are rare and expensive if you can find the real deal...also very fragile. NOW, if you are saying that the TATOO which is transferring only the image...with NO outlines or cloudy film is visable, I'd go that way...here's a pic of the decal, the film can't be seen in certain angles, but flat on it's really noticable. I'll have to try that tatoo thing..I'll wear a Fender decal on my arm too... http://www.montypics.com/pic.php?url=/butn...05_0563_IMG.jpg

Painting flat is the way to go. I found out Fender did this way back in the 50's. Uisng finishing nails as 'legs', they are placed where a pickguard will hide the holes when done. Notice my gold Tele. The flamed Tele has no pickguard to hide the graphics, so I nailed the legs by the hot dog plate and pup rings...you'll need to make a handle to hold and flip the guitar. I paint the top first so the flakes sit flatter as the guitar is flat on the table at this point. When it flashes off, I do the sides and bottom. Paint legs and handle

That's kool, I've seen some nice designs too, being a 'transfer'...no decal outline or build up too...hmmmm, I'm gonna take a better look at those next time I'm in the store.

That 2nd one sounds cabbaged...i'd sand that one clean as it's peeling already, nothing worse than painting over someones bad paint. You'll need to putty any damage if you want it looking good.