HELP with spray paint !!

There's more to life than just amps?

Moderators: VelvetGeorge, BUG

Post Reply
User avatar
Tone Slinger
Senior Member
Posts: 6520
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:31 am

HELP with spray paint !!

Post by Tone Slinger » Sat Oct 17, 2009 3:04 pm

I have only used DREFT clear semi gloss nitro. It worked great.

I want my new build strat (sorta EVHish looking) to be white, but I dont want it to yellow to 'Cigarette teeth' yellow over the yrs, so nitro is out.


What is a good fast drying spray paint to get. After I woodfill this hard ash, I'm only gonna put a couple coats of white. Anyone got info on what to use and where to get it ?

Thanks
Rip Ben Wise (StuntDouble) & Mark Abrahamian (Rockstah)

User avatar
Structo
Senior Member
Posts: 1219
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2009 7:07 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7
Location: Salem, Oregon

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by Structo » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:00 pm

Deft is non yellowing nitro lacquer.
I've used it quite a bit.

There is also the black can Minwax nitro and Watco nitro
But I believe both of those will yellow with UV exposure or age.

Deft seems to be the most widely available nitro cans, but some report they find Minwax nitro at Home Depot or Lowes in their areas.
Same with Watco.

Guitar ReRanch sells high quality nitro lacquers in spray cans.
They use McFadden lacquer to load their cans and it is a very high quality lacquer.
They sell most of the custom Fender colors and a few Gibson colors.
It is a yellowing lacquer.
http://www.reranch.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nitro lacquers are probably the easiest finishes to work with. Repairs are easy since each succeeding coat melts into itself.

Deft seems to be a little slower to cure hard than some other lacquers but I haven't had any issues with it.

If you want to go to two part polyurethane type finish you will need a spray rig like a HVLP gun and compressor.

Spray cans tend to leave a fair amount of orange peel. That pebbly looking surface, although you can minimise it with good spraying techniques.

But any and all sprayed finished pretty much need to be wet sanded and polished to look good.

The trouble with satin or matte looking lacquers are if you wet sand and polish them, they will turn glossy.
The only way to achieve a matte finish is to spray a perfect last coat over a smooth sanded surface and not touch it.
Some guys will steel wool a gloss finish to dull it but it usually leaves too many scratches to look nice.

I've finished a lot of guitars and the most important thing is to do good prep work.
Also, for best results, a lacquered body needs to cure or dry for 30 days to properly harden for wet sanding and polishing. :wink:
Tom

Don't let that smoke out!

jcmjmp
Senior Member
Posts: 724
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:48 am
Just the numbers in order: 7
Location: Quebec, Canada

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by jcmjmp » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:45 pm

Tone Slinger wrote:I have only used DREFT clear semi gloss nitro. It worked great.

I want my new build strat (sorta EVHish looking) to be white, but I dont want it to yellow to 'Cigarette teeth' yellow over the yrs, so nitro is out.


What is a good fast drying spray paint to get. After I woodfill this hard ash, I'm only gonna put a couple coats of white. Anyone got info on what to use and where to get it ?

Thanks
Deft clear lacquer doesn't yellow with time.

User avatar
fillmore nyc
Senior Member
Posts: 3193
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 8:59 am
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by fillmore nyc » Sun Oct 18, 2009 8:24 am

Structo's guide is right on the money. I couldnt agree more. Also, if you dont mind using paint other than strictly nitro, white automotive spray paint (which is acrylic lacquer) works well. It never yellows over time, and with thin coats, light wet sanding and polishing, it will produce a real nice glossy finish, ESPECIALLY in white, which IMO is the most forgiving color to finish in.
8) 8)
Structo wrote:Spray cans tend to leave a fair amount of orange peel. That pebbly looking surface, although you can minimise it with good spraying techniques.
Spray cans DO tend to leave orange peel. IMO, along with good spray technique, proper (aka: judicious use of extreme patience) light wet sand between coats with some REAL fine paper (800 or higher), letting it FULLY dry before sanding, and of course, making DAMN sure any sanding residue is completely removed before the next coat is the way around that. Its also a lot easier with a color than with a clear finish, since any junk that might accidentally not have been removed will get covered up by the color and sanded out on the next coat. (Not a luxury we get with a clear finish!!)
I've also used 0000 synthetic "steel" wool soaking in a tub of water, and achieved a near glass-like finish after a final polish. Takes a lot of patience and time though, but what decent finish doesnt??

User avatar
demonufo
Senior Member
Posts: 3882
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:36 am
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Carterton, Oxon, U.K.
Contact:

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by demonufo » Sun Oct 18, 2009 11:41 am

fillmore nyc wrote:I've also used 0000 synthetic "steel" wool soaking in a tub of water, and achieved a near glass-like finish after a final polish. Takes a lot of patience and time though, but what decent finish doesnt??
Micromesh (when wet) is good for that too, but you have do move up the grades in succession, and it does take time and effort. End result is always worth it though.
The downside is micromesh kits are expensive.
So I like purple, okay!!!!!!

83.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot!

User avatar
fillmore nyc
Senior Member
Posts: 3193
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 8:59 am
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by fillmore nyc » Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:04 pm

demonufo wrote:Micromesh (when wet) is good for that too, but you have do move up the grades in succession, and it does take time and effort. End result is always worth it though.
The downside is micromesh kits are expensive.
I've never tried Micromesh, but I have heard good things about it. Is it a lot different than synthetic steel wool?

Another thing that works well prior to final polish is the 0000 synthetic wool used with some level of compounding agent (after using water), like Plum Crazy glaze, or even Meguiars Pre-Wax cleaner. It acts as a "lubricant" for the 0000 wool, and semi-polishes at the same time. If very light pressure is used, it wont allow the wool to "cut" as much as water will. It leaves a semi gloss finish, and a final polish after that really produces a nice smooth gloss.
:D :D

User avatar
Structo
Senior Member
Posts: 1219
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2009 7:07 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7
Location: Salem, Oregon

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by Structo » Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:20 pm

I'm not familiar with using a synthetic 0000 steel wool for polishing?
What's it look like and where do you buy it?

I have used Scotch Brite pads for relicing.

Can you tell me more about the synthetic wool method?
I would think it would leave a lot of scratching which, if you are going for a showroom finish, would be undesirable.

I have yet to try the micro-mesh but have friends that swear by it.

One guy wet sanded to the highest grit available with the micro-mesh and it looked just as good as if he had buffed it and polished it with compounds.
Tom

Don't let that smoke out!

User avatar
Tone Slinger
Senior Member
Posts: 6520
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:31 am

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by Tone Slinger » Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:39 pm

Great, thanks guy's, I think I'll start with a super bright white nitro, since I've had great results using the deft.I dont forsee it getting overly yellow anytime soon, and if I'm still alive and it does, then I'll give it another fresh coat. I will check out the guitar reranch site. Thanks again guy's for the info.
Rip Ben Wise (StuntDouble) & Mark Abrahamian (Rockstah)

User avatar
demonufo
Senior Member
Posts: 3882
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:36 am
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Carterton, Oxon, U.K.
Contact:

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by demonufo » Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:51 pm

Micro-mesh is pretty similar to wet and dry in a way. It comes in sheets that are fibre backed as opposed to paper, and unless you give it real abuse with sharp stuff, it pretty much never wears out. You use a hard foam pad instead of a rubber block. The kit I have goes up to 12000 grade which gives acrylic cockpits an absolute mint perfect finish, so should be pretty useful on paint finishes.
Last guitar I used it on was a £50 LP clone that I made look (but not feel, there was no point going that far!!!!) like a £1500 goldtop. Only so far I'll go with the turd polish though, I draw the line at throwing loads of money on crap wood with sloppy workmanship.
So I like purple, okay!!!!!!

83.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot!

User avatar
fillmore nyc
Senior Member
Posts: 3193
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 8:59 am
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by fillmore nyc » Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:15 pm

Structo wrote:I'm not familiar with using a synthetic 0000 steel wool for polishing?
What's it look like and where do you buy it?

I have used Scotch Brite pads for relicing.
Maybe I misworded what I was trying to get across... I use the synth wool to get close to the point of final polish, but I dont use it to do actual polishing... like you said, that would almost leave a relic'd finish. Actual polishing is strictly microfiber cloth and polishing agents. I use the synth wool the same way a lot of guys use 3000 paper, and will usually use BOTH on the same finish.
BTW, I just get it at my local hardware store, but its also sold at Home Depot. Its sold in a couple of different "grits" like "0", "000", and "0000".
I dont use the same methods all the time... I use what seems to work for the particular finish in question, depending on how thick it is, how well it took to the wood, how smooth it is after shooting it, etc. One way or the other though, it means working my way thru wet paper (from 600 thru 3000, wet) and then running across the finish with 0000 synth wool with either water or a polishing agent for a lubricant, depending on what it looks like after the 3k paper.
THEN Ill go to cloth and polishing agent to finish it up. At that point, Ill let the project sit for at least a couple of weeks, and "maybe" hit it with a light glaze (Plum Crazy hand glaze works great for getting out any swirls, etc). Let it sit for another week or so, and then polish the whole shebang with something real lightweight, like Martin guitar polish.
I've gotten some pretty nice results that way.
8) 8)

kirby
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:30 am
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: HELP with spray paint !!

Post by kirby » Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:41 am

Structo wrote:Deft is non yellowing nitro lacquer.
I've used it quite a bit.

There is also the black can Minwax nitro and Watco nitro
But I believe both of those will yellow with UV exposure or age.

Deft seems to be the most widely available nitro cans, but some report they find Minwax nitro at Home Depot or Lowes in their areas.
Same with Watco.

Guitar ReRanch sells high quality nitro lacquers in spray cans.
They use McFadden lacquer to load their cans and it is a very high quality lacquer.
They sell most of the custom Fender colors and a few Gibson colors.
It is a yellowing lacquer.
http://www.reranch.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nitro lacquers are probably the easiest finishes to work with. Repairs are easy since each succeeding coat melts into itself.

Deft seems to be a little slower to cure hard than some other lacquers but I haven't had any issues with it.

If you want to go to two part polyurethane type finish you will need a spray rig like a HVLP gun and compressor.

Spray cans tend to leave a fair amount of orange peel. That pebbly looking surface, although you can minimise it with good spraying techniques.

But any and all sprayed finished pretty much need to be wet sanded and polished to look good.

The trouble with satin or matte looking lacquers are if you wet sand and polish them, they will turn glossy.
The only way to achieve a matte finish is to spray a perfect last coat over a smooth sanded surface and not touch it.
Some guys will steel wool a gloss finish to dull it but it usually leaves too many scratches to look nice.

I've finished a lot of guitars and the most important thing is to do good prep work.
Also, for best results, a lacquered body needs to cure or dry for 30 days to properly harden for wet sanding and polishing. :wink:

Great tip! I agree that to be able to get a good result when using spray paint, you must need to have that spraying techniques and of course a good spray paint as well.
http://www.respirated.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post Reply