Dazzle Camo
- Thread starter Chistopher
- Start date
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: Dazzle Camo
Patience is always the key on finishes. They just can't be rushed, or it will be obvious.
This was a maple V, as I remember.... I sealed with DuPont 1980S sealer (shrink-wrap in a can - water thin, goes on clear) 3 good coats of white, another coat of sealer. Masked it, shot the black.... and then cursed. I think I stripped it twice before I got it on with no glitches. Scuffed with scotchbrite, and shot about 10 coats of clear over 5 days. Let it gas off a week, color sanded off the shine, shot 5 more coats of clear, last coat was a wash with lots of thinner and a bit of retarder to get it to flow out nicely. Let it gas off for 2 weeks, color sanded very lightly, and began buffing with Meguiars red, then white. Finally glazed it with something I can't buy anymore. It was tan colored, and felt waxy to the touch. Took 8 hours to get it nice, my arms fell off when it was completed. I was shooting DuPont acrylic lacquer. I wasn't using foam buffing pads or lambswool back then - I did it all with felt pads made from an old Stetson Beaver 5X.
I will never forget this guitar - it was an all maple V with an ebony fingerboard, single humbucker, and a flatmount Kahler. It was a neck through made by WARMOTH, and they told the client they'd never do another one.
Patience is always the key on finishes. They just can't be rushed, or it will be obvious.
This was a maple V, as I remember.... I sealed with DuPont 1980S sealer (shrink-wrap in a can - water thin, goes on clear) 3 good coats of white, another coat of sealer. Masked it, shot the black.... and then cursed. I think I stripped it twice before I got it on with no glitches. Scuffed with scotchbrite, and shot about 10 coats of clear over 5 days. Let it gas off a week, color sanded off the shine, shot 5 more coats of clear, last coat was a wash with lots of thinner and a bit of retarder to get it to flow out nicely. Let it gas off for 2 weeks, color sanded very lightly, and began buffing with Meguiars red, then white. Finally glazed it with something I can't buy anymore. It was tan colored, and felt waxy to the touch. Took 8 hours to get it nice, my arms fell off when it was completed. I was shooting DuPont acrylic lacquer. I wasn't using foam buffing pads or lambswool back then - I did it all with felt pads made from an old Stetson Beaver 5X.
I will never forget this guitar - it was an all maple V with an ebony fingerboard, single humbucker, and a flatmount Kahler. It was a neck through made by WARMOTH, and they told the client they'd never do another one.
Last edited:
Dave Locher
New member
Re: Dazzle Camo
Those are much bigger stripes than your original post!
The trick to stopping color bleed under the masking tape: a thin coat of clear over the tape, let it flash dry, THEN your contrasting color.
The clear seals off the tape edges. But it has to be thin or it will all pull up when you remove the masking tape. Pros very carefully run a razor blade along the edges of the tape before they pull it, which is a skill all in itself. (Gotta be precise, push hard enough to cut the paint skin but not hard enough to go through the layers, etc.)
After all that, bury under several layers of clear until the surface can be buffed flat.
Those are much bigger stripes than your original post!
The trick to stopping color bleed under the masking tape: a thin coat of clear over the tape, let it flash dry, THEN your contrasting color.
The clear seals off the tape edges. But it has to be thin or it will all pull up when you remove the masking tape. Pros very carefully run a razor blade along the edges of the tape before they pull it, which is a skill all in itself. (Gotta be precise, push hard enough to cut the paint skin but not hard enough to go through the layers, etc.)
After all that, bury under several layers of clear until the surface can be buffed flat.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Dazzle Camo
I was going to go for smaller stripes, but that's the smallest tape they had and I didn't quite feel like cutting them all perfect like.
As for running under the tape, I just put on really thin coats of the black paint and gave it 10-15 minutes to dry inbetween. It's not perfect, but if you want to see the difference you have to be really close and looking for it. In the above picture for example, there's only really 3 places where I can see any sort of running.
I was going to go for smaller stripes, but that's the smallest tape they had and I didn't quite feel like cutting them all perfect like.
As for running under the tape, I just put on really thin coats of the black paint and gave it 10-15 minutes to dry inbetween. It's not perfect, but if you want to see the difference you have to be really close and looking for it. In the above picture for example, there's only really 3 places where I can see any sort of running.
