Painting a guitar body with car paint?
- Thread starter Biu
- Start date
Rocker35
New member
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Biu, I highly recommend the Paint Your Own Guitar e-books. John (the author) gives superb advice backed up with loads of photos. He uses Krylon paint, but the same technique applies. Check it out.
http://www.paintyourownguitar.com/index.html
Biu, I highly recommend the Paint Your Own Guitar e-books. John (the author) gives superb advice backed up with loads of photos. He uses Krylon paint, but the same technique applies. Check it out.
http://www.paintyourownguitar.com/index.html
beandip
Frito's Better Half
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Comming from a guy who's painted guitars and cars, I say go with guitar paint. Not only would it be easier for a guitar worthy finish, but cheaper as well. Unless you happen to have some DuPont, a spray gun, and a spray booth laying around. Car paint just takes too many colors to come out good. Your average black vehicle has somewhere between 3-6 coats of primer, and 10-15 coats of finish. That's ALOT for a guitar.
Comming from a guy who's painted guitars and cars, I say go with guitar paint. Not only would it be easier for a guitar worthy finish, but cheaper as well. Unless you happen to have some DuPont, a spray gun, and a spray booth laying around. Car paint just takes too many colors to come out good. Your average black vehicle has somewhere between 3-6 coats of primer, and 10-15 coats of finish. That's ALOT for a guitar.
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Use the 'Camel Tan' color that you see on a Ford Taurus, apply 16 coats with a 4 inch brush (or a pushbroom if you're in a hurry), let dry 1 hour, buff out with 60 grit paper (or a wood rasp in you're late for the gig)...j/k.
Go look at the ReRanch site for rattle can finishes that work OK...
Use the 'Camel Tan' color that you see on a Ford Taurus, apply 16 coats with a 4 inch brush (or a pushbroom if you're in a hurry), let dry 1 hour, buff out with 60 grit paper (or a wood rasp in you're late for the gig)...j/k.
Go look at the ReRanch site for rattle can finishes that work OK...
mnbaseball91
New member
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Duplicolor brand car paint looks fantastic on guitars and it's cheap, but you'll never get a long lasting, durable finish with it. I HIGHLY recomend using the stuff from www.reranch.com instead. There are actually a couple colors that they offer that aren't listed on their website, so if you don't see what you want it can't hurt to ask. Also, their free tutorials are fantastic.
If you do chose to go with Duplicolor acrylic lacquer, I found the drying time and number of coats to be pretty much the same as for instrument lacquer.
Duplicolor brand car paint looks fantastic on guitars and it's cheap, but you'll never get a long lasting, durable finish with it. I HIGHLY recomend using the stuff from www.reranch.com instead. There are actually a couple colors that they offer that aren't listed on their website, so if you don't see what you want it can't hurt to ask. Also, their free tutorials are fantastic.
If you do chose to go with Duplicolor acrylic lacquer, I found the drying time and number of coats to be pretty much the same as for instrument lacquer.
drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
that's why you primer it black & pinstripe it
with whitewall tires & baby moon hubs
beandip said:
that's why you primer it black & pinstripe it
with whitewall tires & baby moon hubs
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
A few years back i experimented with RattleCan Car Paints...... I knew the paint in car spray can paint is extremely thin and lacks solids..... I made a strat body out of poplar and painted it with 2-3 coats of primer, filled any holes with auto body spot filler, then a few coats of colour, and a few coats of clear.... I let that dry for a week and tried to wet sand it with 600 and the paint just peeled off the guitar.... So i ended up spraying more and more and more.... In the end i have it looking good, but the paint still flakes off the body in spots around the neck... It's been 5 years now since i painted that body and i think it sucks as far as the finnish goes.... I have a homemade tele body i may experiment with better quality car paint for my spray gun and compressor set up.... The spray bomb experiment sucked....
I would use the good guitar finnish offered from Stew Mac but they do not ship that stuff outside of the States..... I have tried the waterbased stuff from Stew Mac and it is great to work with and easy to clean up but the finnish feels like wax..... But i will more then likely order some more of the waterbased spray as it is the best stuff i can get shipped to me... There is a few paint places in Toronto i'm sure i can find Nitro still but i have never found them yet.... A good guitar shop once gave me the address of the place they buy their nitro from.... i should try it.
A few years back i experimented with RattleCan Car Paints...... I knew the paint in car spray can paint is extremely thin and lacks solids..... I made a strat body out of poplar and painted it with 2-3 coats of primer, filled any holes with auto body spot filler, then a few coats of colour, and a few coats of clear.... I let that dry for a week and tried to wet sand it with 600 and the paint just peeled off the guitar.... So i ended up spraying more and more and more.... In the end i have it looking good, but the paint still flakes off the body in spots around the neck... It's been 5 years now since i painted that body and i think it sucks as far as the finnish goes.... I have a homemade tele body i may experiment with better quality car paint for my spray gun and compressor set up.... The spray bomb experiment sucked....
I would use the good guitar finnish offered from Stew Mac but they do not ship that stuff outside of the States..... I have tried the waterbased stuff from Stew Mac and it is great to work with and easy to clean up but the finnish feels like wax..... But i will more then likely order some more of the waterbased spray as it is the best stuff i can get shipped to me... There is a few paint places in Toronto i'm sure i can find Nitro still but i have never found them yet.... A good guitar shop once gave me the address of the place they buy their nitro from.... i should try it.
mnbaseball91
New member
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
No no no, don't use Stewmac crap! You can get better quality stuff for the same money! If you want nitro, get it from Reranch (or use McFadden's from LMII if you can spray). If you want acrylic, use KTM9. The Stewac stuff is worthless compared to "real" guitar finishes.
No no no, don't use Stewmac crap! You can get better quality stuff for the same money! If you want nitro, get it from Reranch (or use McFadden's from LMII if you can spray). If you want acrylic, use KTM9. The Stewac stuff is worthless compared to "real" guitar finishes.
Davey
Goliath of Tone
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
get the PYOG book, read it, go and send the guy an email with any questions you got and buy the paint. it doesnt need to be krylon, it has to be the same type though.
then you just try it out. the worst that can happen to the guitar is that you will have to sand it down again
get the PYOG book, read it, go and send the guy an email with any questions you got and buy the paint. it doesnt need to be krylon, it has to be the same type though.
then you just try it out. the worst that can happen to the guitar is that you will have to sand it down again
mnbaseball91
New member
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
I didn't think Stewmac would either. Regardless though, have you emailed Bill? I was under the impression that he was able to help some guys in Canada get what they needed.
I didn't think Stewmac would either. Regardless though, have you emailed Bill? I was under the impression that he was able to help some guys in Canada get what they needed.
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
I have not talked to the reranch guys in ages.... I think in the summer i asked them about the shipping and was told no shipping to canada of flamable goods.... Last i heard they can't ship the goods north of the border... Stew Mac only ships water based finnishes north...
mnbaseball91 said:
I have not talked to the reranch guys in ages.... I think in the summer i asked them about the shipping and was told no shipping to canada of flamable goods.... Last i heard they can't ship the goods north of the border... Stew Mac only ships water based finnishes north...
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Two words:
Spray paint
Two words:
Spray paint
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
This is what i did for the Kill Whitey, since i wanted a non-glossy white finish.
1 can of white primer
1 can of white satin
1 can of white enamel
And about a month of spraying a coat, letting it dry overnight, sanding it, spraying a coat, letting it dry over nite...
The finish is smoothe (the only flaw is one i didn't care enough to go back and fix hahaha) and sturdy. there's dings in the paint but it would take some work to get to the wood...it's cool tho 'cuz now i have a white guitar i can draw all over, and if i get sick of my drawings i just have to sand down a coat of paint
-X
JB_From_Hell said:Two words:
Spray paint
This is what i did for the Kill Whitey, since i wanted a non-glossy white finish.
1 can of white primer
1 can of white satin
1 can of white enamel
And about a month of spraying a coat, letting it dry overnight, sanding it, spraying a coat, letting it dry over nite...
The finish is smoothe (the only flaw is one i didn't care enough to go back and fix hahaha) and sturdy. there's dings in the paint but it would take some work to get to the wood...it's cool tho 'cuz now i have a white guitar i can draw all over, and if i get sick of my drawings i just have to sand down a coat of paint
-X
jdbluesville
New member
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
duplicolor "classic" sprays in the paint section of pep boys and the like work very well. if you want to get a custom color mixed at an auto paint shop have them use dupont "chroma" base. it CAN be pricey..i've paid over $100 for a pint of color, but "standard" colors aren't too bad...$30 or so for the color. then you need equal part of reducer. mix, strain and spray.
you can use automtive spray cans from pep boys etc. i recommend that you use an adhesion promoter between the color coat and clear coats. not all formulas are compatable....using incompatable formulas of color and clear can give you headaches...krinkling, hazing or even a soft, pushable surface. the dupont chroma base works well with a nitro-cellulose clear if you use a round of adhesion promoter in between.
remember that the prep work is the MOST important work in a refinish, or new finish! take extra time to fill any voids, sand any bumps and clean up anything on the surface. wipe the spray-ready wood down with nahptha (zippo lighter fluid!) before you start applying coats. don't use any skin products (moisturisers etc) and tack down the surfaces before you spray.
reranch has great step by step instructions and excellent products. you can save some cash by finding a dealer who sells behlen laquer products.
hope that helps and doesn't confuse!!!
duplicolor "classic" sprays in the paint section of pep boys and the like work very well. if you want to get a custom color mixed at an auto paint shop have them use dupont "chroma" base. it CAN be pricey..i've paid over $100 for a pint of color, but "standard" colors aren't too bad...$30 or so for the color. then you need equal part of reducer. mix, strain and spray.
you can use automtive spray cans from pep boys etc. i recommend that you use an adhesion promoter between the color coat and clear coats. not all formulas are compatable....using incompatable formulas of color and clear can give you headaches...krinkling, hazing or even a soft, pushable surface. the dupont chroma base works well with a nitro-cellulose clear if you use a round of adhesion promoter in between.
remember that the prep work is the MOST important work in a refinish, or new finish! take extra time to fill any voids, sand any bumps and clean up anything on the surface. wipe the spray-ready wood down with nahptha (zippo lighter fluid!) before you start applying coats. don't use any skin products (moisturisers etc) and tack down the surfaces before you spray.
reranch has great step by step instructions and excellent products. you can save some cash by finding a dealer who sells behlen laquer products.
hope that helps and doesn't confuse!!!
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Sealing the wood before spraying car paints? Somewhere and i think it was Reraunch... they list an oil based sealer that can be bought at Home Depot.... Any tips on which sealer works best for car finnishes?
If i understand the steps
1-sealer
2-auto primer spray coats
3-colour
4-clear....
Sanding and filling as you go....
How long between coats to dry? some say 2 light coats a day but these auto shops are not spraying like that.... they are doing a car in a day or so are they not? Mind you they have booths and heat lamps to cure the finnish.....
Also can you use clear coats to wash the body with and sand flat and level, then spray colour and more clear after that.....?
I was told that the finnish Warmoth is using is Car paint the same as Fender uses..... would this be true...?
WHOFAN
Sealing the wood before spraying car paints? Somewhere and i think it was Reraunch... they list an oil based sealer that can be bought at Home Depot.... Any tips on which sealer works best for car finnishes?
If i understand the steps
1-sealer
2-auto primer spray coats
3-colour
4-clear....
Sanding and filling as you go....
How long between coats to dry? some say 2 light coats a day but these auto shops are not spraying like that.... they are doing a car in a day or so are they not? Mind you they have booths and heat lamps to cure the finnish.....
Also can you use clear coats to wash the body with and sand flat and level, then spray colour and more clear after that.....?
I was told that the finnish Warmoth is using is Car paint the same as Fender uses..... would this be true...?
WHOFAN
FretFire
SingedFingerologist
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Davis, good to see you here bro, welcome!
jdbluesville said:duplicolor "classic" sprays in the paint section of pep boys and the like work very well. if you want to get a custom color mixed at an auto paint shop have them use dupont "chroma" base. it CAN be pricey..i've paid over $100 for a pint of color, but "standard" colors aren't too bad...$30 or so for the color. then you need equal part of reducer. mix, strain and spray.
you can use automtive spray cans from pep boys etc. i recommend that you use an adhesion promoter between the color coat and clear coats. not all formulas are compatable....using incompatable formulas of color and clear can give you headaches...krinkling, hazing or even a soft, pushable surface. the dupont chroma base works well with a nitro-cellulose clear if you use a round of adhesion promoter in between.
remember that the prep work is the MOST important work in a refinish, or new finish! take extra time to fill any voids, sand any bumps and clean up anything on the surface. wipe the spray-ready wood down with nahptha (zippo lighter fluid!) before you start applying coats. don't use any skin products (moisturisers etc) and tack down the surfaces before you spray.
reranch has great step by step instructions and excellent products. you can save some cash by finding a dealer who sells behlen laquer products.
hope that helps and doesn't confuse!!!
Davis, good to see you here bro, welcome!
mnbaseball91
New member
Re: Painting a guitar body with car paint?
Whofan, I like to do no more than three coats per day with no less than three hours between coats. I don't think ANY auto manufacturers use nitro anymore and I doubt very many if any use acrylic. I would think all of them would have gone to urathane based paints by now, but of course it's hard to sell that stuff in an aerosol can. But yes, with a heat lamp you could do an entire guitar finish with nitro in one day. You'd still want to let it shrink back for a couple weeks before buffing though, so it sort of defeats the purpose. Not as much of a problem over a metal base because it's already so smooth...
The finish that Warmoth uses is poly, as is the stuff Fender uses. You need a good compressor if you're going to spray that stuff.
Oh, and sealer...I don't recomend using this because it's incredably soft, but I did find Stewmac sanding sealer to be compatible with duplicolor acrylic lacquer. Stewmac waterbased grainfiller, which was actually pretty good, was also compatible with the duplicolor acrylic lacquer.
Whofan, I like to do no more than three coats per day with no less than three hours between coats. I don't think ANY auto manufacturers use nitro anymore and I doubt very many if any use acrylic. I would think all of them would have gone to urathane based paints by now, but of course it's hard to sell that stuff in an aerosol can. But yes, with a heat lamp you could do an entire guitar finish with nitro in one day. You'd still want to let it shrink back for a couple weeks before buffing though, so it sort of defeats the purpose. Not as much of a problem over a metal base because it's already so smooth...
The finish that Warmoth uses is poly, as is the stuff Fender uses. You need a good compressor if you're going to spray that stuff.
Oh, and sealer...I don't recomend using this because it's incredably soft, but I did find Stewmac sanding sealer to be compatible with duplicolor acrylic lacquer. Stewmac waterbased grainfiller, which was actually pretty good, was also compatible with the duplicolor acrylic lacquer.
