Painting some bodies

[blakejcan]

got the base coats down yesterday. Going to add some sparkle today and see how it goes. I have a feeling my garage will be a disaster after this.

 

[GuitarStv]

That purple one looks awesome!

 

[jeremy]

i think they all look good, love the tele though!

 

[playas]

Nice!
Especially the purple and gold.

 

[Mincer]

That purple is fantastic.

 

[nienturi]

Very hot looking bodies :22:

 

[Securb]

Very nice looking. The body shop that did the sparkle finish on my Iceman still finds glitter in the shop 10 years later.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I did a metal flake Tele several years ago and as much as I cleaned up after, there are still flecks everywhere in my shop and house...and I mean everywhere!

 

[blakejcan]

first attempt at spraying metal flake was a globby, cloggy, spitting disaster yesterday. haha big learning curve. But thankfully it was only on sample scrap and not on any guitars.

thanks for the kind words!

 

[Mincer]

What makes the metal flake harder to apply than other paints?

 

[ICTGoober]

What makes the metal flake harder to apply than other paints?

The flakes are usually aluminum, and the metal has more mass than the finish it's mixed in. You have to apply a LOT of it, from slightly farther away from the surface to keep it from striping. It just scatters like crazy. Most places (or persons, in my case) who shoot metal flake or pearl devote spray guns to shoot only those materials, to keep from contaminating the guns and cups used for clear and opaque finishes. You can keep your spraying area as clean as possible, but having solid materials in your finishes complicate things by a wide margin. I used to shoot real glass & mirror flake and that shit creates even more problems. It will HURT YOU if you aren't careful. Personal protection equipment is a must, but it only goes so far. Clean up duties are in-depth and absolutely essential. Which is another reason why it costs more...

 

[Mincer]

The flakes are usually aluminum, and the metal has more mass than the finish it's mixed in. You have to apply a LOT of it, from slightly farther away from the surface to keep it from striping. It just scatters like crazy. Most places (or persons, in my case) who shoot metal flake or pearl devote spray guns to shoot only those materials, to keep from contaminating the guns and cups used for clear and opaque finishes. You can keep your spraying area as clean as possible, but having solid materials in your finishes complicate things by a wide margin. I used to shoot real glass & mirror flake and that **** creates even more problems. It will HURT YOU if you aren't careful. Personal protection equipment is a must, but it only goes so far. Clean up duties are in-depth and absolutely essential. Which is another reason why it costs more...

Well, the more you know!

 

[blakejcan]

in my case all of the flakes were collecting at the bottom of the paint cup and clogging it up.

 

[Securb]

You might also consider a larger tip for your spray gun so the flake can pass through.

 

[blakejcan]

thanks. I got a huge tip on there right now for the size of flake. I think I need to just use less flake

 

[Aceman]

But thankfully it was only on sample scrap and not on any guitars.

thanks for the kind words!

Pro move - well done! First attempt, and even first spray is NOT on the target object!

 

[JOLLY]

Looking good!! All teles should have binding.

 

[GuitarDoc]

in my case all of the flakes were collecting at the bottom of the paint cup and clogging it up.

Yes, that is typical. You either have to constantly be mixing it while spraying, or spray it on dry onto a freshly sprayed, still wet, finish. Either of those techniques is difficult and intensive. But in either technique, as Goober said, complete cleanup is intensive and imperative.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

One thing you can do with metallics is after getting enough covarage, do one more color coat. This time open up the spray pattern and increase the distance with a slightler slower pass, which gives a nice, even, dispersion of the metallics. It's okay if it's just a little dry if you are clear coating over it.

 

[blakejcan]

Update--I figured out the metal flake. I was just putting in way way way way way way way way waaaaay too much. Did like 1/10th of what I was doing before and did multiple passes and it looks great. I'll post some pics.