Removing Poly-type finish...

[J Moose]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

How so? The paint isn't THAT expensive, is it?

By the time you're done with sandpaper alone, from the initial 40 grit strip the final 1000 grit wet pass you could easily drop $50 or more. Not to mention the rest of the materials you'll need... and paint... and whatever you're time is worth.

Get 'yer sanding sealer... primer, color coats, clear coats... materials & tools... it adds up quick.

If you want a new color it's easier to buy a new body... unless you want the "fun" of the project which is certainly valid.

Allparts sells prepainted bodies in an assortment of colors and are pretty reasonably priced. Especially for the quality which is most likely a step up from MIM poplar.

 

[B2D]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

By the time you're done with sandpaper alone, from the initial 40 grit strip the final 1000 grit wet pass you could easily drop $50 or more. Not to mention the rest of the materials you'll need... and paint... and whatever you're time is worth.

Get 'yer sanding sealer... primer, color coats, clear coats... materials & tools... it adds up quick.

If you want a new color it's easier to buy a new body... unless you want the "fun" of the project which is certainly valid.

Allparts sells prepainted bodies in an assortment of colors and are pretty reasonably priced. Especially for the quality which is most likely a step up from MIM poplar.

All the tools I'll need I already have or can borrow.

I know it's easier to buy a new body but a) It's not the same guitar anymore, it's a mutt. Not a bad thing in itself but I wanna keep the original guitar intact. b) I want to learn how to do this myself instead of just BUYING what I need. I want the experience and the DIY knowledge.

 

[J Moose]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

I know it's easier to buy a new body but a) It's not the same guitar anymore, it's a mutt. Not a bad thing in itself but I wanna keep the original guitar intact. b) I want to learn how to do this myself instead of just BUYING what I need. I want the experience and the DIY knowledge.

All valid points!

Get to sanding already!!!

 

[uOpt]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Stewmac's sanding paper sample bag should be sufficient and costs $16.

With the low grits you can probably get it done in a reasonable timely manner with just a simple wood block if you don't do the sides, much less the cutaways. But as I said, trying to sand the cutaways will probably ruin the guitar anyway. And leaving the poly on the sides can't affect sound too much.

The better question is how to get it out of the neck pocket, if there's any in there.

I think it's doable but there's no way your first nitro spray will look anything close to good. And don't try black on first try.

 

[B2D]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Stewmac's sanding paper sample bag should be sufficient and costs $16.

With the low grits you can probably get it done in a reasonable timely manner with just a simple wood block if you don't do the sides, much less the cutaways. But as I said, trying to sand the cutaways will probably ruin the guitar anyway. And leaving the poly on the sides can't affect sound too much.

The better question is how to get it out of the neck pocket, if there's any in there.

I think it's doable but there's no way your first nitro spray will look anything close to good. And don't try black on first try.

There's nothing in the neck pocket, but I'm gonna have a hell of a time with the pickups/control/trem cavities.

I've got a Dan Erlewine book to help me out as well, I figure reading up, setting up properly and following procedure carefully ought to get me a half-decent finish.

 

[pzaxtl]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

There are two types of poly finish. I forgot the designations but one can be stripped, the other cannot. I guess you got the latter.

I believe you're thinking of a "conversion varnish" which more or less indestructable. Regular old poly is pretty tough stuff but nothing like a conversion varnish. CV isn't used much outside of professional shops since it is quite toxic and requires a first rate spray system (booth and gun).

 

[TeleJr24]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Don't forget to wear some sort of mask. I sanded down my Kramer without any percautions and I was coughing up blue phlem for a week.

 

[B2D]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Don't forget to wear some sort of mask. I sanded down my Kramer without any percautions and I was coughing up blue phlem for a week.

:laugh2:

Yeah I wear a mask and goggles when working with paint or sanding.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

I hate to sound like Mr. Rain Cloud here but I wouldn't waste your time...

Those finishes are thick as all hell and often require loads of chemicals and even a heat gun to remove, it makes a hellova mess and IMO is just not worth it...all that work to get down to a 3 or 4 piece body made of poplar if you're lucky, then clean the body from all the chemicals, sand, and sand and finish sand, grain sealer then base coat, colour coat, clear coat all of which require work in between.

I'll say this, and again Im not trying to down the idea, if you want a project just to kill time go for it...if you want to upgrade the guitar it's worth the $200 or so for a new body IMO rather than to try and strip that one...just buy a new body from USACG and it'll be ready to grain seal as soon as you get it...

 

[B2D]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

I'm more looking at this as a DIY project for the education. From what I hear it MIGHT improve the tone. I don't need to get this done right now because I have two other functioning electrics so I've got the luxury of the time as well. It'll be educational and fun.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Well, you should at least make recordings so that you can compare before and after.

 

[B2D]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Well, you should at least make recordings so that you can compare before and after.

I don't have any way of recording right now, but I'm pretty sure I'll pick up on a tonal difference right away. This was my first "real" electric guitar and over the course of 8 years I played about 700+ shows with it, and had various pickups in it so I know the core tone of the guitar pretty well. It's actually not that bad for a poplar body. Good bass and treble and slightly less mids than an alder one.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

I did this to an old MIM strat one time and it took me a long long time. I ended up using a chisel and hammer and gave it a relic job at the same time! Lots of little chunks of wood that I had to fill and them I blasted it with some gold spray paint and some nitro lacquer. Turned out surprisingly good. Way too much effort.

 

[B2D]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

I did this to an old MIM strat one time and it took me a long long time. I ended up using a chisel and hammer and gave it a relic job at the same time! Lots of little chunks of wood that I had to fill and them I blasted it with some gold spray paint and some nitro lacquer. Turned out surprisingly good. Way too much effort.

Coolio. Got any pics of it?

That reminds me, you still have that old white strat with the Duckbuckers in it? That was the first avatar I remember you having.

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

You should do it. It's not easy but the end results are great. What's a real nitro job cost these days anyway? $350? No way it'll cost you that much...not even close.

 

[butnut]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

That's a lot of work bro...have fun!

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Before you undertake this, let me add this again. There is little to gain by stripping the old body, both in "experience" and in final results. If you want to finish a body on your own for the DIY experience, you will have better results and more fun by starting with a new raw body.

Either way, you know we will offer advice.

 

[Guest]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

The bulletproof type poly coat... as pointed out already in the thread. NO paintstripper touches it, trust me! I tried 5 different strippers. Basically nothing happened.

In Finland I couldn't get hold of the super powerful Aircraft Stripper that is said to work, so I can't comment on this.

But I found a way that is quite okay as long as you are a little careful. Using a heat gun, the poly first goes yellow, then starts cracking and eventually you can scrape it off with a chisel or some other sharp edges tool. But if you heat it too long at the same spot it can burn the wood.

So the summary would be, get the Aircraft Stripper if possible otherwise go get the heat gun and start working!

 

[mrfunnyman]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Fender guitars suck to do refinishes on, here is the trick buy, 2 1 gallon cans of Aircraft remover from Kleenstrip and a metal scraper, along with various grades of sandpaper, cheap paint brushes and some cardboard and black industrial garbage bags. Lay a garbage bag down, lay the guitar on, then pour stripper on the guitar, filling the cavities, then fold the corners of the garbage ontop of the guitar body, then lay another bag over the top to trap the fumes and keep the stripper from drying out, let the finish sit for 12 hrs, if the paint starts scraping scrape it off, then do the back side, just keep this up until the finish is gone. Just be advised fender doesn't use the best woods out there so be prepared for you guitar to have some gouges in the wood that was embalmed in thick coats of urethane.

 

[B2D]

Re: Removing Poly-type finish...

Just an FYI... I started the project last night.

I grabbed a power orbital sander and Russ gave me some 40-grit sandpaper and I went to town. Spent about an hour on it last night... this is some TOUGH paint!!! I'm photo documenting all this for a pic story... will take a while but it'll be fun.