The Jolly Roger - My strat build

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Well, I ain't drunk. But I been drinkin'.

Here's the body, toothpicks clipped and sanded flush.

I decided to test out the finish to make sure it'd actually work and to see if I could get the appropriate results that I want to see. Here's my test bit of wood. Not too exciting.

And my "spraybooth" LOL.

Yes, it's my shower, covered with a heavy duty plastic drop cloth so to speak. I can hang the body from the curtain rail when it's wet, and I have the bathroom fan for ventilation - not ideal, I know, but I've got a respirator as well and don't plan to be living in the bathroom during the finishing process.

Primer goes onto the test piece:

Now I'm waiting for it to dry, and in the meantime, I'm jamming to Buddy Guy, as loud as I can without making all my neighbors hate me lol. Also, this update is brought to you by the following Ontario Craft Beers. Drink responsibly, and don't operate power tools if you're hammered.

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Haven't been doing much lately. Just waiting for paint to dry on my test piece of wood.

I sprayed some of the colour coat on it yesterday so I'll give it a sanding tonight and shoot the clear coat, see how it goes on/dries. I'm actually surprised by how flat the colour coat is so far though. dries nice and smooth, no orange peel or pitting. It's hard to see in this picture, but it looks perfect - that nice creamy off-white colour. It makes me drool. If the clear coat dries as flat, that'll make my life a whole lot easier.

I figure I'm probably only a day or two away from beginning to prime the body and headstock, so I attached this holder thingy so i can hold/hang the body while spraying/drying.

Also, I noticed my amp looked really nice today late in the afternoon, so I decided to take a crappy pic of it that didn't do it justice to how nice it looked.

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Been a while.

Body and neck are currently in colour coat drying stage.

here's a sneak peak.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

YUS.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

You're a wiener.

Looks awesome though.

And I really like what you've done with the Jet City. Maybe it's that pic though, but it looks like the top has concaved in a bit.

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

it'll look awesomer when I get a chance to take some nice pictures of it. In person, that creamy colour is drool worthy.

also, ya, i think that amp picture is weird. dunno what's with the concave thing, but i assure you, my headshell is straight and true, no warping.

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Did some electronics stuff yesterday.

Also, I finished colour coating the body. Just sprayed on the first clear coat today.

Last night though, I couldn't help doing a mockup of the body after I finished sanding it.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Oh **** yes. :approve:

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Man that is just one nice guitar!!

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

thanks guys

 

[MisterE]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

That is turning out super nice!!

I would love to put together one with a Hipshot hardtail bridge.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Schweet!!!
Looking forward to the next photo's.
Good job. Looks awesome.

Peace,

Darrin

 

[guitarkid4143]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

*DROOL*

-gk

 

[BTMN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Looking creamy!

 

[J E C]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

You can cut or grind to screw/screws shorter without much problem. When I was doing a lot of building I did all the time. That Strat will look KILLER !!!

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Thanks doods!

The first clear coat got botched. Somehow, as I was leaving my spray area after spraying the first coat, I must've moved the plastic drop sheets too aggressively or something, cuz it kicked up a bunch of dust which of course settled onto the wet body and headstock, and the dust specks dried into that first coat before I knew it. So I had to sand that first coat almost all the way back to get rid of the specks.

second coat is drying now though, and I didn't make the same mistake twice with the drop sheets. It looks a lot cleaner and more even now. Getting used to the flow of rattle cans is annoying. The colour coat formula sprayed quite differently to how the clear coat goes on. I have to get much closer with the clear coat rattle cans to get nice even coverage, which makes runs more likely. They should really make nozzle flow adjustment thingies for spray cans so you can go from a direct stream to a fine mist and everything in between.

 

[ErikH]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Careful with the clear. Do lots of thin coats, not thick. You don't have to get in too close at all, pretty much the same as when spraying the color. It takes a lot of thin coats of clear to build it up so you can buff it out to a shiney finish.

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

I hear ya, but the way the spray flow comes out, if I attempt shooting from what I would consider a normal distance, then not enough of the clear coat reaches the body, and what I end up with is almost like a stippling effect which means horribly uneven coverage and lots of low spots.

I'm just trying to get a nice thin/even coat.

 

[CTN]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Well, today is "Family Day" here, whatever the hell that means. long weekend.

So I decided to get some sun and work on ye olde axe.

Levelled the clear coat, and did some light relicing on the body. A couple of the relic spots started out as blemishes/low spots that wouldn't sand out until it was too late and I had sanded through. So I went with it, exagerating some of those sports, and making new ones where I saw fit. Don't like it? Too sad.

Also worked on the headstock today. sanded that 2nd clear coat up from 400 to 1000 in preparation for the decal! By the way, this is I think the most accurate representation of the colour of this guitar. a nice creamy dairy kinda colour. Almost like condensed milk. *drool*

1000 grit - Damn that's smooooooth.

So here's how I'm doing the decals.

And boy did it turn out sexy.

You'll have to wait until the guitar's done for the full frontal reveal though

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: The Jolly Roger - My strat build

Badass!