PermissionToLand
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2018
- Messages
- 23
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- 4
So I embarked on my first build in 2019 and while it came out well, I wasn't happy with the finish.
I used spray cans of Behlen's Dark Red Walnut and Deep Red Toner, with the idea of doing a red base, then the walnut over it. I wanted to get a translucent reddish-brown finish like you see on old Gibson SGs, but it came out very opaque and I found the cans very difficult to work with.
The Deep Red was very inconsistent and did not have a fanned tip like the Walnut, making it very hard to shoot a consistent light coat. So I ended up going heavier than I wanted with the red.
The walnut was also very inconsistent and while trying to go as light as possible (which meant holding the can about two feet away and wasting most of the spray) gave a very peppered look.
So I ended up sanding that all off and trying again, this time with a little spraygun I had for model cars. That was a PITA because the feed cup was tiny, and I couldn't find any larger cups that would fit it. This only just occurred to me now, but could I buy an entire new nozzle? Or are the fittings not universal? Here's a picture of it:
I also used grain filler this time, though it didn't seem to make much of a difference, probably due to the tight grain of Alder.
Despite the ridiculousness of constantly refilling the cup, it was coming out well...
.. until the guitar fell off it's hook. And after that, I had a falling out with the person whose garage I was using to paint. I don't have a garage and my shed has no lighting, so I'm not sure how to proceed. The shop I work at doesn't have a paint booth, so while I could use the shop, I'd have nowhere to keep it safe from all manner of dust and crap. I found a local makerspace but it's not cheap and I'm not even sure they have a paint booth.
Any ideas or advice?
I used spray cans of Behlen's Dark Red Walnut and Deep Red Toner, with the idea of doing a red base, then the walnut over it. I wanted to get a translucent reddish-brown finish like you see on old Gibson SGs, but it came out very opaque and I found the cans very difficult to work with.
The Deep Red was very inconsistent and did not have a fanned tip like the Walnut, making it very hard to shoot a consistent light coat. So I ended up going heavier than I wanted with the red.
The walnut was also very inconsistent and while trying to go as light as possible (which meant holding the can about two feet away and wasting most of the spray) gave a very peppered look.
So I ended up sanding that all off and trying again, this time with a little spraygun I had for model cars. That was a PITA because the feed cup was tiny, and I couldn't find any larger cups that would fit it. This only just occurred to me now, but could I buy an entire new nozzle? Or are the fittings not universal? Here's a picture of it:
I also used grain filler this time, though it didn't seem to make much of a difference, probably due to the tight grain of Alder.
Despite the ridiculousness of constantly refilling the cup, it was coming out well...
.. until the guitar fell off it's hook. And after that, I had a falling out with the person whose garage I was using to paint. I don't have a garage and my shed has no lighting, so I'm not sure how to proceed. The shop I work at doesn't have a paint booth, so while I could use the shop, I'd have nowhere to keep it safe from all manner of dust and crap. I found a local makerspace but it's not cheap and I'm not even sure they have a paint booth.
Any ideas or advice?