Painting/finishing with cellulose?

[BluesBrother]

Okay. So here's the deal.

I'm building a tele from parts. I know where I can get a cellulose neck for 1400 swedish crowns (200 $ sort of) which I think is a bargain, but bodies are alot more expensive. More than twice as expensive.

So I have three options.

1. Buy a finished body in polyurethane, wich I have no problem with actually, but they just dont get that nice wear/aged look.

2. Buy a clean body, and just oil it. Wich looks nice, but I'm a sucker for the aged look.

3. Buy a clean body and paint it.

Now here's my question for you pepole. The trusty tele community. How hard is it to paint a whole body with cellulose? It would be the first time I've ever tried to finish/paint a body. Well, no, it would be the second. From the first time I tried I learned to use paint compatible with cellulose. That was on a cheap Cort body tho.

I've heard stories and read posts where pepole say that only luthiers can use cellulose, and so on.

But I'd really like to try. I love trying new stuff, a year ago I built my first guitar from parts wich turned out OK. Trying to sell it now tho, so I can afford this tele project (a 16 year old doesn't have alot of money).


Let's say I'm going to try.. First, how much paint/finish would I need? 400 ml of paint and 400 ml of high gloss finish? Or 800 ml of high gloss finish? Anyhow.. This is how I would do it from what I've heard how to do it.

I'd start off with applying the black paint on the blank body (does alder need grain filling?). SLOWLY. Very slowly. One layer in the morning, another one in the evening. Then sand with paper (What grid? As high as possible? 1000 +? Watersand?) after 2 layers, blow the dust off, then one last. Then I'd lay layers of clear coat on that. SLOWLY. Same thing, one in the morning, one in the evening (Or could I do it more often? Once every two hours?). And sand after 2 - 4 layers. I would want as thin finish as possible.. Would 800 ml be enough for 10 layers, and would 10 layers be enough? Or could I do less layers?

So. I'd hang it in the garage, but we have a freezer in there so I'd have to hang it where no one would touch it, on a wooden stick that I screw to the neck cavity. Take some old sheets and hang around it when I'm done (all around) with wheight on the bottom so they won't touch the paint.

How does this sound to you guys who have painted with ceullulose? How did your first one go? I'd have my dad as help, tho he's no painter but a doctor.. So I'd be ok if I would inhale to much finish. But he's a handyman and used to build model airplanes, you know those old ones with 0.2 HP engines that you fly with ropes, which he finished witch lacquer.

And one last question, how long would it take for all of it to harden enough to be polished? I've read 3 months.. As I want an aged look (tho naturally) could how soon after the last layer of finish could I mount everything and start rocking out?

Well, I hope that you haven't gotten tired by reading this. And I just want to thank you in advance.

/Peter

[Buckocaster51]

Peter, spend some time snooping around at the ReRanch site.

Most of what you need will be there.

There are just too many variable to give you specific answers.

However, one of the beauties of (nitro)cellulose that in the event of a mishap, it is extremely easy to remove it and start over. Hard to do that with some of the other finishes.

I did a few guitars in (nitro) cellulose. The color coats were acrylic lacquer. You may want to take at look at The Buttercaster Project and see what was rattling around in my mind a couple of years ago.

It sounds like you have the basic technique worked out.

Work slowly.

It is easier to make a mistake than to fix it.

It is better to go slowly and not make that mistake.

Cutting corners almost always costs you time.

Remember, photos are mandatory.

[BluesBrother]

Okay! Thanks for the answer, I'll check ReRanch and I haven't seen the buttercaster project before.

I'll take pics when I get started. Might take a few weeks tho.

Cheers!

/Peter

[Groovey Records]

Peter read as many build threads as you can

If cost is an issue think about the price of tools when you start a project'

All the little things add up.

BUCKO GAVE YOU EXCELLENT ADVICE!