Let's do a Sharp dressed Strat.....

[Ronkirn]

Shoot… I didn’t show ya the yellow….



Here it is.. looks pretty darn yaller don’t it? So I take a clean paper towel, soaked with alcohol and wipe it down, a few times.. this reduces the intensity by allowing the color to be absorbed into the wood… Oh… Dye vs.. Stain…. Dye soaks into the surface… the wood is now what ever cool you dyed it…. Stain lays on the top.. kinda like a thin paint…

So I wash it down a couple of times.. and let it dry to analyze the shade…. Then I’ll lightly sand…. What this does is take away some of the “high” spots, which leaves the lower areas really intense….



she’s now ready to get dressed….



The first stage is something beautiful and sheer from Victoria’s Secre* SMACK!!! Damn… the wife just snuck up behind me…. No sense of humor….

Ok… first thing is a few coats of a clear, very clear, sealer..



Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

OH yes.. I forgot… I do allow it to dry over night to be certain all the alcohol has evaporated….then I shoot it… front and back…



I’ll give it a few coats, then a good sanding with 220…. Maybe a few more coats… then it hangs for a few days….

I’ll be back…..

Ron Kirn

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

OH yes.. I forgot… I do allow it to dry over night to be certain all the alcohol has evaporated….then I shoot it… front and back…



I’ll give it a few coats, then a good sanding with 220…. Maybe a few more coats… then it hangs for a few days….

I’ll be back…..

Ron Kirn

Ron, I never saw you apply grain filler to the mahogany. Did I miss something?

BTW, as always these threads are so brilliant. Very generous of you.

[Fortsbest]

I was gonna ask the same thing. I thought Porous woods like mahogany, swamp ash etc needed grain fillling or you'd have to lay on tons of laquer to fill grain and seal pores.

[Ronkirn]

I never saw you apply grain filler to the mahogany.

Nope.. I rarely use it..... I'll apply the sealer, sand most off and recoat.... and it's ready for lacquer.

rk

[Ronkirn]

Ok so I have a coat of sealer on ‘er.. I keep applying coats until I have a completely sealed surface…. I watch the light’s reflection as I spray watching for small points where the coat doesn’t cover minute grain irregularities…. If a few show… I’ll touch them with a needle to release any trapped air while the coat is very wet…



Once I see complete coverage, I allow it to dry thoroughly. By thoroughly I mean is has to be able to “powder” when sanded. Many sealers will feel qute dry after a few hours, but try to sand it and it “loads up”. This means the particles of the finish removed are still sticky enough to bind together, leaving “globs: of finish stuck in the sandpaper. Imagine sanding old chewing gum… it just does not work….

So sanded….. it’s ready for the color…..





Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

I now give it a good sanding with 320…. This is to insure adhesion between the lacquer and the sealer.




And it’s time to begin… First I give the whole body a coat of clear lacquer… then begin with the edge by shooting a dark coat. Being careful to direct the overspray away from the center of the body..



I have seen many get carried away, trying to get full coverage with the first coat….not good… it’s a sure way to develop runs.. Runs + Transparent colored lacquer = major problem… take it slow and easy…. Adding additional color only after the last coat has “flashed”



And finally…



Every few coats of color, I will give the whole surface a coat of clear…. What this does is melt any overspray into the clear giving a gradual transition from the center yellow, to the dark edge. If you notice most ‘bursts have a very abrupt transition, giving them a “mechanical” appearance, the method I use makes for a very gradual flow from one shade to the next..

Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

Now, I’ll change color to more red… even though the previous shots looked red, they were a very dark brown, the lights just punched through….This shade is much more red…. I’m using an automotive detail spray gun, it holds about 6 ounces, in that I will put about 10 drops of red and one of brown Sherwin Williams Universal dye.



and I continue with the previous technique…. A thin coat of color, a coat of clear…. Allow it to flash.. and repeat allowing the tint to gradually build up to the intensity I’m looking for..

At this point I will begin tinting the edge of the back… I haven’t yet because I wanted to get the top’s veneer edge to closely approximate the density of the mahogany… now I’ll give it a coat every time I do the top..



I also give it a coat of clear to melt the overspray into the previously applied lacquer..



And continuing with the top… working the tint looking for a specific look…



Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

You may notice, the center looks a touch pink at this stage… ain’t no biggie, don’t sweat it… it’s mainly the lights, which seems to exaggerate Red…. But.. I continue, possibly 10 to 20 times, to get the correct intensity…



again, watching reflected light, to verify lacquer coverage…



and this is what she looks like at this point…



Here I have given it a coat of amber to bring the slight red hue back under control and give the whole thing a warmer appearance..



Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

Make use of the reflected light…. It makes applying the finish a lot easier, and as you near completing the final coats, the wetter you can apply them, the easier the wet sanding will be..





after the color is completed, I give the body about 5 good wet coats of cleat, allowing about 20 – 40 minutes between coats….





Now, I allow it to dry for a few days before giving it an interim sanding. And the last of the clear coats…

Ron Kirn

[robt57]

Does the lacquer buildup take care of the difference in thickness at the edge of the veneer ?


Robt

[hopdybob]

@ronkirn

as you take us on this project it seems so simple, it floats out of your hands.
almost unbelievable

[Ronkirn]

Rob.. when doing the final sand... I feather the edge so there is no thickness differential.

rk

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Rob.. when doing the final sand... I feather the edge so there is no thickness differential.

rk

So is it safe to say when spraying you build it up more there so it is not too thin after the final sanding at the edge ??

Robt

[Ronkirn]

I apply the color dense enough to cover the edges then blend the varying colors into the surrounding areas, the red mahogany on the back, and/or the veneer on top....... then I apply the clear.... when wet sanding I don't go through the clear, so the color coat's density remains unchanged.

rk

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

I apply the color dense enough to cover the edges then blend the varying colors into the surrounding areas, the red mahogany on the back, and/or the veneer on top....... then I apply the clear.... when wet sanding I don't go through the clear, so the color coat's density remains unchanged.

rk

Thanks, I got a gun the other day, and I am trying to avoid getting myself in too much trouble on the first cloth paisley finish. ;)

[Ronkirn]

Opps. . .. you're goose is cooked..

rk

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Opps. . .. you're goose is cooked..

rk

Not yet, but soon. ;)


All mine have been Tung oils so far, or pre-finished builds. ;)

[ajgus]

Hey Ron, any progress?

[Ronkirn]

It has been hardening for a few, before sanding and the final Clear coats.... I screwed up and lacquered the neck without even thinking of photographing it.... I'll snap it from here on though...

Sometimes I get in a "flow" and don't think of anything else other than building..

Ron Kirn

[magicguitar]

You're the king Ron. Nice build once again!

[Dean Gray]

Originally Posted by hopdybob

@ronkirn

as you take us on this project it seems so simple, it floats out of your hands.
almost unbelievable

That's such a good description! It is inspiring to see people do things they love so masterfully. I hope one day to be able to play guitar as well as you build them, and make it look so easy!!

[madmark]

sweet job