The Meloncaster Project (aka Son of Buttercaster)

[stxrus]

that may very well be the hottest looking telecaster i have ever seen. at least 3 thumbus up!!!

thanks for sharing the build

steve

[Nogbad]

This is the best thread I ever read! AND it has a happy ending...Im insanely jealous too! what beauties you have made!

[Buckocaster51]

Well...we're back...

Is there a "better" way to apply sparkles!

There just might be!

As Spankdplank showed us in Seafoam Spaklecaster project it is possible to use a Preval sprayer to do the job.

2 boxes recently followed me home. One was a box full of SPARKLES that might keep me supplied for the next 25 years. The other was a box full of PREVAL sprayers.

Tonight I played with them.



This is what I started with: a plastic baggie full of lavender sparkles, a PREVAL sprayer, a quart of glossy DEFT, and a gallon of what might be the world's worst lacquer thinner.



I'll tell you the reason it might be the world's worst lacquer thinner later.

Because the flake is pretty good sized, we have to remove the strainer from the bottom of the PREVAL spray rig.



Since it comes right off, the PREVAL people might have anticipated this move...or else they are trying to save money on glue!

[Buckocaster51]

Contrary to Spanky's advice, and simply because I always mix lacquer this way, I mixed up a 50:50 mixture of DEFT and the world's worst lacquer thinner.



Then it is time to put in some "pixie dust."

This half-teaspoon will be about the ratio that Spanky advised. But my lacquer is thinner.



Mixing the pixie dust with the lacquer gives us this strange-looking concoction.



Yummm-Yummm-Yummmmy!

A few minutes of spraying gave me this.



By golly! I think it is going to work!

Of course, because of the thinner I used, after several hours, it is still very sticky to the touch. Sure, we have 90° and close to 100% humidity right now...and a single coat of rattle-can DEFT that I put on a headstock blushed...but I am not convinced my little sample is EVER going to dry.

Looks good though.

The Meloncaster flake is larger...and tackier looking...but this method applying pixie dust to for sure going to work.

I put the tape on the sample so I could get some idea about how well it masks. Got to be thinking about how I am going to do the binding you know. It looks like the film thickness will be manageable. The flake lays right down. Masking off binding, applying the flake, and then clearing to even out the binding should not be a problem.

One thing I have noticed though...there is pixie dust all over me...and all over my house. I am sure that everything that comes out of my garage for maybe the next 5 years is going to have pixie dust on it...the stuff is pervasive. It goes everywhere. Sort of like helium 3.

More on this later.

I am excited to do something real with it.

Kudos to Spankdplank and everybody else that has been talking about PREVAL sprayers.

[Jellecaster]

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is exactly what I was thinking of doing - as always, you beat me to the punch. I'm glad you did the "proof of concept", now I don't have to.

Great work Bucko!

Is there a chain or "big box" store that carries Preval, or did you have to order it?

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by Jellecaster

Is there a chain or "big box" store that carries Preval, or did you have to order it?

I ordered it up from Autopainters Supply

Seemed like competitive prices from what I could tell.

I'm sure they are readily available in cities...maybe at auto supply type places...or hobby shops.

Seem to work as advertised!

Spankdplank knows whereof he speaks.

[japasul]

Hey, Bucko, do you use any respirator for mixing the thinner? I read on the label that thinner "steam" can be very toxic... I was reluctant to open the can without a respirator!


This method looks great. How does this sprayer differ from a compressor + spray pistol?


Cheers
André Ripoll

[pioneer20]

Originally Posted by Jellecaster

Is there a chain or "big box" store that carries Preval, or did you have to order it?

Most CarQuest auto parts stores will either have them in-stock or can order them. I'm sure alot of the other competitors will have them as well.

[CasinoBoogie]

if you could get in touch, im sure Prince would buy give you a whole lot for that axe

[martino]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Contrary to Spanky's advice, and simply because I always mix lacquer this way, I mixed up a 50:50 mixture of DEFT and the world's worst lacquer thinner.


Then it is time to put in some "pixie dust."

This half-teaspoon will be about the ratio that Spanky advised. But my lacquer is thinner.


Mixing the pixie dust with the lacquer gives us this strange-looking concoction.


Yummm-Yummm-Yummmmy!

A few minutes of spraying gave me this.


By golly! I think it is going to work!

Of course, because of the thinner I used, after several hours, it is still very sticky to the touch. Sure, we have 90° and close to 100% humidity right now...and a single coat of rattle-can DEFT that I put on a headstock blushed...but I am not convinced my little sample is EVER going to dry.

Looks good though.

The Meloncaster flake is larger...and tackier looking...but this method applying pixie dust to for sure going to work.

I put the tape on the sample so I could get some idea about how well it masks. Got to be thinking about how I am going to do the binding you know. It looks like the film thickness will be manageable. The flake lays right down. Masking off binding, applying the flake, and then clearing to even out the binding should not be a problem.

One thing I have noticed though...there is pixie dust all over me...and all over my house. I am sure that everything that comes out of my garage for maybe the next 5 years is going to have pixie dust on it...the stuff is pervasive. It goes everywhere. Sort of like helium 3.

More on this later.

I am excited to do something real with it.

Kudos to Spankdplank and everybody else that has been talking about PREVAL sprayers.

Can some kind person point me to the new season of son of the return of
escape from buttercaster moutain . . . please?!

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by martino

Can some kind person point me to the new season of son of the return of
escape from buttercaster moutain . . . please?!

I've been sanding and sealing bodies...not much news there.

HOWEVER - I have found about 100 pictures of the final assembly/setup of the Melloncaster! One of these days...

Thanks for the continued interest.

[martino]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

I've been sanding and sealing bodies...not much news there.

HOWEVER - I have found about 100 pictures of the final assembly/setup of the Melloncaster! One of these days...

Thanks for the continued interest.

So can you tell us about up and comming epasodes is there a
purple sparkly one or not? What other colors will we see?
Does Buckocaster51 get a spray rig or is that a xmas specal?

[Buckocaster51]

Let's see...2 red sparkles, one gold, probably one silver, one emerald, all with checkerboard binding. One plain jane John Deere green w/yellow binding.

I'm going to do the first one (emerald) with Preval sprayers. I'll evaluate the need for a spray rig after that.

This fall should be lots of fun!

[Trimmed&Burnin]

I know a guy that did this same type (silver) paint job on a Toilet seat conversion guitar,,, looked pretty cool but it'll take the hide off your arm. When I do a metal flake finish I use very fine flake and mix it with the lacquer so that it sprays on evenly. You're breaking new ground here I think.

[Dep]

Buck, I'm looking forward to that emerald one.

I've been waiting for someone to do one of that color.

Please don't keep us in suspense too long.

Dep

[Nick JD]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

One plain jane John Deere green w/yellow binding.

Good lord. Will it also have a PTO axle? I can't wait to see that build and have a feeling the yellow binding will make it look very special. Plain Jane? No!

[Nick JD]

You're probably going to think I'm making this up, but just after posting that last message I heard a tractor coming up my driveway. No way, I thought.

Then a knock on the door. The guy who comes to mow the lawns across the street is standing there asking me if I have a pump - his front tyre is a bit flat.

Behind him is a ride-on mower in John Deere green with yellow trim and a yellow seat.

Spooky.