Help cracking the paint plz

HarpJim · July 1st, 2008, 06:06 PM

I'm on my vintage partcaster projet and trying to crack the paint a little bit. I tried heating in with a hair dryer then spraying frosted compressed air but nothing happened. This is a mexican body so the paint is poly, I guess. Is there another way to do this on this kind of finish? I'm thinking of putting the whole guitar in the oven than in the freezer. What do you think about it?

Axis29 · July 1st, 2008, 06:13 PM

Only way to do it on poly is to use a razor blade. Hot and cold don't effect it the same way. It's a much more elastic material.

Colt W. Knight · July 1st, 2008, 07:44 PM

Axis is right, poly won't react the same as nitro. Especially when its thick poly like a lot of MIM bodies have. You could spray over the poly with some nitro, and then you can use your blowdrier compressed air technique. Also, you can goto a welding supply store or local livestock artificial insemination place and have them splash on some liquid nitrogen for you.

Nick JD · July 2nd, 2008, 12:04 AM

You can crack thick poly with shock. I've never tried this on a guitar, but you could try a thin piece of wood laid on the body and then whack it real hard with a hammer. You might just end up with big pieces flaking off - but that also might be desirable. There's a fine line between a relicked guitar and what looks like an elephant stampede was rerouted through a music shop.

Good luck with it - post pictures!

reddogbass · July 3rd, 2008, 11:31 AM

The look you're after won't be achieved on that poly finish. The only way I know of to get there would be to top-coat it in lacquer and then do the "freezer to heat" thing.

castpolymer · July 3rd, 2008, 11:42 AM

If you go the cover the poly with nitro route, I found out the hard way that nitro will crack if you use a buffer with too little polishing compound on it. This only took about 10 seconds. I hope my painful mistake can be a positive for you.

HarpJim · July 3rd, 2008, 12:09 PM

Big thanks evevyone!

But nitro stuff does not seems to be available in my canadian city (120 000) citizen. Same.

I guess I'll have to forget the idea.

castpolymer · July 3rd, 2008, 12:14 PM

Can you have ReRanch send spray cans of Nitro into Canada? Is this legal post 9/11?

HarpJim · July 3rd, 2008, 12:18 PM

no it's not... reranch does not ship this nasty stuff to canada
terrorists could use it to enhance the finish of thier weapons

castpolymer · July 3rd, 2008, 12:22 PM

That is a shame. A WMD in Surf Green would be very interesting.

July 1st, 2008, 06:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
HarpJim TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 52	Help cracking the paint plz I'm on my vintage partcaster projet and trying to crack the paint a little bit. I tried heating in with a hair dryer then spraying frosted compressed air but nothing happened. This is a mexican body so the paint is poly, I guess. Is there another way to do this on this kind of finish? I'm thinking of putting the whole guitar in the oven than in the freezer. What do you think about it?

July 1st, 2008, 06:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
Axis29 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 40 Posts: 1,069 1 Photos	Only way to do it on poly is to use a razor blade. Hot and cold don't effect it the same way. It's a much more elastic material. __________________ John F. TDPRI # 1764

July 2nd, 2008, 12:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
Nick JD Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2007 Location: North NSW, Australia Age: 36 Posts: 2,597	You can crack thick poly with shock. I've never tried this on a guitar, but you could try a thin piece of wood laid on the body and then whack it real hard with a hammer. You might just end up with big pieces flaking off - but that also might be desirable. There's a fine line between a relicked guitar and what looks like an elephant stampede was rerouted through a music shop. Good luck with it - post pictures! __________________

July 1st, 2008, 07:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
Colt W. Knight Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: West Virginia Age: 24 Posts: 2,178	Axis is right, poly won't react the same as nitro. Especially when its thick poly like a lot of MIM bodies have. You could spray over the poly with some nitro, and then you can use your blowdrier compressed air technique. Also, you can goto a welding supply store or local livestock artificial insemination place and have them splash on some liquid nitrogen for you.

July 3rd, 2008, 11:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
reddogbass Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Age: 62 Posts: 603 5 Photos	The look you're after won't be achieved on that poly finish. The only way I know of to get there would be to top-coat it in lacquer and then do the "freezer to heat" thing.

July 3rd, 2008, 11:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
castpolymer Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oklahoma Age: 37 Posts: 523	If you go the cover the poly with nitro route, I found out the hard way that nitro will crack if you use a buffer with too little polishing compound on it. This only took about 10 seconds. I hope my painful mistake can be a positive for you.

July 3rd, 2008, 12:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
HarpJim TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 52	Big thanks evevyone! But nitro stuff does not seems to be available in my canadian city (120 000) citizen. Same. I guess I'll have to forget the idea.

July 3rd, 2008, 12:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
castpolymer Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oklahoma Age: 37 Posts: 523	Can you have ReRanch send spray cans of Nitro into Canada? Is this legal post 9/11?

July 3rd, 2008, 12:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
HarpJim TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 52	no it's not... reranch does not ship this nasty stuff to canada terrorists could use it to enhance the finish of thier weapons

July 3rd, 2008, 12:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
castpolymer Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oklahoma Age: 37 Posts: 523	That is a shame. A WMD in Surf Green would be very interesting.