Coming to a thread near you. . .

[Ronkirn]

I'll take it outside often to verify....

rk

[Ronkirn]

After allowing the lacquer to dry for a few hours, it’s time to get the scraper out…

First when removing masking tape, be careful to pull the tape away from the fresh paint, this will reduce the chance of the tale grabbing the mew finish and tearing the edge.



For the scraper, you can buy ‘em, expensive little buggers that they are, or you can make them from the junk in that drawer over there. The photo should be self explanatory.



The blade is any piece of hardened steel, here I have used an old saber saw blade, and re ground it, to produce the edge.





now I’m ready to clean it up….

Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

Now adjust the scraper to take the slightest amount from the edge of the sprayed finish… this is why I mask, otherwise you are scraping the full edge of the binding, many do it that way, but there’s no need…



You just continue all the way around cutting a very clean sharp edge..

Now, I check the top edge, to be certain there is no accumulated gunk of any kind, if so the top edge scraper will clean it right up… but you need a top edge scraper… again, quite easy to make…



Just go around the top edge to clean any residue…



sorry, the camera missed that shot…. Just imagine. . . .

once cleaned, I give the top a coat of clear to seal it, no color added yet…. That comes tomorrow..



Ron Kirn

[Ollie!]

Just.... AMAZING!!!

Great to see how a pro does it..

[Big John]

Naaahh !, that Ron Kirn, he messes around too long taking photo's to get the job done properly !

*KIDDING !!!* ...... that's looking splendid Ron.

[ThreePlyGuy]

And just when I was thinking my new parts player was something special!

[MandyMarie]

I'm probably going to say it a million times...but that's amazing, Ron - you're seriously a damn artist!

[Ronkirn]

Well today I was doodling with it, and it struck me that something is missing…. So I dug out my copy of AutoCad ’72 edition. In 1972 it went by another name, it was called Technical drawing pens.



I got ‘er out, cleaned ‘em up, loaded them with ink…..and set out to drawin’



This isn’t for those with the shakes… so yeah, it’s out… I’m not a total drunk…. Just a nice, very nice scotch in the evening….

I take the pen and using the holder as a guide to ride the edge of the body, trace a accent line all the way around the body, making sure the INSIDE is very clean, I don’t give a rat’s behind about the outside of the edge… I’ll show ya why in a moment…

Stuff like this isn’t important..




and. . .




Ahhhh… I don’t think I’ll bore ya with this stuff… no body cares…..

Ron Kirn

[Buckocaster51]

I used to have that same set of pens!

Some of them may survive around here yet.

I even added "purfling" to a few guitars the same way.

This is a déjå vu moment...

[Nick JD]

What kinda ink's in those AutoCad 72 pens? What doesn't dissolve in nitro-solvents? Water based?

[Ronkirn]

Oh what the heck… OK…..

Once the line is traced all around the periphery, let it dry….. BUT…. Before I ever let the ink hit the lacquer. I wet sand the complete top being sure the edge is as smooth as a piece of drafting film. Any irregularities must be drop filled, allowed to dry a day or so, and scraped flush then wet sanded. The wet sanding provides a perfect surface for the ink.

Now, after it had dried .. about an hour… it’s scraper time.. Set the blade to cut a perfect edge.. and scrape…..

Using a scraper is really quite easy… the tools I made allow me to rotate them to adjust the “bite” of the blade so I can pull it along with it taking a nice smooth cut. Some will bite and chatter along… that’s just more work.



IF you’re going to do this… make you up a test board with binding…. The pen trick, and scraping binding in general aren’t difficult, but there is a learning curve, once you “get the hang” of it, it’s like riding a bike… you can fall on you a** anytime…

Here are a few shots of the finished line…







Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

Higgins India.... it is essentially carbon black in an acrylic medium.

Ron

[Ronkirn]

I used to have that same set of pens!

I figured Wild Steve would know about this... it's an old trick... dated back to the 1st Dynasty when Narmer would have his luthiers carve his Tele's out of Egyptian Granite and doodle all over 'em.


Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

Anyway… remember the lacquer I mixed to do the back…..



now I dilute it about 50% with clear lacquer… I use this to bring the top to the shade tint I’m looking for…



A beautiful amber no doubt, but I wannit darker, so I give ‘er another blast….



Now, that’s lookin’ ‘bout right……

So I allow the tint to flash… then give it the first of a bunch a clear coats…



Now it’s clear coat time… since I’m sure you don’t want to see 50 photograph of the same thing….I’ll move on to polishing the neck while waiting for paint to dry….

Well, it’s a Holliday weekend, so there won’t be any homework. Enjoy.. and see ya shortly..

Ron Kirn

[boris bubbanov]

You're getting pretty good at this, young fellah!

Thanks for these great posts.

And I haven't forgot about the wood guys on Hwy 318; hopefully they'll get through this storm a comin', and I'll get over there.

[Ronkirn]

I just stumble around till it falls together,,

rk

[jumpnblues]

You, sir, are a bad, bad, boy showing me porn like that and making me lust like this! I fell in love with that guitar the minute I first saw Charlie playing it. VERY cool guitar! What electronics do you plan on using?


Tom

[maestrovert]

Originally Posted by MandyMarie

I'm probably going to say it a million times...but that's amazing, Ron - you're seriously a damn artist!

That's an understatement !

[scubadoo]

Looks superb, love that pen trick. I used to work as an archaeological illustrator and spent weeks just stippling dots. Not easy after a big night out!

Your clear coats always look so wet whereas mine look matte and speckley. Is it cos you're spraying more in one go or maybe i heat the rattle can too much?

Loving this thread, thanks Ron.

[Vizcaster]

Now ya donnit. Got us all thinking where else those thin black lines would look good - like maybe lining the f-holes.

Seriously, how will you dress the cut edge of the f-holes? Do you leave them natural or cover them with black like on a Gibson? Once I bound f-holes with the thin B-W-B to match the multi-binding on the edge of the top - wasn't worth the work (at least not the way it came out in my hands).

[Ronkirn]

What electronics do you plan on using?

it'll be pretty mush standard es-5 perhaps with a push'pull or 2

cover them with black like on a Gibson?

I'll do the inside edges in black... i'll get 'round to it..

rattle can

I don't hardly use no rattle cans there u rascal....


rk

[jwells393]

Is that pen set still available? What's the brand name?

[Ronkirn]

Is that pen set still available? What's the brand name?

Buwahhhahhahahahha!!! Information is power. . . taking bids for the name.....

They are available under several names, Castell TG, Rapidograph, Staedtler, and a few others I forget... over the years I have tried them all, the Castell are less prone to clogging.

Here are some currently listed on eBay.. if you buy 'em clean thoroughly with ammonia first...

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAEDTLER-Rapido...QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.com/koh-i-noor-rapid...QQcmdZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.com/koh-i-noor-rapid...QQcmdZViewItem

Any of these are great.. In the early 70’s the pens cost an outrageous 25 bux a piece…

Ron Kirn

[scubadoo]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Is that pen set still available? What's the brand name?

http://www.rotring.com/en/produkte/t.../isograph.html

These are the ones my office used to use. You just had to make sure that you cleaned the nibs out if you weren't using them regularly. Great pens.

[jwells393]

Maybe I didn't ask the proper question. I was wondering about a set with that edge-hugging pen holder. Maybe that's a Ron Kirn invention.

......

[Ronkirn]

here's the same complete set on ebay right now..

http://cgi.ebay.com/FABER-CASTELL-TG...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Faber-Castell-Te...dZp1638Q2em122


making a holder would be easy, I was doing so when I realized the holder in the case would suffice.


I don;t think it;s still in production, but there are others, you might check with a better artists supply shop..

rk

[moparmutt]

that is a great looking guitar
Can't wait to see the rest!!

[Ronkirn]

Wabaum 39

I took a break from spraying the clear to do a little house cleaning…. The accumulated lacquer closes up the recesses for the control access covers..



Using the back edge of an X-acto knife, I scrape the inside edges back to bear wood..



This allows the cover to fit cleanly within the recess. Too many manufacturers simply cut the cover to fit inside the painted edges, but that gives me the creeps. It makes for a very sloppy appearance..



I repeat the same procedure on the larger control access…



Well back to watching paint dry…. This is the exciting part…

Ron Kirn

[scubadoo]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Using the back edge of an X-acto knife, I scrape the inside edges back to bear wood..

Ron, do you ever have a problem with the lacquer chipping when you do this? I used a stanley knife blade to clean up my neck pocket and some of the lacquer chipped a bit. I ended up rerouting it which also chipped it a bit.

[Ronkirn]

only if you wait to long.... I usually do it within a day of so of spraying, that way is remains soft enough pt peal cleanly.

rk

[scubadoo]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

only if you wait to long.... I usually do it within a day of so of spraying, that way is remains soft enough pt peal cleanly.

rk

Ah! I see. That makes sense. So i should do it more or less as soon as my last coat has dried?

Thank Ron.

[Ronkirn]

It depends on the finish... if it's a multi layer as this is.... Sealer/color, tint, clear... I'd do it at least once before I did the final coats...then clean it up after the final coats are on, that way there's not a lot of buildup to dig out...

rk

[scubadoo]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

It depends on the finish... if it's a multi layer as this is.... Sealer/color, tint, clear... I'd do it at least once before I did the final coats...then clean it up after the final coats are on, that way there's not a lot of buildup to dig out...

rk

Now this is the kind of useful stuff that you never find in the books. Always good to have you on hand Ron.

[Ronkirn]

Just so ya know I didn't crawl away for hibernation.... she's hanging in the back room waiting for polishing next week..

rk

[Ronkirn]

Well paint can only dry for so long….. it’s time..

This needs to be wet sanded…



Using the trusty Corian block and 3M paper…I begin…

One of the faults many make is stopping too soon. Here I have stopped to illustrate how to use the overhead lighting to show where sanding is not completed.



and after the same area is correctly done…



I also sand the inside edge of the F holes… I’ll give them a coat of black later..



Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

Here is another pair showing wetsanding..



and



A few more swipes and this will be done…

Continuing on the back..



Not there yet…



Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

I give the F holes a coat of acrylic black; this is the same paint the air brush artists use to do the graphics on Customized Autos. It has excellent adhesion, but since its water based, it does not react with the lacquer, so if your brush slips, a damp paper towel will take care of it,

When I begin the buffing the process will naturally clean up the edges giving is a more “organic: look as opposed to the mechanical look of a “masked” edge.



it takes a few minutes to dry, and about an hour to cure. The acrylic is reversible with water until it cures, then it stays where you put it.

I’ve already buffed the Bakelite covers..



SO on to the body..





Sorry . . . the camera has a mind of its own as to where to focus sometimes...

Ron Kirn

[Ronkirn]

Then…. Cold Sweat time…..



I actually screwed one of these up a few weeks ago… I’m ashamed to admit it, but I said things like,. Dadgummit… and fooey…. And … And…. Yep.. I said Rats….

Then I do the Ferrule routs….



then mount the ferrules…..



That completed the body… tomorrow I’ll get it pretty much assembled…

Ron Kirn

[Buckocaster51]

Ron, you have such a slick way of doing those ferrules.

Thanks for sharing so much.

[Ronkirn]

I made that thing about 20 years ago.... never found anything that works better of faster... now if they would just make the Ferrules the same size....

RK