Thread: Paint ... I'm so confused!!

I dont know what two part acrylic is, i think you mean two pack.

I use two pack mostly, but also nitro. I prefer two pack, because:
Less coats required
Virtually impossible to burn with a buffer
Harder finish
Thinner finish
Less cost overall
Better grain filling properties
Virtually zero shrink back
More resistant to dents and scratches
Retains the gloss better
Less final wet sanding required (if you can get a perfect coat)

Why i DONT like two pack
Very difficult to get a good coat. The difference between not enough (dull, orange peel) and two much (runs which never dry properly) is extremely fine. Its taken me three years of spraying to get confident enough to know i can pull off a killer final coat.
You MUST sand each coat, or it delaminates.
Scratches in the top clear coat, when buffing, and harder to get out.
More toxic
You cant recycle left over paint back into the tin, once its mixed, its "curing".
Thinners content is more dependent on perfect gun settings, hand movement, and air temperature. Getting that mixture right takes experience.
Runs are a disaster.

I can definately do a two pack finish thinner than nitro. Finish thickness is more important to tone, than finish type. But, nitro has its place, and some guys still want it.

Thinks like surface prep, colours, metallics, candies, are all irrelevant to the finish i decide on for each guitar. Its more about what the client prefers, and requires.

Hey Old_Picker,
Couldn't agree with you more about your choice of order.
You got to know what sort of sound you want from your guitar before
you start building it.
I would spend the most time researching the pups and how they would suit the timber and build style. Mind you I build mainly with rock maple and neck thru's.

Originally Posted by gbx78

-------------------------------------------
fletch123 that looks awesome!!! i like the semi transparent look.. u can still see the grains. wats the run down of what u used and did to get that end result?

I used the stewmac red/cherry stain from here , used the waterbased sanding sealer and the ColorTone Waterbase Lacquer to finish. The body is made of pine.

Originally Posted by rhoads56

I dont know what two part acrylic is, i think you mean two pack.

I use two pack mostly, but also nitro. I prefer two pack, because:
Less coats required
Virtually impossible to burn with a buffer
Harder finish
Thinner finish
Less cost overall
Better grain filling properties
Virtually zero shrink back
More resistant to dents and scratches
Retains the gloss better
Less final wet sanding required (if you can get a perfect coat)

Why i DONT like two pack
Very difficult to get a good coat. The difference between not enough (dull, orange peel) and two much (runs which never dry properly) is extremely fine. Its taken me three years of spraying to get confident enough to know i can pull off a killer final coat.
You MUST sand each coat, or it delaminates.
Scratches in the top clear coat, when buffing, and harder to get out.
More toxic
You cant recycle left over paint back into the tin, once its mixed, its "curing".
Thinners content is more dependent on perfect gun settings, hand movement, and air temperature. Getting that mixture right takes experience.
Runs are a disaster.

I can definately do a two pack finish thinner than nitro. Finish thickness is more important to tone, than finish type. But, nitro has its place, and some guys still want it.

Thinks like surface prep, colours, metallics, candies, are all irrelevant to the finish i decide on for each guitar. Its more about what the client prefers, and requires.

Yep that's the stuff

By what you're saying though, it definitely isn't for the rank amateur. Good to know. I'd heard that the acrylic can go on thinner and gives better protection, so I thought it would be better than nitro (tone and looks).

Maybe I need to practice spraying the patio or something.....

Look up a company called Mirotone

there aussie, in NSW, Vic & SA as far as I know and supply timber stain & paint to Maton guitars.

www.mirotone.com