Finishing schedule

[Jeff Mills]

I'm looking for a finishing schedule for high gloss acrylic lacquer - thanks

[floody_85]

I havent come across acrylic, but I've got s good one for nitro. Couldn't be too different

[rhoads56]

I started with acrylic. Great for cars. Useless with timber. Use nitro or two pack (much more difficult)

[Jeff Mills]

I havent come across acrylic, but I've got s good one for nitro. Couldn't be too different

Back their heyday, Fender used acrylics. Dupont Lucite acrylic lacquer, as color coats, the clear coats were Dupont Duco, a Nitrocellulose lacquer... I have a finishing schedule for nitrocellulose lacquer. What I'm looking for a finishing schedule for acrylic high gloss lacquer (medium red metallic), to be laid down in between primer and nitro top coats. I've been told by more than one person, it's important not to sand in between metallic color coats to obtain depth. So I was hoping someone had a finishing schedule.

Thanks

[demonx]

I'm not sure what you mean by "finishing schedule" so I'm not sure how to help answer your question.

I've never sprayed Nitro or Acrylic but I've done a lot of 2k and you mentioned Metallics, I've also worked with Metallics from super fine to Massive flake a few milimeters wide (one of the builds I'm currently working on is pictured below)

You asked about depth - achieveing depth in my opinion is about layers and knowing how to use them. Then add to that high quality products and knowing how to cut/polish, which takes as long to learn as the paint process itself.

I sprayed this metallic flake onto a thick wet layer of clear using a dry flake gun, then sprayed thick layers of clear over the top, let it cure, sanded it back and then flo cloated it. I didn't actually sand the flake itself, just the clear over it. When you see it in person, the flake is floating in the clear, not sitting on a surface, so it is truely deep, not just giving the appearance of depth.



If it is a normal sized metallic flake that'd fit through a spray gun tip, then I'd treat it as any other basecoat, cut still not sand it, only sand the clear.

Another trick to using metallics is using a X spraying pattern. So your first coat will be top left to bottom right, then vice versa for your second coat, then just let to right for the third. This makes an even coverage of the flake so it doesn't look patchy or have lines.

[rhoads56]

Back their heyday, Fender used acrylics. Dupont Lucite acrylic lacquer, as color coats, the clear coats were Dupont Duco, a Nitrocellulose lacquer... I have a finishing schedule for nitrocellulose lacquer. What I'm looking for a finishing schedule for acrylic high gloss lacquer (medium red metallic), to be laid down in between primer and nitro top coats. I've been told by more than one person, it's important not to sand in between metallic color coats to obtain depth. So I was hoping someone had a finishing schedule.

Thanks

Yes, I know that, but you are asking for an acrylic schedule, not a nitro/acrylic/nitro schedule. Big difference.

You would never ever, under any circumstance, regardless of type of paint, sand back a metallic coat prior to clearing.

[floody_85]

The only metallic job I've done was with auto acrylic..I sprayed maybe 5 or 6 coats of paint, but on the last colour coat, 10 mins later I sprayed a double header of clear 15 mins apart. Then I left that over nite before scuffing very lightly and then finishing the clear coats. Not sure if that's right or not but it turned out really good so it can't have been too wrong. Perry would know more about it then any of us though

[demonx]

Sounds about right, but remember, I've never sprayed acrylic. I use mostly Automitive 2k and I tend to stick to PPG products. A Collegue of mine has sprayed dozens of cars in acrylic and to me it sounds like much more work that 2k, I just stick to what I'm used to. I get good results so I don't feel the need to change.

Just remember when spraying anything with flake to alternate the spray pattern. Guitars are not so much an issue, but when you're painting a car then the larger surface tends to show up more discrepencies. For example, I recently sprayed a car repair in the Ford Color Envy Green (or Green Envy, can't remember which it is!) which had lots of gold pearl and fine metallic flake in it.

I sprayed in the X pattern I mentioned in my previous post. The first and second layers the pearl and metallic showed slight train tracks, it wasn't until the third (final) coat that it all merged and blended together. I then layed in the clear.

Cheers

[rhoads56]

The only metallic job I've done was with auto acrylic..I sprayed maybe 5 or 6 coats of paint, but on the last colour coat, 10 mins later I sprayed a double header of clear 15 mins apart. Then I left that over nite before scuffing very lightly and then finishing the clear coats. Not sure if that's right or not but it turned out really good so it can't have been too wrong. Perry would know more about it then any of us though

I just do two coats of colour. No point using half a tin of the expensive colour when clear is cheaper, and you have already covered the primer.

[floody_85]

I just do two coats of colour. No point using half a tin of the expensive colour when clear is cheaper, and you have already covered the primer.

Cool. I'll remember that in future. Are there any reasons why auto paint shouldn't be used on guitars?

[Jeff Mills]

Cool. I'll remember that in future. Are there any reasons why auto paint shouldn't be used on guitars?

Yep and I just found out why... after 4 weeks cure time, a strip of blue painters tape (3M) peeled up the paint right off the primer left a spot about the size of a dime. Next time I won't be messing around with any auto paint that's for sure.

[rhoads56]

Yep and I just found out why... after 4 weeks cure time, a strip of blue painters tape (3M) peeled up the paint right off the primer left a spot about the size of a dime. Next time I won't be messing around with any auto paint that's for sure.

It would only have done that if the primer wasn't cured properly prior to coating with colour, or it wasnt sanded properly.

[floody_85]

It would only have done that if the primer wasn't cured properly prior to coating with colour, or it wasnt sanded properly.

How long should the primer be given to dry Perry? I've gotta spray a couple soon with auto paint so while we're on the subject?

[rhoads56]

How long should the primer be given to dry Perry? I've gotta spray a couple soon with auto paint so while we're on the subject?

Read the guidelines that come with the paint :P

I usually colour coat next day (or longer), and clear over that a couple hours later. I use two pack unless requested for nitro. 400 grit via air orbital, with a foam pad 500-600 grit after that (seems courser to touch than 500-600 grit though).

Every type of auto paint is different, so read read read. Or rather, read the manufacturers specs, not forums!

[Jeff Mills]

Read the guidelines that come with the paint :P

I usually colour coat next day (or longer), and clear over that a couple hours later. I use two pack unless requested for nitro. 400 grit via air orbital, with a foam pad 500-600 grit after that (seems courser to touch than 500-600 grit though).

Every type of auto paint is different, so read read read. Or rather, read the manufacturers specs, not forums!

How long should the primer be given to dry Perry? I've gotta spray a couple soon with auto paint so while we're on the subject?

No offense guys... but having just finished a guitar with auto paint and following the directions on the can I still ran into problems... don't get me wrong I think auto paint would be great for steel or plastic but not so good for wood. Wood moves and is highly subject to minor environmental changes unlike man made materials like steel and plastic. Auto paint does shrink quite a bit and is not very elastic, unlike wood finishes which are a lot more relaxed and elastic. So wouldn't recommend auto paint for finishing wood. But I also know a man is going to do what a man is going to do. So if your set on using auto paint on wood I reckon thats what your going to do... I'm just giving you my opinion and save you some frustration so take it for what it worth. Remember opinions are like arm pits everyone got one and sometimes they really stink.