Thread: Pyrographed guitar

Well done, you have incorporated the design to the space with imagination and flair and have rendered it with a sensitive touch.

Great work, I would love to see some more pics and the finished item.

It's a great use of space, can't wait to see it finished.

Photos of the finished pyrographed guitar. Fully functional, new strings, bone nut and saddle. $350 with soft case. Money from this sale goes to the recent purchase of replacement laptop after last one stopped working.

Another 2 on the way as well as a ukulele. . . .

Well done Myth.

May I ask a couple of questions please, what you finish these players off with? Is it better to spray than brush a finish on to save the integrity of the burn? Does the surface end up flat?

Steve

Steve,

For that guitar, I used a topcoat clear spray which I got from supercheap. I did a bit of research to find something hard and durable as guitars can get knocked around a bit. Also wanted something UV resistant as pyrography has the potential to fade in the sun. The topcoat clear is what used to be called '2pak' which essentially is a 2 component polymer that hardens when combined. It never used to be available in a spray can as the catalyst was in the mixing and not by air but things have changed and it is now available in a spray can. It is a layering process over several days (might have been less in warmer weather) with sanding and buffing in between depending on the gloss required. It is the first time I've used this technique to seal my pyrography (wanted it for this particular project) and there are many other sealing methods.

The easiest I have found and know that others use is a clear spray enamel which is the same as the spray cans locked up in hardware stores which graffitti artists use. That is simple, gives a good finish and seals the work. I would not, however, recommend it for anything exposed to the sun.

Another product I tried for a table is a resin and water based polyeurothane combination made for boats. The resin makes the piece waterproof and the cross linked water based polyeurothane provides uv protection and a solid finish. It is not one of the 'self leveling' resin products that produce a glass like finish (even though it can get close with work) and though I know how those work, I haven't used them for pyrography as there is the risk of stuffing the whole project. It is brush on and the resin brush cannot be reused after application but the polyeurothane brush is fine to wash and reuse. The polyeurothane can be used on its own without the resin but may not be as durable and won't be water proof. I gave the table to my sister who puts hot coffee cups and food directly on it without a scratch. I get that from Botecote at Product Information Pages.

I also discovered a very simple and easy Cabots water based polyeurothane sealer (Cabothanes Clear) at Bunnings. Mix it well in the tin as I've heard it can give a 'milky' appearance if not mixed properly but can by applied with a rag rather than a brush. Dries very quick and even the gloss version doesn't have much shine at all. It's funny when I mentioned water based polyeurothane to some people, they said there is no such thing but I am up to date with new things and quickly proved them wrong.

I hope some of this information helps.

Thanks very much Myth.

I really appreciate the time and effort you took to answer my questions, it is always good to hear from experienced people first hand so ta muchly with your very helpful reply.

Steve