Thread: Painting various guitar plates/covers

I like them Scott, beautiful colours they look like opals.
Cheers, Bob.P.s I will catch up with you soon.

Originally Posted by GhostGuitarist

Been way too long since I was here last........life...who invented that? busy...well there's another darn thing....anyway....starting painting a few plates/covers...whatever you'd like to call them....pics are of a tremelo springs cover/plate for the back of the guitar...the head stock gets a going over tomorrow and then the body....!!!! Just like Bob's fine Tassie timbers, no two are ever the same....!!! I'm sure they could be done in various timber colors as well.......!!!!

Nice effect - Thats what they calling "swirling" I take it ? You need a Jem to put them on now

GhostGuitarist, where did you pick up the supplies to do that ?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cY4LXZqX-w"]YouTube - Swirling a guitar to look like steve vai jem guitar[/ame]

Cheers

Dave

This one looks good.
Cheers Bob.
Attachment 142777

Originally Posted by fletch123

Nice effect - Thats what they calling "swirling" I take it ? You need a Jem to put them on now

GhostGuitarist, where did you pick up the supplies to do that ?

YouTube - Swirling a guitar to look like steve vai jem guitar

Cheers

Dave

hi Dave.....funny you should mention a Jem......here's the headstock done tonight.....I'm happy to share with anyone the how and what of swirling....the technique has been around since the 12th century....perhaps not on guitars for that long though...!!!! LOL.. I'm new to this and have been experimenting for just a few hours, but spent weeks researching.....this is the first guitar I'm attempting....so far I'm happy and have just a little clean up to do on it in a day or two. The body is next....fingers crossed...!!!

Originally Posted by woodturner777

I like them Scott, beautiful colours they look like opals.
Cheers, Bob.P.s I will catch up with you soon.

Thanks Bob.....it's working well for me so far....only a few problems getting the technique to work the way it should. Look forward to catching up with you...I'll put the kettle on...!!!

Originally Posted by GhostGuitarist

hi Dave.....funny you should mention a Jem......here's the headstock done tonight.....I'm happy to share with anyone the how and what of swirling....the technique has been around since the 12th century....perhaps not on guitars for that long though...!!!! LOL.. I'm new to this and have been experimenting for just a few hours, but spent weeks researching.....this is the first guitar I'm attempting....so far I'm happy and have just a little clean up to do on it in a day or two. The body is next....fingers crossed...!!!

Mate they look awesome. Id be interested in a run through on how you do it!!

Originally Posted by floody_85

Mate they look awesome. Id be interested in a run through on how you do it!!

Thanks floody_85,
well it's a technique thats just all about trial and error to a certain extent, bit like life really...!!!! But if you want to have a go at it here's all you need.

Water, Borax, Oil based paint, a variety of containers, i.e ...a bucket for small items, up to a 40 litre plastic or metal rubbish bin (clean one would be better...hahaha), measuring jug and spoons.

Borax is available in supermarkets, I buy mine from Woolworths, $4.00 for a 500g container, you'll find it in either the cleaning section, because thats what its mainly used for, or in the laundry section, it's also a stain remover. It's a natural mineral, reminds me of salt, although I don't suggest using it on your steak, it's poisonous. It does not give off fumes and has no smell, you don't need gloves although if you have a few cuts or are sensitive to chemicals, wear them.

Borax changes the surface water tension and allows the oil paint to float. For every 4 litres of water add 1 and a half tablespoons of Borax. Your water temp should be at 25 degrees when you start so the Borax can dissolve, stir it in well. Leave your container for at least 30 mins so that it cools down and any undissolved Borax sinks to the bottom. I recommend a temp just above cold water from the tap....too hot and your paint will skin over pretty quick and you'll have a mess.

Paint......the best oil based paint for this process is made by Humbrol. It's a gloss enamel, it's popular for use on models (no not the blonde leggy kind) and available at hobby shops. $4.00 a pot, you don't get much paint, 14ml, but you also are only going to be using very small amounts. To do the headstock I use 4 drops of blue,black and green, thats all.....14ml goes a long way. For the guitar body I'll use 8 drops of each, no more. Straight from the pot, no thinners at all.

After you have your container full of the amount of water you decided to use, and have put in your amount of Borax and mixed it well, left it for half an hour at least, are happy the water is not too hot......drip in your required amounts of each color you decided on, use an eye dropper, use a spoon, a stick...what ever you like, I have two tooth picks in each pot ready to go....one at a time.....you'll know when to drop the next color because you'll see the first one go from being a drop on the surface to spreading like an oil slick......

Once you finish putting in your colors, grab a tooth pick, and swirl the paints on the surface, they wont mix, create a pattern you are happy with, but I recommend taking no more than 15 - 20 seconds to do it, your paint is drying remember...!!!

Once your happy, slowly dip your desired object into the water through the paint and submerge it completely. Grab a piece of paper towel or newspaper and wipe away the paint on the surface, not all of it, just enough to make a hole to pull your object through, otherwise it will get a coat of paint on the way out of the water as well.....not the effect you are looking for.

The headstock had just a primer coat on it, I wouldn't recommend trying this with something that has been buffed and polished, your paint will most likely not stick well if at all.

Grab some spare off cuts, hit them with some primer, let them dry off, and then experiment. Thats the way to go.

It's great fun, not expensive, and the result can be spectacular.....I purchased Borax and three pots of paint for under $15.00............what cheaper painting method could there be???

Seal up anything thats going to take in water where you don't want it, screw holes, or in the case of the headstock, the truss rod and the cavity, blue tak works really well, or you could use wax, although thats going to be tough to get out...use a clear nitro to finish and protect your paint work. Most of all sit back and admire your creation, no two could ever be the same.

Fire away with any questions and I'll help if I can....

Cheers.........

Nice tutorial , thanks for psoting that

I'm gonna have to try that , the youtube videos make it look pretty simple and I've seen some spectacular rersults

Hey thanks for that ghost. Im sure it sounds easier than it is. Ive always wanted a swirled jem lol. I might just try it now lol.

Originally Posted by fletch123

Nice tutorial , thanks for psoting that

I'm gonna have to try that , the youtube videos make it look pretty simple and I've seen some spectacular rersults

Yep results can be awesome. I watched a few videos of people doing it, but after trying it for myself, the people posting videos have been at it for a while, thats why it looks so simple and easy. The first time I tried it my water temp was too hot, the paint was half set before I was ready, the result was more like pizza than art...!!! the second time, not enough borax, the paint didn't spread very quickly and when I starting swirling a pattern more paint ended up wrapped around my piece of wire than stayed on the surface.

The first attempt at the headstock had me running for the turps, it was a mess, aweful rather than awesome, spent too long messing around trying to form a pattern I was happy with, and I'd also obviously left some residue on the headstock from spray and wipe, which I used in an attempt to get any finger marks off the headstock after handling it for a few minutes before I dipped it. I wipe down with a little metho on a soft cloth now....spray and wipe was a stupid choice, it gets rid of oil and grease, what type of paint was I using...yep oil paint....duh..!!! I just wasn't thinking...

Yep, it's a simple process, but like anything that involves a technique and chemicals, it's not as easy as it seems.

Look forward to seeing what you do when you get around to it.....

Cheers.........

Nice, I can see where this can be put to great use.
Brain ticking, Tick-Tick.Tick.

Hi,

I'm interested in giving this a go, not with a guitar but on an electric violin.

I have a couple of questions. As the paint covers the timber, what sort of timber are you making these with.

If it was an all natural look with timber, I'd normally choose a really nice grain patterned timber, but as you don't see the timber, probably a less expensive timber could be used, am I right?

Also, you said you used primer before you dipped it, and I have seen on a couple of video that they have painted them with a base colour first. What type of primer did you use.

Thanks

-Gavin

Originally Posted by scorpio_oz

Hi,

I'm interested in giving this a go, not with a guitar but on an electric violin.

I have a couple of questions. As the paint covers the timber, what sort of timber are you making these with.

If it was an all natural look with timber, I'd normally choose a really nice grain patterned timber, but as you don't see the timber, probably a less expensive timber could be used, am I right?

Also, you said you used primer before you dipped it, and I have seen on a couple of video that they have painted them with a base colour first. What type of primer did you use.

Thanks

-Gavin

Hey Gavin,
a violin would look very cool. The timber you use could be anything really. You could use a less expensive timber, although if your making a musical instrument, it might as well be made from quality timber, even though you won't be seeing any grain.

I did use a primer, and my base coat was white. It doesn't really matter what type of primer/base coat you use, just make sure it's not cheap and a brand you've never heard of, spray can or spray gun, they both work well, depends what you have access too.

The guitar body I'm doing is not made of anything in the way of an expensive timber, this is my test piece, just for practice, it's bass wood, thats all.

I always sand between coats to get rid of any nasty spots. I've done 2 coats of primer and two base colour. You'll notice though in the picture of the headstock that even though the base color was white, you see very little white showing through in the finished paint work. Thats basically what I wanted but if I did want white through it at about the same frequency as other colors, I would have to add white to the water along with the other colors....!!!!

Hope all that helps a bit....!!!!

Cheers,
Scott.