Rescue my crap paint job

thecolourbox

Hi all

My lovely girlfriend bought me an SG DIY kit which is great. I've been trying to finish the body, originally I tried to use the same varnish I used on my dining table but I think the guitar wood was already prepped a bit so it just didn't seem to get into the wood properly. So I had to sand it off and I decided to spray paint it instead. A nice copper type colour. Then it pissed it down while it was drying on the washing line so i had to bring it inside, had nowhere to hang it so had to lie it down on bubble wrap which has now left ugly stripes on the back where the paint stuck to it. I've since tried to sand it off a bit to rough it up a bit to paint over it, amended the plan to do back and sides black and the front copper, but even though I've painted over the back after sanding it smooth you can still see the stripes. There's also a blotch on the copper front, not bothered repainting yet as I think I need some help to rescue it.

What should I do? A few options I've considered are:

1. Sand it right back to the wood, and just use a wood dye on it

2. Is there a ready cut veneer I could put on the front to do the same? Not really happy to do any cutting as I've had to abandon a tv table project partially due to not being able to cut anything properly

3. Buy a ready finished one from somewhere and don't tell her

Any ideas?

Jookyjr

Copper leaf would look good over the copper paint. It's really easy to do (especially a relic job)

Just paint on the size (glue) This one works well

Wait for it to dry tacky

Take a sheet of leaf and press it on, pull the paper off the back. This is nice

Keep going until it is covered then brush off the loose stuff

Patch any gaps with the bits of leaf that are leftover

Leave it to dry and then lacquer or wax.

Simple

This one had some paisley underneath and the copper was melted with vinegar iirc so you could see it peeping through

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LbIlUJ05tmU/TcwFSVHkTII/AAAAAAAAAxw/oKAkRGO4qwk/s1600/009+%282%29.JPG

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DfPMXMalz8Q/TcwEl6JQSSI/AAAAAAAAAxc/ql2o1XxlkHI/s320/010+%282%29.JPG

ICBM

^What he said. Steampunk/Jookify it.

paulnb57

There no easy way to fix where you are at, you will need to sand back to the wood and start again

Deadman

All good suggestions but if it were me I'd simply wash it off, denib the bare wood and start again. From there it all depends what you want.

thecolourbox

@jookyjr, wow thanks, but if I were to do that would I be able to make it look neat with the leaf? So if I didn't melt it or whatnot would it just look like slightly shiny copper?

I'd still need to sort out the back though, unless I should leaf it all over?

Good to know I could still just sand it all back again though!!

Thank you everyone as always

Skodadad

Did you reprimer it before spraying again? I'd flat the paint, reprimer and do it again. No sense in having a guitar you are not happy with.

thecolourbox

I didn't re-prime it no, the problem is I seem incapable of actually spray painting stuff in a neat and even fashion, so I think really it's either leafing it like jookyjr says (but I don't want this one stream punked I'd like it neat) or just sanding right back to proper bare wood and trying to dye/stain/wax/varnish it instead

The original plan was to have it looking like finished wood, the spray paint idea just came about when the wax didn't work but I've tried a few times now on of cuts to get a nice even finish and I just can't do it so am abandoning that idea before I need to waste any more money on spray cans!

Edit: this was the original plan
http://www.guitar-bass.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/IMG_0771.jpg

Skodadad

Then sanding and staining is likely your best bet. I'm pretty handy with spray cans but still prefer stain and then wax or oil. Faff vs finish wise it's the better option for me. If you don't have an electric sander look on Gumtree etc and pick up a cheap used one. Makes life a a lot easier.

thecolourbox

I do have an electric Sander I was given when I moved in, not used it properly yet because the paper on it needs replacing. I used it briefly on a coffee table we fancied stripping but it didn't do anything due to the paper so have been meaning to get a new Velcro piece every since

Thanks guys

thecolourbox

What's the knack with the spray cans then? I kept getting it very uneven and then the paint was running, hence the non-smooth finish

thecolourbox

What's the knack with the spray paint then? I kept getting bits running on it hence the uneven bits on the copper finish

Skodadad

One of mine is the same, I use double sided tape and cut up sheets of sandpaper to the iron plate shape. Means I can go down to 1000 wet and dry or beyond. If you leave it too big it folds over the edges to get into cramped spaces. To spray well warm up the paint in a jug of hot water to give better pressure. Slow passes going from edge to edge overlapping the last line each time. Patience between coats is the hardest part of painting. I put on 2 coats before I start flattening between coats. After 4 or 5 light coats flattened between it's usually ready for lacquer which is the same process. Once you get the knack you can apply heavier coats by bringing the can closer and moving slower but you get a feel for that. Light coats are best if not confident. A good cutting compound will do wonders once the lacquer dries.

octatonic

thecolourbox said:

What's the knack with the spray cans then? I kept getting it very uneven and then the paint was running, hence the non-smooth finish

Not using them and buying a compressor/gun.

Cans give a poor finish, especially for a newbie.

It is hard enough to do it right with a gun to be honest.

I learned at university, where we had a very experienced tutor and all the gear- the first couple were still pretty shite.

Otherwise, warming the can* and replacing them when they are 2/3rds used is the way I've done it.

When they get low they get all splattery and it is impossible to rescue.

It is a waste of product but I've never found a way around it.

*Americans use the 50/50 rule which is 50 F degrees and 50% RH or less.

thecolourbox

Ah right I see, thanks, in that case I'm definitely not going to paint it again lol too much for my small brain and lack of any skills whatsoever.

I did the dining table and chairs in a nice ronseal wax that you paint on with brushes, if I can get the wood back to proper wood surface presumably that would work for a nice matt dark wood finish?

paulnb57

Thers nothing inherently wrong with rattle cans as long as they are good quality, you need them from car paint suppliers, more paint less thinners.....spray very light coats, the biggest mistake people make is try ing to cover the item with too mich paint too quickly...

thecolourbox

Yeah I literally had no clue with them to be honest, just got primer, copper metallic paint and lacquer from homebase, and was just spraying away at the guitar hanging on my washing line in the garden so clearly every aspect of my approach to the job was incorrect haha oh dear

Wood wax plus lacquer it will be I think

Deadman

My comment seems to have got lost in conversation, but don't waste your time trying to rub the paint off. Wash it off with thinners then simply denib the wood lightly by hand with something like 320. I'd definitely not use a sander as with the undulations it sounds like you're going to have you'd be at risk of reprofiling in areas. Thinners will give you an almost instant blank canvas.

thecolourbox

Deadman;834454" said:

My comment seems to have got lost in conversation, but don't waste your time trying to rub the paint off. Wash it off with thinners then simply denib the wood lightly by hand with something like 320. I'd definitely not use a sander as with the undulations it sounds like you're going to have you'd be at risk of reprofiling in areas. Thinners will give you an almost instant blank canvas.

Oh right yes sorry, I did mean to ask you what you meant by washing and denibbing it as I have no idea what that is! I'm a bit dense.

In terms of thinner, is that just white spirit or turpentine rubbed straight into it with a cloth? Thinking back to when I used to be into my oil painting as a youth.

Will Google the denib thing as I've never heard of that, will see what I can do

octatonic

paulnb57 said:

Thers nothing inherently wrong with rattle cans as long as they are good quality, you need them from car paint suppliers, more paint less thinners.....spray very light coats, the biggest mistake people make is try ing to cover the item with too mich paint too quickly...

Yes there is- you cannot adjust the flow rate or size of the spray with a can, which is something you need to adjust depending upon the material you are spraying, the humidity in the room and the type of finish you want.

Deadman

thecolourbox said:

Deadman;834454" said:

My comment seems to have got lost in conversation, but don't waste your time trying to rub the paint off. Wash it off with thinners then simply denib the wood lightly by hand with something like 320. I'd definitely not use a sander as with the undulations it sounds like you're going to have you'd be at risk of reprofiling in areas. Thinners will give you an almost instant blank canvas.

Oh right yes sorry, I did mean to ask you what you meant by washing and denibbing it as I have no idea what that is! I'm a bit dense.

In terms of thinner, is that just white spirit or turpentine rubbed straight into it with a cloth? Thinking back to when I used to be into my oil painting as a youth.

Will Google the denib thing as I've never heard of that, will see what I can do

That's ok! White spirits or turps won't touch it. You need a paint thinner, like acrylic or cellulose. Denibbing is just rubbing down lightly, taking the top 'raised' areas off without affecting the substrate. It's a shame you're not closer. I'd do it all for you in a jiffy.