Best Way to strip a guitar body?

[Thoraby]

What's the best method? With a heat gun and a spatula or sanding? Which is easiest? Takes least time? get's the best result?

Thanx a million

pirate-Thoraby. argh.

[rjohnstone]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

There was a thread on this a few weeks ago....
Here ya go.
http://www.jcfonline.com/ubbthreads/...&page=5#506114

[pebber]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

I tried all 3.. heat gun, chemical stripper and sanding.. nothin' is easy on these poly finishes they use nowadays.. I've used a combination of chemical stripper + sanding so far, but for my next project it will be sanding only.
I have an electrical power sander, an electric palm contour sander (=very recommendable) and StewMac's drum sander for reaching the primer/sealer level, and then finish off manually to reach te actual wood (I always start with a new sealer, then prime etc..).
Oh yes, and if I'm in a hurry, I don't strip a body at all.. you -or at least I- must take the time for it to get a good result instead of a damage case.

[sully]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

chemical stripper if it's rattle can paint, or urethane, and a sander if it's polyester. polyester laughs at chemical strippers.

and i dunno, i'm not into heat guns. it's probaby b/c i had to use one when i was 14 to help scrape paint off of the house before it was repainted. i'll never use one again.

sully

[noodlesatf]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

I usually buy her about six or seven shots, and she'll take 'em off herself...oh wait, we're talking about guitar? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

I've got a air-powered random orbital sander that makes mincemeat out of finishes. You have to be careful, though, or you'll start grinding the wood away with it.

[Thoraby]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

okeysokey. Thanks for the tips.

Another q:

Is it really necessary to strip the finish if I'm gonna refinish? Can't I just put the new shit on the old shit? Or will I end up with a big pile of shit?

Thank ye in advance
/Thoraby grapplehook

[sully]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

you can use the existing finish as your primer, yes, but if a guitar is refinned a few times in that manner, it may start to sound like ass.

if you do that, though, you'll still need to sand everything flat before you go at it.

[Thoraby]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

I'm sanding her. Thanks for the tips [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Thoraby]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

why does the sanded paint smell like fart?

[DonP]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

Dude, you'll fry your brain smelling that stuff. Get a mask.

[Thoraby]

Re: Best Way to strip a guitar body?

[ QUOTE ]
Dude, you'll fry your brain smelling that stuff. Get a mask.

[/ QUOTE ]

aw, but it smells so nice [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]