Painting a bengal through a template?

[jackson1]

How do you paint a yellow/white (Lynch) bengal graphic?
Like this?:

1. paint white base
2. wet sand
3. paint yellow burst
4. wet sand carefully
5. mask and paint black stripes
6. wet sand carefully
7. clear coats 'till satisfied

About #3: Would you use a template to spray through? Like make a template in the shape of the body, only smaller, holding it up between your spray gun and the body surface, and spray the yellow through this "window"? This step is important for me, how exactly this is done.

The distance from the body to the template?
The distance from the paint gun to the template?

Other ways of doing it? Thanks.

[z1n]

Im not sure my self but I saw this item on eBay and thought it might help you

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7414315236&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_ReBay_Pr4_PcN_BIN_IT

[sully]

basically, that's it. as far as the wetsanding goes, do it only as needed, especially after you've got it striped. one thing that people often do is shoot a layer of intercoat clear between the steps, to kinda lay a barrier between the coats. kind of an extra protection, if you will.

sully

EDIT: i take it back....paint it black first, mask it off, then shoot your white and yellow.

[zeegler]

Since the yellow is in the middle, and the white is around the edges, wouldn't it be easier to do the yellow first, and then do the white edges? Just asking.

[AlexL]

Wouldn't you paint the black first, lay the stripe template on, then do the burst, then peel the template off to reveal the stripes?

That way the stripe template is a "positive".

Or should the stripe template be a "negative" and done last?


- E.

[sully]

imo, yes.

[jackson1]

Im not sure my self but I saw this item on eBay and thought it might help you
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...Pr4_PcN_BIN_IT

thanks z1n, i've seen that eBay auction before but i am going for another bengal design.. if i ever get this project started.

[jackson1]

Removing the masking tape must be pretty risky? I guess it should be removed while the paint is still wet? I can picture this to be very stressing - paint the white, quickly do a clear coat, then quickly paint the yellow burst and then remove the masking tape, hoping that the WHITE layer hasn't hardened too much...

..or am i being a sissy?

[Model1VH2]

1) Prep, seal and prime
2) Paint the body yellow
3) Trace the body on posterboard (front and back) and cut out templates
4) Use rolled masking tape to attach templates to the body (do NOT tape flat)
5) Spray the edges of the body white ... not taping the template flat will allow overspray and give the "burst" appearance.
6) Tape the body and draw (or use a template) for the tigerstripes.
7) Cut out the tiger stripes, leaving the rest of the guitar protected by tape and paint the stripes black.
8) Clearcoat, compound and buff.

9) Reassemble and practice your Mr. Scary riffs!

[jcmktgguy]

+1

It's easier to add darker colors over lighter ones.

[jackson1]

Model1vh2, now i remember i have seen this method described before. This is the way to do it!

About 5): i will spray the edges at an angle, like 45 degrees, compared to 0 degrees, to avoid having a haze of white paint cover the whole surface.

I remember having seen pictures of a setup with templates "hovering" over a strat body, ready to paint the sides... can't find them though.

[Jacksonfan]

I remember having seen pictures of a setup with templates "hovering" over a strat body, ready to paint the sides... can't find them though.

That was the Project Guitar site.There are many helpful guides available there! Here's the link.

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/burst.htm

I have painted two guitars with bengal graphics. On the silver and blue JS20 bengal, I started with the "Dark" color first. I sanded the clear on the original metallic blue paint, taped it off in bands in the areas of the stripes, drew the pattern and cut the tape, and sprayed the silver. After allowing the paint to dry for a about 30 min, i removed the tape. Followed up later with a few coats of clear and let it dry for quite a few days, then wet sanded, buffed, etc.

On the black and white bengal, I did the pattern in reverse, spraying the white first. Then I covered the entire body with masking tape, drew the stripes on and cut them out. Sprayed the black, etc.........I feel the first (silver/ blue) came out the best and was the easier of the two. Whatever you choose, good luck!

[Model1VH2]

Model1vh2, now i remember i have seen this method described before. This is the way to do it!

About 5): i will spray the edges at an angle, like 45 degrees, compared to 0 degrees, to avoid having a haze of white paint cover the whole surface.

Do both ... use the posterboard to help protect the surface of the body AND spray it at an angle.

[jackson1]

Super helpful, thank you brothers!
Yeah, Brian Calvert was the one doing the burst article, his name had slipped my mind. I wonder if he's still selling Dimarzio pickups..?

Nice work Jacksonfan!