Crackle Finish D.I.Y questions?

[jackson1]

I have followed you guys' paint comments and projects all the way and it's interesting and very good reading.

Regarding the acrylic urethane vs. rattle can discussion:
I've seen and done several jobs a long time ago (not guitars) using rattle cans, but my latest jobs (guitars and bikes) was using urethane and an air gun (cheap). And now, i CAN NOT understand why anyone would EVER use rattle cans for anything you have dear. The quality and durability of urethane is far superior as i see it.

I'm genuinely interested in why anyone would use rattle cans for serious projects. Is it because you save a few bucks on paint and airgun equipment?

[hippietim]

I did a crackle paint job in the 80's. Use some water-based acrylic paint and get a good thick mushy coat of paint on it. Then bust out a blow dryer. It will crackle like crazy. Of course after I did this I realized that I hate crackle paint jobs. And don 't do this with oil based paint.

[Jackson-Charvel]

Interesting thread and I guess I am one of the few that actually likes off topic posts vis a vis the rattle can vs air gun paint debate. That said any sure and tried ways of doing the crackle finish? I've seen the links after going through google and the crackle they do makes a good relic look but nothing like the Desert Crackle. I know they say adding varying amounts of crackler changes the size of the crackle and the length of time also changes that aspect, but even what they call large still looks quite small compared to the Desert Crackle. How hard would it be to recreate that exact finish not a kinda sorta crackle effect?

[Budman68]

well, you could always spray the body eggshell white (is that close to the desert crackle?) and then use an "Ultra Fine Sharpie" to recreate the lines. Wetsand the white and seal with a bit of clear first so the ink doesn't run into the white.

I'd use a straight edge and I'd lay it out lightly with pencil first to see if you like the design your getting. Afterwards, coat with clear (just a light misting at first to seal the ink). I'd obviously try it out on a piece of scrap first!

Yep, a cheap bastards way out, but it might just work -

[Model1VH2]

Are you looking for a paintjob that "looks" crackled?
Or do you want a textured surface?

[Venomous]

I've heard 2 ways to do this finish.

1 - Put your base coat color (or colors) on , then you put your top color on it has the crackle stuff in it ( i think it was brushed on and it used to only come in black and white). As the top coat drys it shrinks and cracks showing the colors from the first coat. I might have it backwards , the base might have the crackle in it and come in black and white.

2 - The second way is kinda the same as the first. Put down your color or colors. Then Put your top coat over it. Then you BRUSH the crackle over top. this is the reaction that causes the top to crack. For small fine crakcs you only put on a thin coat of the crackle stuff, for big thick cracks you put a big thick coat. You can get this stuff at almost any girly hobby store, ask for crackling medium ( i think thats what it's called) It doesnt cost very much and i think for a guitar you'd need like 3 bottles (they were'nt very big). I'm not sure what kind of paints to use but i'm sure anyone who works in the store where you get it can tell you.

[fett]

I agree that it's very misleading to tell the novice they can achieve a "factory" finish with rattle cans. (I guess it depends on the factory huh?) This has been a long lived debate on this and many other forums, and I'm glad to see the "truth" finally coming out. That dude on ebay selling the "how to paint your guitar" thing (or whatever it was called) didn't make things any better.

First off, this a really neat guitar. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1 And second, the paint still isn't dry. :ROTF: :ROTF: He was a rattler, alright.

[jackson1]

You bought a wet Johnson?! Ew!

[fett]

You bought a wet Johnson?! Ew!

:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF: The paint was so wet the bubble wrap made impressions in the bod. There were no blisters on the Johnson so I'm sure it won't peter out.

[Jackson-Charvel]

Model1VH2: As the thread states I want to know how Charvel did the original White Desert Crackle finish as it looks to be a completely different procedure than the typical crackle finish of the 80's. Looks nothing like even Charvels own Firecrackle or rainbow crackle during the same years.

I never said anything about a textured surface, so I have no idea what you mean by that.

[Jackson-Charvel]

This is a typical representation of what crackle looks like on different hobby/craft sites which to me would look nothing like any of the crackles you'd see on a guitar which would look like ass.



Here is the Desert Crackle which to me almost had the look of broken mirror shards as opposed to a chemical crackle effect, and the main idea of the thread how to do THIS EXACT FINISH.



Here is the Fireburst Crackle on a Predator which looks cool but nothing like the Desert Crackle and totally different than the first representation of a crackle finish.

[Jackson-Charvel]

Dave, I think I remember someone posting here a while back of someone on Ebay trying to sell an imposter Charvel with the Desert Crackle finish only it was a white guitar that someone used a sharpie on to get the crackle effect. Needless to say it was funny but ridiculous the seller would pass that off as the real deal.

[Model1VH2]

:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF: The paint was so wet the bubble wrap made impressions in the bod. There were no blisters on the Johnson so I'm sure it won't peter out.

So, how do you like your "factory finish"?

[jcm800x]

From what I remember it was a heat treatment, maybe less time in the heat produces that finer crackle.

[fett]

So, how do you like your "factory finish"?

It smells fresh.:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF: