spray paint screw up

[L]

I have a tendency to rush into projects and that's why I currently have a guitar that has had a stencil applied to it with enamel spray paint on the original shitty finish that is about 1/20 of an inch thick (I got a little carried away). I am not worried about scratching the original finish, so should I try sanding the stenciled part down or should I just start over? If it matters, I'd planned on lacquering over this when I'm done.

Since I have so much excess paint, I also thought it might be cool if I could apply some thinner or whatever to make the stenciled words look like like are melting....sort of like a blood drip type effect. Think it's possible to accomplish this and not completely destroy the words that I stenciled on? Any ideas on what type of product I should use to achieve this affect? If I go this route, should I sand some paint before I start or leave it so I can get some decent drippage?

[Newc]

Re: spray paint screw up

Try brushing the bottoms of the letters as opposed to the whole thing to get a drip effect.

Sanding with a rougher grit should leave scuffs in it that the thinner can really get a hold on.

Newc

[Twisteramps]

Re: spray paint screw up

Probably not a good idea to coat over enamel with lacquer... might want to check compatibility first. They do make a clear/gloss enamel, but it takes a LONG time to harden vs the lacquer.

Pete

[L]

Re: spray paint screw up

Is it dumb of me to be using enamel in the first place? I am just stenciling a little phrase on top of a really old and dinged up existing finish. I would like to do it over but the damn stencil takes about an hour to make and gave me arthritis while I was making it, so I'm hesitant.

I didn't want to get enamel, but it's illegal to sell spraypaint in Chicago so I had to drive to the damn suburbs and when I got there I was confronted by an enourmous wall of spray paint and I got confused.

[bachle7]

Re: spray paint screw up

Clear enamel takes a VERY long time to harden. I refinished a guitar once with it and even after 8 days, I put the trem plate on and it made an indentation in the clear coat. After a month, it was rock solid. So I would find something different if you're impatient.

[Twisteramps]

Re: spray paint screw up

well.. you could order some from this place:

www.reranch.com

lacquer just works better... dries harder, faster, and buffs out easier. Enamel is fine, if you have a few months to wait for the paint to fully cure so it can be buffed.

Pete

[mm2002]

Re: spray paint screw up

Even laquer needs to dry for at least a month before you fuck with it. Don't blame it on the enamel. The key to painting is PATIENCE! If you rush it you'll fuck something up.

[Twisteramps]

Re: spray paint screw up

Originally posted by mm2002:
Even laquer needs to dry for at least a month before you fuck with it. Don't blame it on the enamel. The key to painting is PATIENCE! If you rush it you'll fuck something up.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Maybe it depends on the climate or humidity here... but I've buffed guitars out that I sprayed lacquer on a week later with no problems. Enamel was still 'soft' a month later.

Pete

[mm2002]

Re: spray paint screw up

Yes Pete, the temp and humidity do have a lot to do with it but I've never seen laquer fully cured in a week. Yes, it can be sanded and buffed in a week but it's still soft and if you lay it against anything you'll see.

[Evol]

Re: spray paint screw up

Originally posted by L:
Is it dumb of me to be using enamel in the first place? I am just stenciling a little phrase on top of a really old and dinged up existing finish. I would like to do it over but the damn stencil takes about an hour to make and gave me arthritis while I was making it, so I'm hesitant.

I didn't want to get enamel, but it's illegal to sell spraypaint in Chicago so I had to drive to the damn suburbs and when I got there I was confronted by an enourmous wall of spray paint and I got confused.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've sprayed laquer over different types of enamel paints and haven't had a problem yet.It may just be me but when the sealer hits the enamel it smoothes the lines out nicely.

Is your original finish laquer? If so then no worries,if it's poly or something else then I would test a small area first.If it's just paint then seal it and laquer it.I would fill any dings however because the laquer will just magnify those spots that aren't nice and level.

And yes it will take a month or more to cure,enamel is even worse I refinished a dresser with it and after two months it's still soft enough to put a fingernail lightly into it.

[Twisteramps]

Re: spray paint screw up

Originally posted by mm2002:
Yes Pete, the temp and humidity do have a lot to do with it but I've never seen laquer fully cured in a week. Yes, it can be sanded and buffed in a week but it's still soft and if you lay it against anything you'll see.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well... I've done three guitars with it, and each were buffed and used within 2 weeks tops of being shot. This was even with rattle cans... and it was cured well enough to stand up to regular duty. Maybe I got lucky or something. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Pete

[mm2002]

Re: spray paint screw up

Yup, you got lucky! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Seriously though, if the weather was extremely warm and dry 2 weeks is possible, but not 1, especially in those hot Oklahoma summers! BTW Pete, what part of Tulsa do you live in? I grew up in Tulsa and graduated HS from East Central in 81. I just moved here about 11 years ago. We may have met back in the days, especially if you were in the music scene in the 80s.

[chopper45hd]

Re: spray paint screw up

try automotive clears...you can get a rocket fuel hardner that cures and is ready to wetsand/buff in just a few hrs (say 24 hrs compared to 2 weeks) it all comes down to what your willing to pay vs. are you willing to wait