Finishing Advice on doing a "nudie mag guitar"

[Dogbone]

Being a "Autobody painter guy" myself, clearing over pictures sounds like a train wreck to me. I wouldn't even think of attempting it... Maybe with lacquer, but not with a Urethane. I'll be curious to see how this turns out. I hope they aren't charging you much, and are they guaranteeing the work against defects?? Hope it goes well...

[Rich#6]

Don't leave any white and using the glossy magazine paper helps. I don't think anything bleed through on mine.

[Newc]

What about just using a clear laminate, like they sell in office supply stores? That should keep the clear from soaking the paper, and not add too much height in the process.

That might work, but you'll have to get the thinnest you can find. Plus you have to laminate them onto the body without the back laminate. Most office-type laminators are set up to laminate the front and back (ID badges, etc), and they end up kinda thick, especially if you're talking about mounting it on a flat surface.

Laminating it onto the body without the backing layer means it has to have a perfect seal, or else the spray will seep in behind it and cause a bubble, or soak the paper.

[irnmadn88]

What about the stuff they wrap cars and trucks with? Vinyl or something like that?

[tonemonster]

well, the price is right. its FREE. friend of mine doing it as a favor.

and keep it mind its a clunker guitar, so if it goes bad, all I am out is my time and labor. and try again. its a learning experience.

Being a "Autobody painter guy" myself, clearing over pictures sounds like a train wreck to me. I wouldn't even think of attempting it... Maybe with lacquer, but not with a Urethane. I'll be curious to see how this turns out. I hope they aren't charging you much, and are they guaranteeing the work against defects?? Hope it goes well...

[Bengal65]

shooting clear coat straight over the pictures is going to soak the pictures, and the back of the paper will shine through. gonna have to do a LOT of dust coats first.

sully

+1 and use automotive urethane clear. PPG OMNI, PPG Concept, Dupont, RM, Sherwin Williams etc. I use the OMNI. It's the least expensive and is excellent. It is hard as nails at 48 hours, ready to sand and buff.

[Racerx2k]

Someone else already mentioned what to do: Modpodge. I've seen material finishes done, using this stuff, and it worked. Just use it to build the surface to smoothe, then topcoat with clear.

Here's the tutorial, the first time I saw this done:

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

[tonemonster]

sounds good.

[sully]

Someone else already mentioned what to do: Modpodge. I've seen material finishes done, using this stuff, and it worked. Just use it to build the surface to smoothe, then topcoat with clear.

Here's the tutorial, the first time I saw this done:

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

i used that on my collage guitar and wish i hadn't.

[tonemonster]

I have almost all the pics on it. I will finish it tonight, and maybe take it in tomarrow to get clear coated. we will see. but it looks AWESOME!!!!

[nhspike]

Some pics of the process would be cool!
Post away!!!

[MarkThomas]

Some pics of the process would be cool!
Post away!!!

+1

[zeegler]

As Sully mentioned, very light dust coats to begin with would probably work. Start with the paint nozzle farther away from the piece, and just give it a light misting. The clear will be virtually dried already when it hits the guitar. A few coats like this to seal the paper might help before you do some proper coats.

[tonemonster]

As Sully mentioned, very light dust coats to begin with would probably work. Start with the paint nozzle farther away from the piece, and just give it a light misting. The clear will be virtually dried already when it hits the guitar. A few coats like this to seal the paper might help before you do some proper coats.

I will mention that to my friend thats going to spray the clear coat on it. sounds like a good idea to me.

[tonemonster]

SO I dropped the guitar off today to get clearcoated. I metioned those ideas to him, and he agreed. he said he will give it two light coats as you guys advised, and then lay down some regular coats on it.