How to prep for paint

[197666]

I've got this stripped USA I started over a year ago

Needs to finally get completed, there's a nice auto paint place I'm going to go to. I know some people don't agree with it but no one else wants to do a pearl finish around here. Fine with me.

Anyways, it has a maple veneer but the rest is alder/maple. I'm assuming grain filler + primer?

And can someone recommend an easy to apply grain filler? Thanks!

[sully]

No need for grain filler on alder or maple.
There's also nothing wrong with using automotive paint for guitars, either.

The issues that I ran into with auto painters and guitars isn't the prep work; it's wetsanding with water (which gets into the holes and splits them out from swelling the wood) and overall attention to detail especially when it comes to masking binding.

It'd be a good idea to hit it with sealer before primer, but you don't really have to.

Sully

[197666]

Thanks Sully, I'd hope you'd chime in. Appreciate it.

[AdRock]

Just watch out for the veneer lifting. That happened on the HX I had refinished. I sanded it down to bare wood and I shouldn't have.

[h.e.l.shane]

No need for grain filler on alder or maple.
There's also nothing wrong with using automotive paint for guitars, either.

The issues that I ran into with auto painters and guitars isn't the prep work, it's wetsanding with water (which gets into the holes and splits them out from swelling the wood) and overall attention to detail especially when it comes to masking binding.

It'd be a good idea to hit it with sealer before primer, but you don't really have to.

Sully

This +1000

i hate to say this, but, most auto-body guys are a little.... well... lazy.....as compared to a guy who paints guitars... not really their fault or that they are lazy in general.. but they are in the "prep it, prime it, base it, clear it" and out the door mode...... and that dont fly with guitars

About ten years ago, I wanted to switch to faster coatings than Nitro.. I searched and searched and every auto-body shop was interested, until they found out the amount of prep and finish work that went into it.. and i was NOT paying them the prices they were asking when I'd still have to polish the guitar out..

The exception are shops that do custom graphics work like motorcycle tanks and full custom cars...(and guys like Mike Learn, Dan Lawrence, etc) they know the deal.. and you are going to pay for it.. but.. the finished product is excellent.


I ended up learning how to do it myself.... (helps with my control issues anyway LOL)


I have found a solution to the wetsanding with water... well, two actually..



one.. plug the holes with silly putty or wood wax... keeps the water out (works like a champ!!)

two.. if you don't wanna dig wax or putty out later.....sand near the holes with naptha instead of water


I also suggest using a 2K primer, or a polyester type surfacer (i still havent been able to get any simtex sully LOL) under the base coat if its veneered / if there are any sandthroughs of the veneer / or if there are any repairs such as dent filling, hole plugging, etc... it helps to keep the lines from transferring through as the wood does its seasonal expand and contract thing.

I use old school lacquer primer over non porous woods becasue it sinks into the wood and the base coats will melt it and bite into it, thus giving better adhesion.. but.. its soft...

with 2K primer, i once made the mistake of sanding it with 800 wet before spraying the base.. that guitar was prone to chippin becasue 800 is to fine for the base to get a mechanical bite on the surface (it wont melt into 2k primer). I was promptly scolded by my guru, and its 400 grit on 2K primer now unless im spraying a fine metallic, then its 600, but no finer

[197666]

Hey thanks for the info. I just moved into a new place and I simply don't have the room for all the tools. I was 100% dead set on doing it myself 6mo ago. Plus I'm focusing on an album so it's just easier for me to hand it off to someone locally.

But thank you on the tips, i was thinking of some sort of wax to fill the holes!