Whats your favorite (spray) finish?

[chinjazz]

Originally Posted by Hopkins

I've tried a few different types of finishes, water based, precat lacquer, wipe on poly, but I have always gone back to good old nitro lacquer. It sprays easy, and is easy to repair. There are some downsides though, its not all that durable, and takes a good three weeks to fully dry.

For my last few builds I have been using this automotive urethane clear.

Its fully cured overnight, its builds much faster than lacquer, it sprays just as easy, and its much cheaper than than the Behlens Nitro I usually use. Unless it is requested by a customer or something, my nitro days are behind me.

Here is a Strat build I just finished for my singer. If its not raining and nasty like it has been the last few days, I'm going to try and get some pictures in the sunlight tomorrow.



What are you guys go to spray finish, for a hard gloss finish.

Wow!!!!

Paul, That's a gorgeous Guitar! The bass you've got in your photobucket library is also breath taking!

I was wondering if anyone can recommend a rattle can of Urethane like this? I've been doing back of neck finishes with different methods (brush on poly, and recently a water based), but for my needs I'd like not to wait so long to the usable/workable point.

I'll be doing a first build in about a month, and want to do a black gloss body quickly with a can.

[Dean N]

Lots of people have had good results with Spraymax 2k, a 2-part rattlecan automotive urethane. I'm trying to find a finish schedule for the stuff. Anyone?

[chinjazz]

Originally Posted by Dean N

Lots of people have had good results with Spraymax 2k, a 2-part rattlecan automotive urethane. I'm trying to find a finish schedule for the stuff. Anyone?

Hi Dean, that's some expensive stuff.
I wonder if I should start thinking about getting a compressor and air gun . Hmmmm.

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by Dean N

Lots of people have had good results with Spraymax 2k, a 2-part rattlecan automotive urethane. I'm trying to find a finish schedule for the stuff. Anyone?

how does a two part finish work out of a rattle can? Or is it a base coat, clear coat.

[chinjazz]

Looks like 1 can... I'm new on this subject/product...

http://www.spraymax.com/index.php?id=361&L=1

Since I'm so new at this and don't want to hi-jack your thread, think I can PM you with a question or 2?

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by chinjazz

Looks like 1 can... I'm new on this subject/product...

http://www.spraymax.com/index.php?id=361&L=1

Since I'm so new at this and don't want to hi-jack your thread, think I can PM you with a question or 2?

You are welcome to PM me, but I would go ahead and ask whatever advice you need in this thread. Or start a new thread. Its always better to get more than one persons opinion

[chinjazz]

Thanks! We'll this Automotive clear does look awesome.

Some guy I know stated that Engine block paint from auto parts stores in a can work good on bodies (not so sure), but there are 2 things I'm trying to figure out. For rear sides of necks, is there anything that's durable and fast (aka overnight on this automotive), but in a spray can. Also for Bodies, doing a solid black gloss..

I experimented yesterday afternoon, and I didn't like the results: MinWax Polycrylic (water based)... It was just too goopy, and not fast drying. Sanded it off a little while ago.

The last neck I did took me about a week - brushed on minwax poly which was easier to control. I'm just looking for fast dry and durable.. There are probably some pros/cons.

Thanks much for everyone's infinite wisdom.

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by chinjazz

Thanks! We'll this Automotive clear does look awesome.

Some guy I know stated that Engine block paint from auto parts stores in a can work good on bodies (not so sure), but there are 2 things I'm trying to figure out. For rear sides of necks, is there anything that's durable and fast (aka overnight on this automotive), but in a spray can. Also for Bodies, doing a solid black gloss..

I experimented yesterday afternoon, and I didn't like the results: MinWax Polycrylic (water based)... It was just too goopy, and not fast drying. Sanded it off a little while ago.

The last neck I did took me about a week - brushed on minwax poly which was easier to control. I'm just looking for fast dry and durable.. There are probably some pros/cons.

Thanks much for everyone's infinite wisdom.

I don't think there is anything that you can use out of a rattle can that will be completely cured over night. The automotive urethane I have is a two part system, that dries due to a chemical reaction, so it dries much faster.

I would stay away from that engine enamel. I would use a can of Deft gloss lacquer instead. Neither will be fully cured over night. In fact they will both probably take about 3 weeks before you can do the final polishing on either one. I just think the lacquer is a better product. The only over night dry stuff you will find in a rattle can is probably the Spray max stuff. It will have a pot life after its been activated though, so the can will probably not be any good any longer than a day after you activate it.

[Dean N]

Spraymax is actually a 2-part urethane clearcoat that comes in a slick rattlecan. There's a button that you push on the bottom of the can that releases an isocyanate hardener into the can, and you have a limited time to use it.

http://www.spraymax.com/fileadmin/do.../TMB033_GB.pdf

I've sprayed it but havent finished it yet. After two days I couldn't smell the paint at all. I'm still looking for a schedule for it.. I'm thinking wetsanding 600, 1000, and then the micromesh 1500 and up, followed by some kind of polish/swirl remover.

There are some descriptions of its use in this forum and others (tdpri, I think?), and people seem to have had good results all around with it. ~25 bucks for a can isn't very cheap, but it's not outrageous either, for what you get.

Hopkins, that strat is fantastic!

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by Dean N

Spraymax is actually a 2-part urethane clearcoat that comes in a slick rattlecan. There's a button that you push on the bottom of the can that releases an isocyanate hardener into the can, and you have a limited time to use it.

http://www.spraymax.com/fileadmin/do.../TMB033_GB.pdf

I've sprayed it but havent finished it yet. After two days I couldn't smell the paint at all. I'm still looking for a schedule for it.. I'm thinking wetsanding 600, 1000, and then the micromesh 1500 and up, followed by some kind of polish/swirl remover.

There are some descriptions of its use in this forum and others (tdpri, I think?), and people seem to have had good results all around with it. ~25 bucks for a can isn't very cheap, but it's not outrageous either, for what you get.

The information sheet says 12 hour dry time at 20*C. I've never used MicroMesh. I usually go from 400 to 2000 grit and then a Meguiar's medium cut cleaner with a machine buffer.

Originally Posted by Dean N

Hopkins, that strat is fantastic!

Thanks very much!

[chinjazz]

Originally Posted by Hopkins

I don't think there is anything that you can use out of a rattle can that will be completely cured over night. The automotive urethane I have is a two part system, that dries due to a chemical reaction, so it dries much faster.

I would stay away from that engine enamel. I would use a can of Deft gloss lacquer instead. Neither will be fully cured over night. In fact they will both probably take about 3 weeks before you can do the final polishing on either one. I just think the lacquer is a better product. The only over night dry stuff you will find in a rattle can is probably the Spray max stuff. It will have a pot life after its been activated though, so the can will probably not be any good any longer than a day after you activate it.

Hi Hopkins, thanks for the guidance... It's been a few days and on this particular neck I went with Behlens instrument lacquer (essential nitro as I believe). And I do agree that dry time needs to be more than over night. On a different finishing job I did a few years ago i used Helmsman Spar Urethane (brushed on) for a fretless... I was going for something super thick and glossy:

http://s118.beta.photobucket.com/use...20Neck%20Gloss

This one took about 2 weeks... Anyway, thanks for your input.

Here's a pic of the neck in progress:

[StreetScenes]

Looking good.

I like lacquer for the necks and automotive urethane for the body. Lacquer buffs like butter..PPG clear after a week is like buffing the concrete floor!

[Smilodon]

Originally Posted by Dean N

Lots of people have had good results with Spraymax 2k, a 2-part rattlecan automotive urethane. I'm trying to find a finish schedule for the stuff. Anyone?

I have used the Colormatic (Duplicolor) equivalent 2K clear coat. (And primer). I have found that you could just as well just spray it on thick. It looks like there is a critical period at around 7 hours in the curing process where the paint my curl if you lay down a new coat.

Just be aware that the finish could sink ever so slightly for a couple of weeks after the last coat is applied.

[Musiclogic]

Actually Deft can be wetsanded and polished in 7 days. Deft says 5, but I give it 7, and when a relatively quick finish is needed, Deft has become a goto for me.

I have been spraying Target lacquer and poly for a couple years now, and it is my personal choice as I do not wish to go back to solvent finishes ecept for those demanding Nitro or some solvent based lacquer.

Target full dry time is around 2 weeks, can be sanded and reapplied in 2 to 4 hours

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by StreetScenes

Looking good.

Lacquer buffs like butter..PPG clear after a week is like buffing the concrete floor!

Your right about that, You do have to spend more time buffing the urethane. It's a harder finish than lacquer.