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Rattle Can Refinish Club

#2,341
I have a project that I have started. First rattle can spray job I'll have done in quite a long time (about 10 years according to my posts here).

Details:

Fenderbird ash body with EMG35 pickups and to be finished in Oxford Supply Co Aged Olympic White

Musikraft Maple slim P neck with a rosewood FB

Photo Jun 09 2023, 9 05 48 AM.jpg


So far, I sanded the body down to 400 grit paper. I have wet the body to raise the grain, and my next step is to block sand with 600 grit.

I have not been too successful in getting a good smooth mirror finish so far, so I'm hoping for better results. I plan to spend a lot more time in prep, and not rushing my wet sanding. Rather than doing it all at once, my goal is to pick 1-2 things a week to accomplish.

The next big task i need to plan for is spraying the body. 10 years ago I purchased a portable closet I used as a spray booth and hung the body vertically. Very interested in ideas about how to mount the bass for spraying. I am looking at a Spray rig, but that will run bout $300. If I do more builds, that might make it worth while, but I don't know if it's the right move. I do want a good quality finish. Options on a spray booth?
 
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#2,343
kbakerde said:
I have a project that I have started. First rattle can spray job I'll have done in quite a long time (about 10 years according to my posts here).

Details:

Fenderbird ash body with EMG35 pickups and to be finished in Oxford Supply Co Aged Olympic White

Musikraft Maple slim P neck with a rosewood FB

View attachment 5091643

So far, I sanded the body down to 400 grit paper. I have wet the body to raise the grain, and my next step is to block sand with 600 grit.

I have not been too successful in getting a good smooth mirror finish so far, so I'm hoping for better results. I plan to spend a lot more time in prep, and not rushing my wet sanding. Rather than doing it all at once, my goal is to pick 1-2 things a week to accomplish.

The next big task i need to plan for is spraying the body. 10 years ago I purchased a portable closet I used as a spray booth and hung the body vertically. Very interested in ideas about how to mount the bass for spraying. I am looking at a Spray rig, but that will run bout $300. If I do more builds, that might make it worth while, but I don't know if it's the right move. I do want a good quality finish. Options on a spray booth?
Click to expand...

That body is ash by the look of it. Ash has DEEP pores in the grain and for a flat surface on the finished product you'll need to fill them. I don't know if a sanding sealer will do it. You could use epoxy, or there are a number of grain filler products out there. If you're doing a solid color you might even be able to use bondo. Whatever you do it will have to be filled before you prime/paint.
 
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#2,345
Reedt2000 said:
That body is ash by the look of it. Ash has DEEP pores in the grain and for a flat surface on the finished product you'll need to fill them. I don't know if a sanding sealer will do it. You could use epoxy, or there are a number of grain filler products out there. If you're doing a solid color you might even be able to use bondo. Whatever you do it will have to be filled before you prime/paint.
Click to expand...

I bought the Deluxe Finishing kit from Oxford. So it has oil based grain filler and Sanding Sealer. I plan to use both, and yes Ash it is.

So based on some videos I saw. I plan to put probably 3-4 coats of grain filler on, sand back, then probably reapply a couple coats to be sure and sand again. Then double check and make sure it's flat and the grain is filled, then move onto sanding sealer.
 
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#2,346
Michael Stanley 2112 said:
Hello, everyone! I've been lurking here for a little bit and I've tried to look through the pages, but there's a lot of them.

Has anyone here had any success painting pick-up covers?
Click to expand...

It can be done, but getting paint to adhere to plastic can be difficult, and as pickups tend to be right under where a player plucks, slaps or picks, it has more probability of flaking off unless you apply very thick clearcoat.

These days, you can find colored plastic pickup covers for most standard shapes, there are makers that offer custom anodized metal covers, or you can find / make designs to 3D print your own in color. (I’ve used Shapeways to print covers using their Versatile Nylon with the smoothing option and they turned out great.)
 
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#2,347
hooky_marr said:
It can be done, but getting paint to adhere to plastic can be difficult, and as pickups tend to be right under where a player plucks, slaps or picks, it has more probability of flaking off unless you apply very thick clearcoat.

These days, you can find colored plastic pickup covers for most standard shapes, there are makers that offer custom anodized metal covers, or you can find / make designs to 3D print your own in color. (I’ve used Shapeways to print covers using their Versatile Nylon with the smoothing option and they turned out great.)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the response, but I already had to "take the plunge" and decide to refinish/modify the entire instrument.

The deciding factor was actually the amount of damage done to the matte finish, when I play with a pick. That's not often, but clearly it's often enough that even though I wipe my instruments down after every use, the "pinky spot" underneath my middle pick-up is becoming noticeable.

So, I went all in on a set of Relentless P/J in gold and a bridge, tuners, and knobs in gold. It's going to look fantastic with the new shiny, black finish!
 
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#2,348
kbakerde said:
I bought the Deluxe Finishing kit from Oxford. So it has oil based grain filler and Sanding Sealer. I plan to use both, and yes Ash it is.

So based on some videos I saw. I plan to put probably 3-4 coats of grain filler on, sand back, then probably reapply a couple coats to be sure and sand again. Then double check and make sure it's flat and the grain is filled, then move onto sanding sealer.
Click to expand...
Cool :thumbsup:

Don't skimp on the filler and prep work. The quality of your surface prep is directly linked to the quality of the overall outcome.
 
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#2,353
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#2,354
Bikeguy57 said:
View attachment 5147920 View attachment 5147921
First try with Rustolium glitter. I'm usually a Graceys/Reranch guy, but saw a YouTube video and thought I'd give it a shot. As they say in the old car hobby, "She's perfect from afar, but she's far from perfect"
Click to expand...

How did the clear coating turn out for you? I did one a couple of years ago in orange Krylon glitter, and even after 4 cans of clear, the final result was still bumpy and not level. I vowed “never again” unless I could find a solution for that.
 
#2,355
friskinator said:
How did the clear coating turn out for you? I did one a couple of years ago in orange Krylon glitter, and even after 4 cans of clear, the final result was still bumpy and not level. I vowed “never again” unless I could find a solution for that.
Click to expand...
That's the problem. After a full can of extra thick clear, still felt like sandpaper. Aggressive wet sanding still resulted in significant orange peel. I have a can of Stewmac Sonic Blue lacquer and some clear, so a redo will probably happen. No one else would notice, or care, but "I" know it's there.
 
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#2,357
Hey there just wanted to ask around about how you guys prop up the bass body when you're getting ready to shoot it with clearcoat. I have some ideas im bouncing around to my paint guy whos actually painting it for me but I think it might be helpful to hear what you rattle can maestros think.
0520231013.jpg
Im doing the refin on the rockbass streamer on the left. It had a couple cracks I've glued and filled but main reason for painting is just because I really like the look of some of those spector pulse finishes in the deep red.
Screenshot_20230823-172812.png
 
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#2,358
GTHintz said:
Hey there just wanted to ask around about how you guys prop up the bass body when you're getting ready to shoot it with clearcoat. I have some ideas im bouncing around to my paint guy whos actually painting it for me but I think it might be helpful to hear what you rattle can maestros think.
View attachment 5167715
Im doing the refin on the rockbass streamer on the left. It had a couple cracks I've glued and filled but main reason for painting is just because I really like the look of some of those spector pulse finishes in the deep red.
View attachment 5167721
Click to expand...

DIY Paint stand:
 
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