Rattle Can Refinish Club

[DenverDrew]

My thoughts, and i'm no proffesional, are that what you want to do IS achievable. Sanding will probably have to happen but mot as much as you may think. As far as removing the green paint I have succesfully used a cheapo hot air gun lile you would buy at home depot/lowes/menards. They cost about twenty bucks. That is assuming you dont already own ine.

I did that with an Epi Goth and it worked perfectly!

Cant wait to see what you do with yours.

I'm not entirely confident in my ability to use the heat gun without scorching the wood a little in the process. I am going to start with Citristrip and see where that gets me. Anyone else know about the dye situation? Should receive the body on Monday to get started.

 

[Jon Clegg]

I started with Citristrip on my EB clone and ended up going to the heat gun. It's acually pretty hard to scorch the wood if you keep your hand nearby and works much much quicker than Citristrip. Depending on the wood, you might be more likely to chemically damage the wood with the stripper. My $0.02.

 

[DenverDrew]

I started with Citristrip on my EB clone and ended up going to the heat gun. It's acually pretty hard to scorch the wood if you keep your hand nearby and works much much quicker than Citristrip. Depending on the wood, you might be more likely to chemically damage the wood with the stripper. My $0.02.

The body is black korina (african limba), should I be concerned using chemical stripping?

 

[Jon Clegg]

Not sure. I do know that after getting frustrated with several ineffective cycles with citristrip, over several days trying to remove polyurethane, I switched over to the heat gun and was done two hours later.

 

[Later_Peter]

I see some beautiful colors, well done finishes... but, to me, it's like tattoos... you see one you like, then another one that looks good & so... decision making is pretty hard after that.

 

[Klondike]

I'm not entirely confident in my ability to use the heat gun without scorching the wood a little in the process. I am going to start with Citristrip and see where that gets me. Anyone else know about the dye situation? Should receive the body on Monday to get started.

I understand what you mean, i wasnt sure about it either, at first. Then I just did it. Smartest choice of the month. Heat gun was super slick idea. I started on the low setting but that wasn't cutting it so I switched to the high heat setting. Worked like a charm. I am confident you would do just fine.

 

[DenverDrew]

I understand what you mean, i wasnt sure about it either, at first. Then I just did it. Smartest choice of the month. Heat gun was super slick idea. I started on the low setting but that wasn't cutting it so I switched to the high heat setting. Worked like a charm. I am confident you would do just fine.

You were 100% right. I hit the body with Citristrip and it did nothing. Got the heat gun and got under even the grain filler layer. Started coming off in strips and I've got the whole front done. I did darken the wood in a couple of spots (should have started on the back to get the technique down, DOH!) but I think sanding will get me close to how it was before finish. Hopefully I didn't scorch it too badly and I can still get the desired effect. Photos to follow when the whole thing is stripped.

 

[DenverDrew]

After the paint stripping, obviously had difficulty with a few spots that ended up scorched.

Medium Gecko Body Front 1

• DenverDrew
• Dec 8, 2015
• warmoth gecko

Front of the Gecko body after paint strip, before sanding.

Next I hit the body with one round of 120 grit. Most of the dark spots are up but it's going to take a second round to clean it up completely. Now to choose a finish!

Medium Gecko Body Front 2

• DenverDrew
• Dec 8, 2015
• warmoth gecko

Front of the Gecko body after paint strip and 120 sanding.

Medium Gecko Body Back 1

• DenverDrew
• Dec 8, 2015
• warmoth gecko

Back of the Gecko body after paint strip and 120 sanding.

Any recommendations on the best way to strip the control cavity?

 

[DerekW]

Is it wrong to say I would have just left it like pic 1? Cuz that looks awesome!

 

[DenverDrew]

Is it wrong to say I would have just left it like pic 1? Cuz that looks awesome!

Lol I actually thought about hitting it with fire to bring out the grain and then just clear coating it. I want this one to look a little classier though. Maybe next build I'll go rat-rod style.

 

[fjadams]

I never bother stripping the control cavity. Once you put the copper tape in there you never see the old color. I do tape it when I paint, especially around the edge where the cover goes back on.

 

[DenverDrew]

I never bother stripping the control cavity. Once you put the copper tape in there you never see the old color. I do tape it when I paint, especially around the edge where the cover goes back on.

Good call, same for the pickup routes?

 

[Klondike]

On mine I taped the pickups routs but not the control cavity. Didnt need to strip it because it was pretty bare.

Don't forget primer, i will help seal the wood and gives the paint a good bonding surface. Looks good so far.

 

[fjadams]

I normally spray the pickup routs too. Just in case there is any space it looks like it's all one color. I learned the hard way about taping the ledge and rim that the backplate sits on. A couple coats of primer, a few coats of base coat, and many coats of clear equals a cover plate that doesn't fit properly any more. I tape the pickup routs after the basecoat, and maybe one or two coats of clear. Sometimes before the clear, but I want the routs to have color consistency.

And always tape the neck pocket. Usually before, but for sure after one or two coats of the base color if you're worried about having continuity of color.

 

[DerekW]

Don't think he's doing paint, just stain and finish.

 

[TinIndian]

I almost pulled the trigger on that one. nice work stripping it down.

 

[Klondike]

So I finally finish my Epi Thunderbird. I'm calling it Ol' Blu (for now)

 

[DerekW]

So I finally finish my Epi Thunderbird. I'm calling it Ol' Blu (for now)

View attachment 764010 View attachment 764011 View attachment 764012 View attachment 764013 View attachment 764014

Man, that looks hot!
What colour blue is that?

 

[Dradder]

Is it wrong to say I would have just left it like pic 1? Cuz that looks awesome!

+100 -- seriously awesome.

 

[Klondike]

I wish I knew. It is

Man, that looks hot!
What colour blue is that?

from a local autobody paint shop that sells top of the line paint. This was an oops paint I got for free if I also bought my clear from them.