Rattle Can Refinish Club

[JIO]

It's an exact match for Shell Pink (as close as possible seeing how many shades of shell pink there is...).

I used this for the primer:
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Clearcoat was Nitro Lacquer.


Moonshine

I love that primer! Goes on nice, sands nice and drys pretty fast. You can get a great eggshell quality finish layering thin coats w/sanding between. I also use it under gilding when a base colour isn't sprayed over it. Makes gold and silver pop more.

 

[JIO]

I was reading a thread about recording/mixing/mastering and hit upon the saying "finished is better than perfect".

Well, I didn't give up on this, but I did decide it's as good as it's going to get. And for a first try, I'm pretty happy with it. There are definitely some things I can learn to do better, but I won't be ashamed to show this one off.

After letting it cure for two weeks, I finish sanded with 1000/1500/2000 grit, then buffed with rubbing compound and wax polish. It doesn't have the mirror gloss I was hoping for, but it looks nice, a bit satiny. There are some flaws, but no glaring ugliness. I'm pleased, and stoked to do an even better job on the next one.

Thanks for your help, everyone!!

Some pics!

View attachment 2619777
Almost finished! by Mark, on Flickr

View attachment 2619778
Almost finished! by Mark, on Flickr

View attachment 2619779
Almost finished! by Mark, on Flickr

View attachment 2619780
Almost finished! by Mark, on Flickr

View attachment 2619781
Almost finished! by Mark, on Flickr

I put the pickups in backward, and messed up the pickguard a bit in the process (routed it out to fit the bridge pickup - d'oh!), so when I get around to fixing that, I will probably/maybe replace the pickguard with a white pearloid.

The 'satiny' finish is nice! I'd say it was an unexpected win! Satin finishes feel better than glossy as well. The off-white plain-Jane pg compliments it (and the pu's) also.

 

[moonshinegtrs]

Dig your designs man!

The feeling is mutual...




Moonshine

 

[bound'n'blocked]

I had started a thread in the Luthier's Corner last fall on this one, but issues with it finally stopped me from documenting the build.

I had all the parts on hand and only had to get electronics, which was a pre-wired jazz control plate from Guitar Fetish. Neck is an Allparts. Bridge is a Gotoh clone.

Anyway, a few pics...

Color is Rust-Oleum metallic blue and Rust-Oleum white with an enamel clear gloss. My son did some of the prep work and paint work before he got bored with it and I finished it. I was doing a guitar body at the same time. I used a lacquer clear on the guitar but like the enamel better. Dried quicker and smoother. My son came up with the design based on a picture of a Ford GT. I'm pleased with the results but there are errors.

It needs a decent set of strings and a setup. I put an old set on just to make sure everything worked. It is strung up BEAD.

BnB

 

[48thStreetCustom]

how odd that I just posted a link on another thread without being aware of this club or your post featuring my old buddy, Dennis Roth / Lil Daddy Roth Metal Flake

Nice! I'd love to hear him talk about his dad.

 

[Bass V]

Nice! I'd love to hear him talk about his dad.

all his kids should collectively put out the ultimate memoir before it's too late, especially Howard and Dennis, they were my age and have the best recollections from the earliest days, but there's been litigation and ill will over the years so that probably won't happen. even with all I know, the things I continue to discover about those times and people is absolutely mindwobbling, there was just SO much going on! fortunately, even in '63 when I first met Dennis and became a family friend (my Mom knew Ed well) I knew how lucky I was to witness the Roth creative process and the perks that came with it. at least Dennis is still in the thick of it and keeping the name vital, he's virtually turned into his Dad.
and thank YOU for keeping that spirit alive!

 

[48thStreetCustom]

all his kids should collectively put out the ultimate memoir before it's too late, especially Howard and Dennis, they were my age and have the best recollections from the earliest days, but there's been litigation and ill will over the years so that probably won't happen. even with all I know, the things I continue to discover about those times and people is absolutely mindwobbling, there was just SO much going on! fortunately, even in '63 when I first met Dennis and became a family friend (my Mom knew Ed well) I knew how lucky I was to witness the Roth creative process and the perks that came with it. at least Dennis is still in the thick of it and keeping the name vital, he's virtually turned into his Dad.
and thank YOU for keeping that spirit alive!

Does the family have any of his custom cars like the Beatnik Bandit or the Orbitron? I love his designs because they were unapologetically over-the-top, outlandish, and humorous.

 

[Bass V]

Does the family have any of his custom cars like the Beatnik Bandit or the Orbitron? I love his designs because they were unapologetically over-the-top, outlandish, and humorous.

yes, son Darryl has made it his mission to bring together as much as he can, including the awesome remakes into the family circle, like the immortal Mysterion. google Orbitron for the story on that wild recovery! but the item I'd love to see again is the chain-bodied Stingray bike Ed made for Eddie Munster which Darryl told me he has access to but was never used in the show or movies. there's a photo of another which may have been made by Ed's main competition, the Barris Bros., and very similar to the even more insane one Dennis rode to elementary school one morning to blow our skulls apart with and he did! I caught glimpses of most of those cars / trikes being built, reconditioned, or stored under the house, but even a friendly Ed (and his pack of guard dogs) was a scary guy to a kid and you didn't want the evil eye or a clean up job for hanging around when it was going down.
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Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth, creator of Rat Fink: A son remembers

 

[48thStreetCustom]

yes, son Darryl has made it his mission to bring together as much as he can, including the awesome remakes into the family circle, like the immortal Mysterion. google Orbitron for the story on that wild recovery! but the item I'd love to see again is the chain-bodied Stingray bike Ed made for Eddie Munster which Darryl told me he has access to but was never used in the show or movies. there's a photo of another which may have been made by Ed's main competition, the Barris Bros., and very similar to the even more insane one Dennis rode to elementary school one morning to blow our skulls apart with and he did! I caught glimpses of most of those cars / trikes being built, reconditioned, or stored under the house, but even a friendly Ed (and his pack of guard dogs) was a scary guy to a kid and you didn't want the evil eye or a clean up job for hanging around when it was going down.
Invalid Link Removed
Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth, creator of Rat Fink: A son remembers
View attachment 2947473

That stuff is so crazy!

 

[A Future Pilot]

Hey peoples! I'm getting ready to refinish my project bass, and have a couple questions:

1. The bass originally had a fiberglass-ish finish (not actually sure what the heck it was, but it was a hard layer that broke off in chunks). While scraping that off I made a number of gouges and scrapes in the body. What's a good filler y'all would recommend that's pretty cheap. (I've heard z-poxy is good, but I don't know if I can get it locally).

2. The body is a pretty soft wood (either basswood or poplar) and it doesn't have much grain to speak of. Will I need a sanding sealer? If so, what should I use?

3. I'm planning on painting it white and I'm considering using Rustoleum Lacquer. If I use the white version of that will I need a clear coat as well?

4. It looks like to do a good job it will have to cure for 2 weeks to a month. I'm about to have a baby and I'd love to get it done before she comes. Is there any way to do a rattlecan finish that doesn't take as long?

Thanks!

 

[bdplaid]

Hey peoples! I'm getting ready to refinish my project bass, and have a couple questions:

1. The bass originally had a fiberglass-ish finish (not actually sure what the heck it was, but it was a hard layer that broke off in chunks). While scraping that off I made a number of gouges and scrapes in the body. What's a good filler y'all would recommend that's pretty cheap. (I've heard z-poxy is good, but I don't know if I can get it locally).

2. The body is a pretty soft wood (either basswood or poplar) and it doesn't have much grain to speak of. Will I need a sanding sealer? If so, what should I use?

3. I'm planning on painting it white and I'm considering using Rustoleum Lacquer. If I use the white version of that will I need a clear coat as well?

4. It looks like to do a good job it will have to cure for 2 weeks to a month. I'm about to have a baby and I'd love to get it done before she comes. Is there any way to do a rattlecan finish that doesn't take as long?

Thanks!

Filler = Timbermate.

Sanding Sealer = I usually don't, but thinned shellac is always good. I think Minwax sells a sanding sealer pre-made which I think is this.

Rustoluem is fine if you don't want an A+ finish. I use the enamel (not lacquer) occasionally and it works OK. I love lacquer and overall it's easy, but IMO there's a little bit of a learning curve with it. I like it because it dries super-fast. I don't wait 3 weeks for stuff to cure, either. the way i figure it, if I screw it up (like with a run or a drip or foul up any wet-sanding if I do that), I'll just put on another coat; lacquer melts into itself so it's no big deal really. But the other Rustoleums aren't as forgiving. And Rustoluem nozzles are the freaking worst! Minwax nozzles are far better, and you buy better nozzles online, which I recommend. Fan spray.

I haven't tried this, but if the scratches aren't too deep you can also try an automotive high-build primer. It's like a primer and a filler in one. They come in a rattle can.

Keep us posted!

 

[A Future Pilot]

Filler = Timbermate.

Sanding Sealer = I usually don't, but thinned shellac is always good. I think Minwax sells a sanding sealer pre-made which I think is this.

Rustoluem is fine if you don't want an A+ finish. I use the enamel (not lacquer) occasionally and it works OK. I love lacquer and overall it's easy, but IMO there's a little bit of a learning curve with it. I like it because it dries super-fast. I don't wait 3 weeks for stuff to cure, either. the way i figure it, if I screw it up (like with a run or a drip or foul up any wet-sanding if I do that), I'll just put on another coat; lacquer melts into itself so it's no big deal really. But the other Rustoleums aren't as forgiving. And Rustoluem nozzles are the freaking worst! Minwax nozzles are far better, and you buy better nozzles online, which I recommend. Fan spray.

I haven't tried this, but if the scratches aren't too deep you can also try an automotive high-build primer. It's like a primer and a filler in one. They come in a rattle can.

Keep us posted!

Thanks for the info!

After reading through this thread some more, I'm more leaning towards using Duplicolor.

So I think here's what I do:

1. Fill gouges with Timbermate and sand the entire body to get all the scratches and such out

2. Prime with Duplicolor primer. Should I use their 2-n-1 Hi-Build Filler/Primer, or their regular Filler/Primer, or their Primer/Sealer? Wet-sand afterwards.

3. Paint with Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel. Sand (wet sand?) after every coat except the last one. How many coats should I do?

4. Use Duplicolor Clear Top Coat as a clear coat. How many coats of this should I do, and I should I sand between them?

Finally, how long do I need to let it dry between each coat throughout this process?

Thanks so much for y'alls help!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

My son came was gifted a 93' MIM P-Bass, nothing special, and pretty worse-for wear. he got all the black paint off with a heat gun, but primer below is pretty bulletproof. it did flake off and sand-through in a few spots, lots of little imperfections left. Should he fill the primer voids with glazing putty, epoxy, etc? Or does he need to sand the whole thing to bare wood? Thanks for advice.

 

[Stumbo]

Which color are you going to paint it?

 

[SurferJoe46]

That's pretty gruesome - I suggest getting it naked and then start from base-wood.

What is that - 4 or 5 pieces of wood?

If I was silly enough, I'd run it through a very accurate power planer and just take a skim cut on both sides and then hand sand the rest of the curves and radius.

You've got a real project there and it doesn't appear to be a premium (read: 'pretty') wood to work with.

Pretty should be seen, glulam bodies should not - unless you like the effect.

 

[SurferJoe46]

Hey peoples! I'm getting ready to refinish my project bass, and have a couple questions:

1. The bass originally had a fiberglass-ish finish (not actually sure what the heck it was, but it was a hard layer that broke off in chunks). While scraping that off I made a number of gouges and scrapes in the body. What's a good filler y'all would recommend that's pretty cheap. (I've heard z-poxy is good, but I don't know if I can get it locally).

2. The body is a pretty soft wood (either basswood or poplar) and it doesn't have much grain to speak of. Will I need a sanding sealer? If so, what should I use?

3. I'm planning on painting it white and I'm considering using Rustoleum Lacquer. If I use the white version of that will I need a clear coat as well?

4. It looks like to do a good job it will have to cure for 2 weeks to a month. I'm about to have a baby and I'd love to get it done before she comes. Is there any way to do a rattlecan finish that doesn't take as long?

Thanks!

The best filler I've found on wood is a product like Bondo - the original auto custom 'putty' for filling dents (ask about Earl Scheib some day) and for MINOR imperfections that are technically long, not deep.

The use of acrylic spot putties is rife with problems if you use a primer or paint that doesn't like it. Think a bad marriage with handguns and brass knuckles.

There can be a lot of wrinkling and parting of the surfaces with the wrong twosome.

IF you use anything like a rust inhibitor paint, then it MIGHT take several months or years even, to actually dry. It's not intended to dry - it's supposed to be actively fighting moisture and water impingement and it's 'alive-ness' (read: 'still wet') will make it a long long time before you can do anything with it. Maybe. Not a rule here - just a very powerful observation of my younger halcyon days.

IOW: IMO - Rustoleum sux big ones!

I've learned to not use enamels unless it's an effect I truly want - like renovating an original Leo Fender automotive finish on a vintage guitar. It's risky - but do-able in the right circumstances.

You need single digit humidity, over 70F for a few days - not getting lower then 65F at night counts too!

If you've got a paint booth and drying lamps - then I say go-for-it. Otherwise ---> NO.

Lacquer - it is so forgiving that anyone contemplating a paint job on anything other than a house - should use it. It will re-melt into itself for goof-fixes and runs. It dries super fast (remember to paint during 70F time periods for best results) and flash-time is really fast.

Plus it smells reall guud!

BTW: your original glossy finish was polyester resin - think surfboard.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

It’s actually 7 pieces! Not Fender’s finest effort. Paint for sure. I was thinking Duplicolor auto laquer for color and clear coats, some kind of high build compatible primer. He wants to go seafoam or similar.

 

[SurferJoe46]

Be careful of the high-build primers as they are soft and will not resist bumps and bangs very well.

Actually - a good catalyzed primer is the best as it will set HARD and it will not react to almost any overcoat of paint no matter what you choose.

I tend to use aviation dope - non-shrinking kind and mix in some baby powder for a filler. It sands really well - smells sweet and won't clog the sand paper.

Aviation Dope may still be available in your hobby shops that cater to the old tissue and Ceconite fabric built models. Try an aircraft specialty supply too.

There was one in Fullerton, CA on Truslow Street - but I know they moved. They were the biggest source of aircraft dope for me for my years of aviation restoration and RC building. It was specifically called: "Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Supply", and that's the place where a lot of Rutans got their parts and product.

I am getting no results and I think that either their server is down or they are gone.

Nah - I think it's a server thingy. Try them later.

Either way - Testor's and (d@mn it - I cannot remember the other name of the supplier for dope!!!) it should still be available.

I can mentally 'see' the label too! Rats! The doc said it would start this way.............I guess ya gotta die from somethin'! Huh!

But ---> I have a few gallon cans of it yet. I can see the label, but can't find the word on my tongue.

Don't get old.

 

[9mmMike]

Be careful of the high-build primers as they are soft and will not resist bumps and bangs very well.

Actually - a good catalyzed primer is the best as it will set HARD and it will not react to almost any overcoat of paint no matter what you choose.

I tend to use aviation dope - non-shrinking kind and mix in some baby powder for a filler. It sands really well - smells sweet and won't clog the sand paper.

Aviation Dope may still be available in your hobby shops that cater to the old tissue and Ceconite fabric built models. Try an aircraft specialty supply too.

There was one in Fullerton, CA on Truslow Street - but I know they moved. They were the biggest source of aircraft dope for me for my years of aviation restoration and RC building. It was specifically called: "Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Supply", and that's the place where a lot of Rutans got their parts and product.

I am getting no results and I think that either their server is down or they are gone.

Nah - I think it's a server thingy. Try them later.

Either way - Testor's and (d@mn it - I cannot remember the other name of the supplier for dope!!!) it should still be available.

I can mentally 'see' the label too! Rats! The doc said it would start this way.............I guess ya gotta die from somethin'! Huh!

But ---> I have a few gallon cans of it yet. I can see the label, but can't find the word on my tongue.

Don't get old.

Ha! Many many hours as a young pre-teen/teen building planes in the poorly-vented basement with balsa, paper and dope. Lord knows how many brain cells I killed with that hobby!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Yeah, I did a few RC model airplanes back in the 70's with that dope, pretty spicey stuff! I finished this home-built Ric clone bass in water-based Varathane, it doesn't go on as smooth as laquer, a lot of elbow grease required to level sand and buff it out, but it does have the advantage of being relatively non-toxic. I did this in a plastic spraybooth in my garage with a walmart house fan for ventilation. Trying to decide if I want to try WB again or just go auto laquer for the sake of speed and simplicity.