Alder Finishing schedule

[Audiowonderland]

I have decided to go with an alder body instead of Ash. I think it will simplify some steps until I gain some additional experience.

To that end I have been looking into the best practices and put together a finishing schedule. The guitar is going to be an alder solid body strat style with a striped finish ala EVH. Its not a replica. Its an homage to EVH instruments, with my own specifications.

Before working on the finished product, I am going to do a proof of concept for the process on scrap lumber. If that goes well, I have an inexpensive test body that I will then run the process on. Its a chance to learn/test the process and gain experience with it. Looking at the colors in the real world will let me adjust those choices if needed as well and make adjustments before starting on on the final product.

This is the 1st draft of the finishing schedule.  Please let me know if there are any changes you would suggest.

1) Sand to 220
2) Apply Aquacoat Grain fill
3) Sand to 320 / clean
4) Repeat steps 2/3 until smooth
5) Apply Aquacoat sanding sealer
6) Sand to 320 / clean
7) Apply Duplicolor white sandable primer.
8) Let dry 48 hrs
9) Sand to 320 / clean
10) Apply 3 light coats of Duplicolor Perfect match white metallic lacquer. 10 min apart
a. Let dry 48hrs
11) Level sand to 400 / Clean
12) Repeat steps 9/10 if needed
13) Tape for red metallic paint
14) Apply 3 light coats of Duplicolor Perfect Match metallic red lacquer. 10 min apart
a. Let dry 48hrs
15) Apply additional red if needed
16) Let dry another 48
17) Remove tape
18) Level sand to 400
a. Lightly feather tape edges if needed
19) Apply tape for silver stripe layer
20) Apply 3 light coats of metallic Silver. 10 min apart
21) Let dry 48 hrs
22) Repeat steps 20 and 21 if needed
23) Let dry 48 hrs
24) Spray 3 light coats of Duplicolor Perfect match clear. 10 min apart.
25) Let dry 48 hours
26) Level sand to 400
27) Spray 3 additional coats of Duplicolor Perfect Match clear. 10 min apart
28) Let dry 48 hrs
29) Wet sand 800 / 1200 / 1500 / 2000 / 3000
30) Buff to final finish with Medium and fine grit paste.

 

[Rick]

Wow you really thought that thru ... I think you'll find the grain filler superfluous on alder ... In fact I'd skip steps 1 to 6.

 

[Audiowonderland]

I need to outline the process when I am doing something new to make sure I don't miss steps or forget details.  I want this project to turn out well.

 

[stratamania]

Something you could test on your scrap, but with the regard to level sanding metallics or flakes it is something that is usually avoided as it would reduce the effect of what makes metallic or flakes what they are.

Once you have the metallics done and they are dry, use some mist coats of clear before building up sufficient clear coats that you then can do final sanding and buffing of the clear without affecting the metallic underneath.

This guide may be useful...

https://www.rothkoandfrost.com/downloads/1518364733DAR005-dartfords-Guitar-Body-Paint-Kit-Metallic-Cellulose.pdf

 

[Audiowonderland]

Something you could test on your scrap, but with the regard to level sanding metallics or flakes it is something that is usually avoided as it would reduce the effect of what makes metallic or flakes what they are.

Once you have the metallics done and they are dry, use some mist coats of clear before building up sufficient clear coats that you then can do final sanding and buffing of the clear without affecting the metallic underneath.

This guide may be useful...

https://www.rothkoandfrost.com/downloads/1518364733DAR005-dartfords-Guitar-Body-Paint-Kit-Metallic-Cellulose.pdf

That link is very helpful. Thank you.  Would the process they outline change because of the acrylic lacquer I am using vs the nitro that document was written for? I am thinking it would not, but I'm not experienced with this process.  I decided to do the test blocks and finish a test body to get some experience and work out the kinks hopefully.  I also would assume the caviats for metallic paint would apply to pearl as well?

 

[stratamania]

Yes the process would be similar and I would say it does apply to pearl in addition to flakes and metallics. And it is well worth testing on scrap before committing to the body itself.

 

[BroccoliRob]

afaik (short for as far as I am knowing) the big W already sands bodys to 220 but maybe stratmanica can confirm. If so, afaik i agree with the guy who said u can skip steps 1-6 cuz alder is pretty smooth unlike ash or mahog.

Hopefully when u get going u won't have to do much trouble shooting cuz the problem with troubleshooting is that trouble often shoots back

 

[stratamania]

I would say also bodies would be already sanded to around 220. So no point in sanding something unless it is too make it smoother. But with alder the last one I got that was bare wood it was pretty much good to go to start a finish process.

 

[Audiowonderland]

Does Warmoth also ship raw bodies sealed if the are sanded to 220?

 

[J-Bones]

Warmoth bodies shipped without finish are not sealed.

 

[DuckBaloo]

... In fact I'd skip steps 1 to 6.

This.

No need to grain fill a closed  pore wood like alder and no need to use sanding sealer. In this case, the primer is the high-solid sealer, plus it will easy fill the small pores.

The Warmoth body should arrive sanded to 320 already.

Wet grain, sand back to 320, clean body with naphtha (a Good time to make sure the body doesn’t have any contaminants), and begin your finish.

If not level after step 9 (shiney spots); repeat step 7-9 until the primer is built up enough to sand level.

 

[Audiowonderland]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Appreciate it!

Some new questions. 

This is an EVH homage and will have some striping. Would you wait until the paint is completely dried (ie a few weeks to fully cure) to remove the tape or would 24 hours be enough?

Since the taping will leave ridges, my original thought was to feather them in before spraying the clear. Since sanding metallic and pearls is not a good idea, will I just need extra clear layers to get it level?

Thanks!

 

[stratamania]

I would remove tape earlier perhaps after a day for something like that. And you need good tape that is designed so that paint is not likely to bleed.

I would go for extra clear to achieve enough for a level result rather than trying to level the stripes themselves.

 

[Audiowonderland]

I bought some tape online for auto work. I am thinking a mist coat of the base color would seal the edges of the tape before applying the next color. Something I want to test on the sample blocks and test body

 

[stratamania]

If I have understood correctly you probably do not need a mist coat to seal the tape. It might make it more difficult to remove and work against you. But test, test, test is the correct approach.

 

[Audiowonderland]

... In fact I'd skip steps 1 to 6.

This.

No need to grain fill a closed  pore wood like alder and no need to use sanding sealer. In this case, the primer is the high-solid sealer, plus it will easy fill the small pores.

The Warmoth body should arrive sanded to 320 already.

Wet grain, sand back to 320, clean body with naphtha (a Good time to make sure the body doesn’t have any contaminants), and begin your finish.

If not level after step 9 (shiney spots); repeat step 7-9 until the primer is built up enough to sand level.

Is a damp cloth enough to raise the grain? I don't want to get silly. It will just increase the dry time.
I am not wanting to get the finish any thicker than needed. I would like to get some natural wear eventually.  Is one prime coat typically sufficient or should I plan on 2 or more?  I will probably need to test on the sample blocks etc for this also to be sure.

 

[Audiowonderland]

I finished pore filling the paint sample blocks and put a coat of sanding sealer on them. When I sanded back the sealer the surface had a sheen on it. Is that normal? Will that cause adhesion issues? I was thinking of using a white primer under the finish coats for color shading purposes. With that gloss, does the primer become more necessary?