Glitter

[DarkPenguin]

God help me. I just sprayed glitter paint on a guitar body.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/montana-glitter-effect-spray/

It is going off the rails now. The nozzle on that paint is not a fan pattern. So I have some light and dark areas. I'm hoping they settle down but I think it is what it is at this point. After this it is clear and sanding.

Might also be how the glitter went down reflecting the light. Looks like a cosmic microwave background radiation map. Pickguard will block most of this.

 

[AirCap]

I'm cool with that.

 

[DarkPenguin]

I don't know if those pics do it justice. It is extremely glittery. It isn't as blue in real life. Those splotches aren't as bad either. I wonder if my phone has some polarization....

 

[bagman67]

Looks like fun.  I will say, by way of an unearned "I told you so," that this is why the refrain is always "test your finishing schedule on scrap."  Even so - pretty cool.

 

[DarkPenguin]

Thanks. I pretty much only tested that the type of paint would work on top of the dupli color. I knew I should do more the whole time i was winging it. Someone should hold an intervention. Have Dan Erlewine use a stew mac taser on me until I stop reaching for paint.

As to the finish, it looks like it has settled down. Must not have been quite dry. Much more pleased.

Now if all the stuff I ordered from china could just show up before August that would be great. 

 

[DarkPenguin]

After drying and a couple coats of clear...

The back is really sparkly...

The glitter coat is really bumpy (almost as if there was glitter under the paint) so I think I'll have to hit it with a couple more coats of clear before sanding.

These fast drying paints are amazing. No waiting two months for these to dry.

 

[Logrinn]

Very nice. That's quite the difference from the previous images.

 

[dmraco]

looks real good.

I have sprayed metal flake several time in lacquer.  You certainly have to lay the top coats on to bury the flake.  Try spraying 4-5 coats of clear, sanding with some 600, them some more clear. 

The bigger the flake the more top coat you will need.

 

[DarkPenguin]

I was wondering how much I should put on before hitting it with some sand paper.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[Frankencat]

Very cool! I was going to do one like that last week but I chickened out lol. Looks like I may have to try it now.  :yourock:

 

[amon]

Hopefully, this will turn out fine for you, but here is my tale of woe regarding craft-style glitter paint.

I bought a Jackson Phil Collen Archtop that had a glitter silver paint job, original factory paint.  Normally, actual glitter — the stuff that kids glue on construction paper for Valentine's Day — is what's used in glitter paint jobs on guitars.  Jackson paint, however, decided to go the craft glitter paint route.  Their method went like this:

- Wood Sealer
- White Primer
- Satin Silver base coat
- Glitter Paint
- Poly Clear Coat

Jackson is famous for doing too-thick clear coats to begin with, which often turn yellow.  This one was so thick, it came off like shards of glass.  Came off?  Yes.  You see, the glitter paint didn't really adhere to the silver base coat and over time separated.  A crack in the clear coat turned into a peel, which turned into shards of paint sliding off the guitar.

... and now it looks like this:

(you can still see some of the yellowed clear coat in the trem cavity)

 

[DarkPenguin]

I'm concerned about this. I went for "quality" glitter paint so I'm hopeful.

Last duplicolor paint job I did ended up peeling off the guitar so it is a bit of an adventure.

 

[swarfrat]

I've always wanted to see a glitter crackle finish. Like only the cracks glitter. Hoping for a retinal reflection - smoldering cats eyes sort of effect.

 

[DarkPenguin]

Some interesting details in the paint under the glitter. I think that is the problem layer. Still hopeful it stays attached. Just not quite as hopeful.

 

[ThePhilosopher]

I was expecting something a bit more glittery (like the first few images), but I think a slab-like body isn't going to have enough contouring to give the light play you associate with glitter. It'd be curious to see this on a carved top tele, soloist, etc.

 

[DarkPenguin]

So interesting thing about the duplicolor clear I used. It doesn't like rubbery things. Like a guitar stand or even the hockey puck things I have for resting things on. Eats into the finish.

Going to try polishing it up and then hitting it with some wax to see if that makes enough of a barrier.

Not looking forward to having to redo this one.