Musclecar67 said:
So I can buy a nitro toner that comes in different shades like light brown and dark brown?
This is applied to the wood, or in my case neck as a first coast to give color. Then I use fine sand paper like 600 in between coats till I get the color I want, then after I shoot the clear nitro?
How many coats of nitro would be good for a maple/maple neck? MY goal is to replicate the ERIC CLAPTON strat...
Ok, first you said you wanted a nice dark golden brown neck, then you said you wanted an EC looking nack. Totally different animules.
The ReRanch amber in aerosol will do the trick there for an EC looking neck. For any other color, the Mohawk toners are tops. Actually... I have it on good report, that at least "some" of the ReRanch aerosols are made by Mohawk. Mohawk owns Behlin, another dye/finish company. Mohawk is the "industrial/commercial" stuff, while Behlen is put in target markets.
For the amber, or other toned color, the process is as follows:
Using Mohawk or ReRanch colors, Deft clear gloss lacquer.
Clean neck with naphtha.
Grain fill with clear or tinted grain filler, remove excess.
Sand to 400 grit smoothness
Apply one light coat of clear - do not sand.
Soon after initial drying, say in 30 minutes, apply toner to color.
Soon after that dries, say in 30 minutes, apply clear coat.
Soon after that dries, say in 30 minutes, apply and clear coat.
Soon after that dries, say in 30 minutes, apply a third clear coat.
Stick the neck away for ONE WEEK to dry, and dont let it touch anything - it must hang.
Take it out, and sand with 600 grit. No need to level, just scuff up the surface for better melt in of the next coats.
Clean with naphtha
Apply three more clear coats as you did above, no need to sand between coats if you recoat about 30 minute intervals.
Stick it away and let it dry THREE WEEKS.
Wet sand with 600 grit.
At www.frets.com Frank Ford suggests kerosene as a wet sanding fluid, but... most use water. I like Franks method but you might not.
Buff, by hand is fine, with some Turtle Wax white buffing compound (auto store, about $5 for a large amount)
I just buff with a rag, and use lots of the ol' elbow grease, and you can get very close to a "buffing wheel" shine. Keep in mind a buffing wheel is tricky to use, requires practice and will result in costly mistakes till you get the hang of it.
You pretty much do the same on the body. ReRanch black will do your top just fine. Keep in mind, apply the black over a clear coat or two, since you're looking for stripes and want clean, non bleeding lines. If you do the bare wood.... you'll get tape goo in the pores, and the color will bleed under the tape. Also when you shoot the initial clear, let it dry bout two weeks, then tape and shoot black, and get that tape off pretty quickly or it will harm the clear under it. If there's tape goo, dont worry, just let the finish dry and the goo will come right off with naphtha. Naphtha does not harm nitro at all, and is the preferred cleaner/degreaser.