First Ever Build - SV1

[FrankenWashie]

Yeah just realised so edited my post. Was looking at the paper to print my own design and hoping the acrylic clear SCA spray doesn’t eat it. Will be hard to design something as simple and cool as the Ibanez tick.

It can be a bit of a challenge.

If you are going to use Inkjet waterslides, you should be okay with an acrylic, but you need to spray a couple of coats over the decal before you soak it, else it will dissolve or bleed in the water. You should have no similar issues with the laser though.

[a_novice]

Cool thanks for that. I saw a video that did the same thing with some coats prior to soaking. Already started on a design :-) do you put the decal on before the first clear coat or inbetween the process?

[FrankenWashie]

Get at least one full coat on, or two to give the decal a smooth base to bond to. If you don’t you can end up with minuscule airgaos under the decal which will show up white (like scotch tape) under the decal.

i tend to get at least one clear on, do the decal (or re-do if you muff it first up, spares are your friend here) then build up clears until the edge of the decal is seamlessly blended into the headstock.

[a_novice]

Ok cool. I have some designing to do and stuff to purchase. Thanks for the tips FW.

[a_novice]

Besides the sandpaper man is there anywhere else you can get the wet dry sheets at the grits required for the acrylic clear coat? None at Bunnings, SCA, Repco etc in the different grits needed.

Also I’ve noticed that there are parts of the body (specifically behind the bridge) that still feel rough, even though I sanded before the primer, sanded after primer and also once during colour coat (because of a paint run). I don’t have any such issues in the headstock and wondering if this will be an issue when I do the clear coat? It looks really smooth and good, but just furry. Will this go away after clear coating and sanding or will the roughness come through?

[a_novice]

Finally found some at Autobarn. They seem to have a good selection of sandpaper.

[a_novice]

I'm into the clear coat process at the moment, and have put 2 coats on the headstock, but have stopped so i can put on a custom designed decal (still working on my design as i keep changing my mind).

I've done 3 coats on the body and its starting to get a shine which is awesome to see, but one thing i've noticed is that its really hard to get the inside of the monkey grip sprayed without causing any runs on the outside...does anyone have any clever tips to help with this?

[FrankenWashie]

I tried to use a piece of card as a shield. You hold the card over the body as you spray the monkey grip , it kinda worked but I still ended up with a couple of runs. That little feature is a pain for sanding prep and painting!

[a_novice]

Cool thanks for that. Better than any ideas I had. My sanding of that area could have been better but my couple spray worked ok. Just think my clear coat is very thin inside that area.

[a_novice]

Can anyone recommend an alternative to using water for wet sanding?