FrankeWashie's EXA 1 customised kit

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

Guitar coming along very nicely.

Where would the logo go? Headstock? You could do a stylised bolt through the logo to go with the 'Franken' bit. And maybe make it 'labs', not 'lab'?

Or you could stick the main part of the logo symbol on the front of the headstock, and have the FGL text on the back of the headstock?

Or run the text in a single line along the bottom of the front of the headstock and have the logo (possibly engraved) on an over-sized truss-rod cover?

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@Simon, I did some playing around with the sizing and layout and your suggestion of the bare logo on front and details on rear works really well in my mock up. Once you drop it down to a suitable size for the headstock, you tend to lose the text, and the white border becomes indistinct enough to be redundant.
So for these smaller applications it will be limited to:

Attachment 15508

Given that the headstock is slightly lighter than the rest of the body, it should give enough contrast to be visible but not prominent.

I'm going to have a bash at printing a few off and see how they work.

Looks good to me.

Yep looks great.

cheers,
Gav.

I was going to start the first finish coat tonight, though the humidity seems through the roof at the moment so I might hold off.
In terms of water slide application, do you do this straight to the intensifier coat or do you slap a layer of finish coat down first?

Okay so we have called it quits at 4 intensifier coats and given them time to well and truly settle in and go off.

Last night we began the first of the final coats....

Attachment 15611Attachment 15612Attachment 15613
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Spotted a few little areas where it might need some attention, though i am adhering to the word of DB and not going back over bits i've missed and leaving it for subsequent coats. So far i'm reasonably pleased.

looking good Frankie, will this be your first completed Pitbull kit when it's done ?

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Originally Posted by wokkaboy

looking good Frankie, will this be your first completed Pitbull kit when it's done ?

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Yeah mate, theres no reason to rush is there? :)

HAHA that's it Frankie, well I am hopefully going to finish a build I started almost 2.5 years ago the Mosrite (cricket bat in DB terms), will see how the last clear coat polishes up

I want to see how that turns out, as well as the monster tele!

no worries Frankie, I need to post some photos of the mozzy and telemonster has got 2 coats of stain on it now and the neck is shaped nicely and picking up 2 pieces of flat bar tomoz to stiffen the neck. I'll try get around to updating the forum !

That's going to look very nice Frankie, great effort for your first guitar.

Thanks Robin, will be a while yet but happy that it's all headed towards a conclusion.

Lookin good there FW

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Originally Posted by Andy40

Lookin good there FW

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CHeers Andy, still a ways to go, but really happy with how the DT topcoat is going so far. The thin coat no do-over method seems to be going well so we shall push ahead.

Quick question for the assembled wise ones, wet sand to flatten DT top coat.
Should this be done after the first coat, or is it best to layer a couple or three coats on first?

Hey Frankie, I usually give it a light steel wool between top coats and build it up to at least 3 or 4 coats. Then 2-3 weeks curing, then I used the micro mesh pads or a high grit wet sand and polish

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Originally Posted by wokkaboy

Hey Frankie, I usually give it a light steel wool between top coats and build it up to at least 3 or 4 coats. Then 2-3 weeks curing, then I used the micro mesh pads or a high grit wet sand and polish

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Thanks Wokks. I might try and find a synthetic version of steel wool. I have the horrendously expensive stuff that is supposed to be the bees knees and to be honest it's not worth a tin of sh*t. It just seems to leave metal fuzz on everything.

Update time; Second coat of final went on after a good rubbing down with steel wool and a thorough brush over and magnet sweep to be sure of getting rid of all the wool fibres. I had to weigh up what worried me more, having to deal with steel wool fibres or the potential for water exposure by wet sanding. I opted for playing with magnets, though the rub down really re-inforced my thinking on the steel wool.

I have to say I like working with the DT top coat (and DT in general). It's a pleasant smell, not a chemical one that bores into your nose like some of the others I've used.
While you need to be really stringent and disciplined with application, it is actually very easy to use and apply.
The result this time around of the first of the final coats was very pleasing (especially given the balls up that was my first effort) nice and uniform, a very even shine despite zero polishing.
I'll let this coat dry off a bit and then post some piccies. Going to do some work on the Wiring harness tonight methinks, in preparation for getting this bugger electrimafied.

Hi Frankie, good to hear things are progressing well for you.

I know that I have already state how impressed I was with the DT finish (now that i have my application method sorted) but I cannot get over how well this has come up with no real additional treatment.

I have a third coat that went on yesterday evening and these are the results.

Attachment 15940 Attachment 15941

The neck already looks like its coated in glass, and the body is coming up beautifully (to my eye) as well.

Wow the DT is coming up a treat, nice job

Thanks Stan, given the disaster of the first attempt, I'm really happy with this result.

Looking great Frankie. The DT really is coming up a treat.

cheers,
Gav.

Getting there bit by bit...

Attachment 16056

Logo almost looks like it was applied with a branding iron. Good effect Frankie.

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

Logo almost looks like it was applied with a branding iron. Good effect Frankie.

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Cheers Waz, the effect is completely unintentional, but reasonably happy with it. We'll see how it comes up under the final couple of coats of DT.

Waiting, Waiting, waiting......How many coats of DT finish can you safely build up? I'm likely to need a few more, I had two on under the Decal and have two over it, but it looks as though i may need a couple more.

Go on, two more. You know you're worth it.

Great logo.
It's the headstock - add more layers, no big disaster if you need to sand and go again

Are you done with base stain coat and onto the intensifier coats yet? Beware that around 4 coats or more of intensifier evil things can happen to an unsuspecting amateur luthier.

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

Are you done with base stain coat and onto the intensifier coats yet? Beware that around 4 coats or more of intensifier evil things can happen to an unsuspecting amateur luthier.

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All done with stain and intensifier, it has three coats of final ont the body and neck, just trying to build up over the Decal Waz

Easy does it mate as that stuff is wicked as you get nearer the finish line.

Hey FW have you got a progress photo, say with some back light over the finish?

Not yet mate, I'll pop something up this afternoon, still working up the topcoat on the headstock face and face of the body.

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You could go and do some sanding on another guitar whilst you're waiting for it to cure. ;)

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

You could go and do some sanding on another guitar whilst you're waiting for it to cure. ;)

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Waaaay ahead of you Simon, about three kits ahead in point of fact.

I know! These forum winky smilies are a bit weak on the looking like they're winking front.

Viewing on an iPad doesn't help either...Winking smiley duly noted!

Okay, so we have cured, and cured and dithered and fussed about. Mainly this is due to not being entirely confident in how this will all turn out.
Given that this was the first kit build, and that I jumped in with both feet in modifying and chopping and glueing and routing, and that I did so without really researching some of the more basic prep stuff, I am horribly afraid that it's all going to turn out smeared in brown.
I will post some photos once I get a bit further and when I shift things into some better light. I have gone from wetsanding 600, 800, 1200, 1500 in wet and dry and have picked up the micromesh from about 3200 up to 6000 so far.

I have to say I am impressed with the way the DT is coming up, less so with my prep and the effect that it is having on the overall finish. Pics to follow.