First build - TL-1TH

Dang! I love that blue on the body.

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Thanks. It's metallic. I still have enough colour for one more coat. I could sand with 320, do another coat of colour and go straight to clear the next day. That's the closest I can get to your suggestions.

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That would be the best approach, but maybe try going light with 400 and see how it looks. The ridges we're creating with sanding are microscopic, so you don't need to go hard. Basically light "de-glossing" is all you need.

Even if you only get 2-3 coats of clear on initially, you'll be good. That way you'll get the chemical bond between the colour & clear, then mechanical on subsequent coats. FWIW, there is some chemical bonding with subsequent coats of rattle can lacquer, but not as great as when freshly flashed.

Also, this is stuff I've learnt/figured out in recent years, and still learning too! (often the hard way) :o

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Originally Posted by Andy40

Dang! I love that blue on the body.

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Thanks, it took me a long time to choose it. Now I just have to try not to stuff it up with the clear.

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Originally Posted by McCreed

That would be the best approach, but maybe try going light with 400 and see how it looks. The ridges we're creating with sanding are microscopic, so you don't need to go hard. Basically light "de-glossing" is all you need.

Even if you only get 2-3 coats of clear on initially, you'll be good. That way you'll get the chemical bond between the colour & clear, then mechanical on subsequent coats. FWIW, there is some chemical bonding with subsequent coats of rattle can lacquer, but not as great as when freshly flashed.

Also, this is stuff I've learnt/figured out in recent years, and still learning too! (often the hard way) :o

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Your hard-earned wisdom is much appreciated! A very light 400 definitely takes the gloss off, and the small lumps of dust. I will do that today and the clear tomorrow. Timing is good as I have two pedal enclosures to clear coat tomorrow as well.

The only thing I am not looking forward to is scraping the binding again :( I just finished last night. Oh well, it's a good chance to do an even better job masking.

After a mad dash around town to find one more tin of the discontinued paint, I have a fresh coat of blue on. Clear tomorrow.

While I did have paint left in the old can, it started spitting globs of solvent.

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While I did have paint left in the old can, it started spitting globs of solvent.

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That seems to be Duplicolor's signature move...

Glad you managed to get more!

Nitro is about the only finish that is happy to be sprayed straight on top of old nitro. The solvent in it softens the layer beneath enough for them to stick together.

Got 4 coats of clear on. One small run that should sand out OK. The clear seems more prone to runs than the duplicolor. Probably aim for another 1 or two coats.

For buffing, I already have non-abrasive polishing cream. Would that work or do I need a mild cutting compound? This is on SCA clear.

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I normally work up from machine cutting compound, then something like Kitten No.2, then Meguiars scratch X swirl remover and finally just a normal non abrasive finishing polish. I use a handheld electric buffer for all but the last two steps that I do by hand with those Meguiars foam pads. Some of those products are a bit pricey, but if you are going to do more than one they will last ages. I'm still on the same tub of cutting compound I used on my very first build 2 or so years ago.

I might try a 2 stage version. Cutting compound and then polish

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5 coats clear (2 light applications per coat) done. Probably one more coat tomorrow as it's too cold now.

The run I was worried about is almost gone :)

Time to turn attention to the neck. Rosewood fretboard, so it probably doesn't matter if I dress and level frets before or after applying neck finish.

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