No. 35 is alive...and ordered.

I posted the finish piccies on 6th October 2020, and since then I have noticed a number of issues that are continuing to haunt me.

This is the same thing that happened years ago with my one and only other excursion into the world of painted finishes.

I don't think the clear coat is curing, or not bonding to the colour coat.

I really don't know what to say....approaching 2 months since it was finished and I have to be really careful where I place the bass. If I lean it against something and the body contacts the strap/chair/floor I get marks.

The neck on the other hand, finished with spray gloss poly, is like a rock.

I really don't know what to do.

Any ideas will be happily received. Thank You.

That is pretty strange considering the products you have used. Theoretically it should be fine. The hazing on the bottom edge and marks on the back actually look like reactions to something. Is it possible some other substance has found it's way onto the black before the clear? Alternatively the only other thing I can think of is it's been in contact with some kind of plastic that is outgassing softeners or something. Rustoleum seems to do a similar thing with certain foams.

If you stick your finger nail in an inconspicuous spot, does it leave a mark? If so, I would say that application may have been a bit thick and it's skinned over leaving the paint under uncured. Over time the solvents are making their way to the surface causing these issues.

EDIT: Do you ever get down Toowoomba way?

That's a bumma Ozzie, I have fears that the same thing might happen to one of my recent guitars. Please keep us informed as I might be traveling down the same path as you.

rob

Hey mate did you use aerosol cans to do the clear? I always get this issue with cans vs a gun.

If you want some gloss poly on there let me know and I’ll do it for you. I know how frustrating these things can be so I’m only happy to help out

Maybe take the neck off, hang the body up by a neck screw hole so it's not touching anything and leave it for a few months. Then give it another rub down and polish and see how it responds.

I've read back through the diary but still I'm unclear on what your base coat and clear coat materials are.

Acrylic lacquer? Acrylic enamel?
And in one post I got the impression you were going to use polyurethane (Cabothane) as the clear on the body.

If you put poly over lacquer there will definitely be a problem, and enamel won't play nice with poly either.

I also think I read that you wet sanded the primer (at least that's how it read to me). Not really common practise, but that would lead to potential adhesion problems not a soft or uncured finish.


FWIW, the last build I completed (blue metallic strat) I sprayed acrylic lacquer base & top coat (via gun) let it hang for 4 weeks before level & polish, assembled and set up, all good. Then I noticed an indentation where it had been sitting a stand... WT???

I left in a neck hanger for a few more weeks (took it down to play it once in awhile) indentations were gone and now it's hard as rock.
Not sure why this happened as I sprayed while the temps & humidity were as close to perfect as it it gets in the year and I used my usual thinners and mixing ratios. For whatever reason this one took 7-8 weeks to fully cure.

Sometimes "stuff" happens.

There were pics earlier in the thread of Septone primer/black and clear gloss. It’s really hard to tell what’s happening without the guitar in front of me, but I’ve never had major dramas with those products. If the finish is good and hard those imperfections might buff out. There is still some evidence of orange peel in some areas, so there is probably the thickness there to cut it back again.

My latest effort has a similar problem. I've resigned myself to leaving for long enough that it finally settles and then refinishing it.

Quote:

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There were pics earlier in the thread of Septone primer/black and clear gloss.

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D'oh!!!
Yep, missed that somehow :o.

I've only used the Septone clear, but didn't any issues with it. I actually preferred it to the Duplicolor clear.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blinddrew

My latest effort has a similar problem. I've resigned myself to leaving for long enough that it finally settles and then refinishing it.

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I wonder how long is enough. I have ducked back through this thread and see that I had it assembled on 18th September.

Over 2 months and at least the top coat is still not cured.

I am thinking that I will disassemble over xmas......sand a bit/lot....depending on how the surface goes with sanding. I really don't know whether to start at 400 grit or go to 240 to start and just rip into it.

Do I go back to primer....hang for a month....prep sand.....base coat...hang for a month...wet sand until no marks and smooth....clear coat...hang for a month....wet sand and then buff and polish and wax?

I don't know what else to do with paint.

Or, my thinking, do I go to 80 grit and bare wood the body and do my norm and stain....buffing oil...and wax finish?