How can I get a glossy deep blue finish? Also any ideas about adding gold dust?

Hi guys,
I'm preparing to order and build my first kit (STA1) and I've got a deep blue finish in mind (similar to Gavin Turner's one that won a GOTM).

I was initially thinking of using Dingotone but Dingobass confirmed it won't get the glossy finish I've got in mind.

I've seen Gavin's build diary and I am now thinking I could try the same strategy: ebony timbermate, blue dyes, then acrylic gloss and then polish. Any other suggestions?

I am also tinkering with the idea of adding some gold dust to this... to get a sort of 'stars in a dark blue sky' effect...
Is that pure silly?
Any idea on how I could try to achieve this?
Only gold dust product I've found so far seems to be a hair product for ladies... :-)

Cheers
Fred

The gold dust idea is a good one.

What I use is is actually a gold mica powder,(as used in cosmetics etc) you can mix this in with the gloss coat and spray it on.
Then spray a few light coats over it and cut it back (carefully so as not to sand your bling off)

Thanks for that!
Could I mix mica dust with timbermate to try to get golden highlight in the wood grain?
Or mix mica powder with glue? I was reading that you can mix wood dust with glue to make a sort of home made timbermate. Could that work?
Cheers

Hi Fred, the gold dust would work best with the top coat. You can use the wood dust to fill but that would be more for small jobs when matching the colour. timbermate will give better results at grain filling

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FredA

Could I mix mica dust with timbermate to try to get golden highlight in the wood grain?

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Reckon the timbermate will smother the highlights when mixed. The highlights would need a translucent mixture and would in effect sit above the wood inside the finish.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FredA

I was reading that you can mix wood dust with glue to make a sort of home made timbermate. Could that work?

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No, doubt it. Timbermate has the special quality that it doesn't 'shrink back' when drying leaving small indentations in the wood surface. It's the only filler that does this - no imitations.

Thanks for the feedback!
I think I'll stick to adding dust with the top coat as you guys suggested. I'll have to find how I can spray acrylic gloss without spending too much on a proper spray gun.

Now I've got to decide if I go for maple or rosewood fretboard before I can order! :-)

Thanks for your advice guys, much appreciated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FredA

I'll have to find how I can spray acrylic gloss without spending too much on a proper spray gun.

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I got one of these a few years ago, and from memory it wasn't too expensive. Handy for spraying tinned and custom mixed paint without need of a compressor etc.

http://brodak.com/media/catalog/prod...e95/pr-267.jpg

Obviously nowhere near as good as a proper spray set up, but it'll do as a low cost stop gap solution.

Preval... Not seen one of those for a long time.

These dudes are brilliant for small touch up jobs so I don't see why you can't use it for the whole Guitar.

Fred I'd toss a coin over the fretboard. Maple or Rosewood will look good

I'm leaning toward the maple... so may not need to toss a coin!

Any advice on which clear acrylic gloss I could use?
I need one that doesn't come in a spray.

Thanks!

Okay, STA-1M kit ordered! I decided on the maple fretboard.

For the body I'm still looking at options for clear gloss acrylic, but I've found some ColorTone blue and black stains.
I'm thinking I want to

For the neck I've also ordered Colourless Dingotone Neck Finish kit and Dingotone Guitar Wax

I've added a bone nut, and upgraded the pickups to a set of toneriders (pure vintage)!

So while the kit makes it from WA to Sydney I've got to turn the garage into a workshop, and find some wood offcuts with grain to experiment grain filling!

Very excited!

good stuff Fred the build will be commencing very shortly.
Start a build diary when it arrives and do a mock build.
Nice upgrades you ordered