Kanes first build ST-1M

[adam]

Be patient with the neck setup - intonation/tuning/fret buzz, it can take months for a new neck to "settle in". Also check out some YouTube videos on truss rod adjustment, but be very careful and no more than a quarter of a turn at a time (either direction), then leave it overnight to settle.

[kanelangmaid]

Here is my little gun. Been using it last few days. Had a few issues spraying to begin with as as the lacquer dries really fast.

[kanelangmaid]

Trouble is that my clear lacquer levelling wasn't that great. So now I can see every little imperfection. I think next build will consist of some primer/filler.

[kanelangmaid]

If you look too close you can see all the dings & wood imperfections. Tomorrow will add some clear coat.

[kanelangmaid]

Here is a look after a couple of clear coats. Mock build. Haven't worked out my gun for clear yet. Seems to spray sand like. Word has it that pressure is too high (35psi) and not enough fluid flow. More practice tomorrow.

[kanelangmaid]

Go easy, first build, first spray attempt, first of many things. However I should have primed / filled to get the body level, my clear coat attempts didn't work. Looked a little different prior to colour coats. Didn't look that bad. Anyways, next time will be better.

[Andyport]

I'm guessing the main problem with your clear coats is not pressure but flow consistancy. Acrylic lacquer can withstand a large percentage of thinners. Far more thinner than paint, it will then flow evenly and give a much higher level of gloss straight off the gun. I use a cheap touch-up gun which requires a pressure of about 40 to 50psi for all my spraying, just means a bit more overspray in the air. Hence I always use a very high quality respirator...I value my lungs. A filler/primer with lots of sanding, when going for a solid colour finish is a must.
With my builds I have used a stained finish with clear lacquer top coats, so I use a grain filler first.
Hope that helps.
Andy

[57strummers]

Looking good mate

[Scott J.]

Don't sweat it brother, from the pics she looks GREAT!

... and no matter how good a job someone else thinks it is, every builder is always their own hardest critic! (we always know where we screwed up, even if no-one else notices! )

[gavinturner]

Yep I agree with Scott. Everyone is their own worst critic. The pictures look great! I know that photos can hide a lot of imperfections, but it still looks a million bucks. If the clear coat is uneven you always have the option of spraying a lot of coats and then wet sanding it level. There's always some orange peel, even on the best spray job.

cheers,
Gavin.