Members ajcoholic Posted February 28, 2009 Members Share Posted February 28, 2009 So I am building this custom tele for a great guitar player from this area. I lightly tinted the first few coats of lacquer and sprayed on two or three coats, then about 4 or 5 of clear. I am using a catalyzed lacquer the same product I have been using for years and years. I rubbed out the finish yesterday and started assembling the guitar. I noticed a few checks in some areas and thought that was weird. Today I had to go to my shop to grab something, and checked on the guitar. WOW... the entire finish is riddled with crazing/checking like it was left out in the cold. If I were trying for a relic job that would be great. But I cant sell a $1200 brand new guitar to a guy that is full of cracks. I guess a full strip and respray is in order... sucks! That goes to show you, even with experience sometimes the gremlins appear. I bet I couldnt duplicate that if I tried. AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajympt Posted February 28, 2009 Members Share Posted February 28, 2009 Why don't you save it and make him another body- then sell this one as a relic- just add an upcharge for the highly labor intensive custom finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimmypage Posted February 28, 2009 Members Share Posted February 28, 2009 humidity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MahaloVision Posted February 28, 2009 Members Share Posted February 28, 2009 You know more about that finish than I do. All I can do is guess at problems with mixture, surface prep, etc. Have you changed the type of sandpaper you use? I've run into all kinds of problems using stearated papers, but only with water-based finishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members solderjunkie Posted February 28, 2009 Members Share Posted February 28, 2009 humidity +1 I'm doing a lacquer refin on a Stingray and had a lifting/cracking issue earlier this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pope on a Rope Posted February 28, 2009 Members Share Posted February 28, 2009 Post a picture of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted March 1, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 humidity Nope. Its between 30% and 35% RH in my shop during this time of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted March 1, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 You know more about that finish than I do. All I can do is guess at problems with mixture, surface prep, etc. Have you changed the type of sandpaper you use? I've run into all kinds of problems using stearated papers, but only with water-based finishes. I have been using the same brand of sterated buffing papers, the same fillers, the same stains, etc... for years. I was talking to my partner (my employee but he is more like a partner, as he has been working for us for near 20 years and does as much as I do at work) about it today. We are both stumped. I will have to call the chemist at the finishing manufacturer on Monday and discuss it. The only thing I can think of is that I may have added too much or too little hardener when I mixed up the lacquer. If it were my own guitar I wouldnt care. But I was looking forward to delivering this thing and getting paid this week. Now I need to refin it... and the finish was damn near perfect otherwise. Oh well, maybe I will end up keeping it anyway. I will post some pics on Monday. I have to go now to my gig, and tomorrow I am out of town untill monday morning. AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted March 1, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 Also, this happening on a guitar body is bad enough.... but if it happened on a dining room set, or a kitchen - that would mean dozens of hours of work and thousands of $$'s. Got to figure out what happened... AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimmypage Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 Its not just the humidity at your shop,it could have been very hi for some strange reason at the laquer factory,or a bad mix of catylist/reducer. It has happened to me quite a few times on cabinets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BobbaFret Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 Aguitar build and no guitar build thread? I said good day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted March 1, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 Its not just the humidity at your shop,it could have been very hi for some strange reason at the laquer factory,or a bad mix of catylist/reducer. It has happened to me quite a few times on cabinets.I have been spraying furniture all week from the same batch and it didnt craze. But I did mix the guitar lacquer separately and use a gravity feed gun (rather than my pressure pot) to spray since it takes so little.Thats why I think I {censored}ed up the ratio. I have been doing this for 20 years many times a week but mistakes happen.Just weird... as the ratio would have had to be way off to do something like this IMO.Maybe I was daydreaming...AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted March 1, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 Aguitar build and no guitar build thread? I said good day. Well, its been a 6 week build on spare time. I just had my DSLR cleaned and I dont want to take it back to my shop! Also, who the hell wants to see me build yet another guitar... I will post some finished pics. AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimmypage Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 I have been spraying furniture all week from the same batch and it didnt craze. But I did mix the guitar lacquer separately and use a gravity feed gun (rather than my pressure pot) to spray since it takes so little. Thats why I think I {censored}ed up the ratio. I have been doing this for 20 years many times a week but mistakes happen. Just weird... as the ratio would have had to be way off to do something like this IMO. Maybe I was daydreaming... AJC sounds like it was too hot, maybe residue in the gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members littlemilo Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 Also, who the hell wants to see me build yet another guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcindc Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 yeah maybe there was something left in the gun. I definitely recommend replacing the body, and doing another for him. I think you would find a FAT market for the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pope on a Rope Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 I think maybe too much hardener. Too little usually just cures slower. I know that with some catalyzed paint systems hardener is optional and only necessary in cooler temperatures. If you use heat lamps, that can turn the right amount of hardener into too much or compound the problem if you did use too much or laid your coats down too heavy. I did auto body and paint work for a bunch of years but, it's been a while since I have painted anything with something other than a spray can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Quarter Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 I have been spraying furniture all week from the same batch and it didnt craze. But I did mix the guitar lacquer separately and use a gravity feed gun (rather than my pressure pot Unless the different gun you used was contaminated, it looks like you have it sorted out to human error. As a interesting test, it might be useful to know how different mix ratios react. Maybe spray a few test samples with varying mix ratios to see just how forgiving / unforgiving the ratios are for the product your using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mighty Coogna! Posted March 1, 2009 Members Share Posted March 1, 2009 That sucks. My only guess would be that perhaps one of the parts of the formula has gone sour. To create a checked finish is usual a faux aging thing where they put a plastic finish over oil based. Quick changes in temp or humidity during curing could cause it also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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