IN THIS ISSUE:
1.When To Paint And When NOT To Paint!
2. Today's Q & A: Your Questions Answered
3. Become A PYOG Affiliate

.................................................................................................................................................................................

 

1. When To Paint And When NOT To Paint!

Painting your own guitar and achieving factory-like results is something that's not that difficult to do when you follow one of my books because I spell it out pretty well by breaking it down into a step-by-step process. However, there are things you have to avoid in order to do the best job possible. One of the things I touch on in my books is to avoid not painting in humid conditions. With humidity, the moisture can and will get trapped in the paint and create a foggy appearance to the paint.

If you paint outside like I do, it's bound to happen to you. Luckily, I live in California where the weather is very dry - but we do get damp, humid weather through the winter months. So, when I need to spray a coat or two, I try to do it when the sun is shining rather than at night. If you don't have the luxury of living somewhere where it's not so humid, what are your options? One of the things I USED to do when I was much younger (and lived in Toronto, Canada where it's humid) is to spray down in the basement. Although basements are notorious for being damp, here's what I would do to prevent the fogging in the paint:

Paint close to a window. Open the window and put a big box fan in it, but have the fan blowing the air to the outside. As you spray, the paint particles and fumes will get sucked outside along with any moisture in the air surrounding the area where you're painting.

You only have to be concerned with moisture when you're actually applying your paint; that's when the moisture will get trapped. Doing this will definitely help.

Another thing I recommend is using a heat register or heating device in the area, so it's not so cold when you're spraying because the cold will also affect the paint. Warm the area for 15 minutes before opening the window, so it's at least 60 - 70 degrees. This is the optimal temperature for painting. Anything colder than 50 degrees and you're asking for trouble. SO, if you have to paint outside, make sure the temperature is above 60 degrees, not below.

.................................................................................................................................................................................

2. TODAY'S Q&A: Your Questions Answered

Q: My project guitar has a gouge that is about 3" long, 1/4" deep, and about an 1/4" wide. What can I use to fill this groove?

A: For small dents and holes, I recommend Bondo, which is an automotive product. I prefer this over plastic wood. However, for what you have, you'd be better off using a 2-part epoxy (resin/hardener), and filling it with that - simply because of how deep and wide it is.

A 5-minute or 10-minute epoxy will do the job. After applying it, let it dry, then sand flat. Once you've got an even surface, you're good to move to the rest of the prepping steps.

 

Q: I have an Ibanez RG and the cutaways are very steep. It seems like every time I sand, parts of the primer come off exposing the wood. Is there a solution to this problem or should I just sand lighter?

A: As I state in the book (which you read, right? :-o), you don't sand the sides with anything coarser than a 600-grit for this very reason - you run the risk of sanding through. Paint just doesn't build up on the sides that same way that it does on the top or back. However, you're missing something - sand the sealer and make sure it's smooth and flat. Apply your primer, then you're good to go - DON'T SAND THE PRIMER.

 

Q: I want to cover my entire guitar with stickers, then clear coat it. What's the best way to do this?

A: Doing something like that is very tricky, if your goal is to create a smooth, factory finish. I'm not saying it can't be done, but your chances of doing it perfectly are slim. First off - you'd have to apply A LOT of clear to compensate for the different levels that the stickers will create. The more clear you apply, the longer you'll need to allow it to sit and cure.

One thing to watch for when applying the clear is that the sides of a sticker don't start to lift before or after you've applied your coats. Otherwise, you'll never be able to create a flat surface with a corner sticking up.

My advice is to test this technique by working on another piece of wood prepared as if it's a guitar body. If you can pull it off on the test piece, give it a shot on your body. I will tell you, though, I've done this a couple of times and never achieved a perfect job - it's very tough to do.

 

.................................................................................................................................................................................

3. Become A PYOG Affiliate

If you have a guitar-related website, I'd like you to partner with me to help promote my PYOG books through my affiliate program. I pay 35% on every sale and some of my affiliates are doing VERY well. If you're interested, please sign up here.