Guitar finishing with rattle cans

Domin0

So for my birthday my super awesome friends were generous enough to buy me a guitar kit :O ?

Now I don't have any equipment to spray the thing but the "how to" document said rattle cans can work quite nicely.

I'm thinking of painting it blacker than the blackest black ?, and with a clear coat over, obviously.

What brand of paint should I get? And where would I find it?

Thanks ?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

Four4

I like the Rust-Oleum brand (available at Builders Express/Warehouse). Just be sure to seal the grain before priming otherwise your finish will sink into the grain over time.

Gearhead

Lots of info on the net about rattlecan guitar finishing, my opinion is it's not worth your time or your money.

Domin0

Gearhead wrote: Lots of info on the net about rattlecan guitar finishing, my opinion is it's not worth your time or your money.

Really? So what would you suggest then? Find someone to finish it for me?

Chocklit_Thunda

Domin0 wrote:
Gearhead wrote: Lots of info on the net about rattlecan guitar finishing, my opinion is it's not worth your time or your money.
Really? So what would you suggest then? Find someone to finish it for me?

I think what he's tryna say is that yo'll find much more info on the net than here. You can get great results from rattle cans but our little forum probably isn't the best source for the info. Do a google search and check out the TDPRI forum rather.

Domin0

Chocklit_Thunda wrote:
Domin0 wrote:
Gearhead wrote: Lots of info on the net about rattlecan guitar finishing, my opinion is it's not worth your time or your money.
Really? So what would you suggest then? Find someone to finish it for me?
I think what he's tryna say is that yo'll find much more info on the net than here. You can get great results from rattle cans but our little forum probably isn't the best source for the info. Do a google search and check out the TDPRI forum rather.

Ah I see what you mean ? The main reason that I asked here was because we get different brands of paint etc. here as opposed to overseas.

But thank you, I'll do some research ?

Chocklit_Thunda

Yeah I get you. I'd +1 the Rust Oleum paint. ?

AlanRatcliffe

+1 to Gearhead.

They make for an easy thin coat over an existing finish, but aren't really suitable for finishing a guitar from scratch (lots of cans, lots of money). It will make more sense to take it down to your local panelbeater and have them do it for you.

giggsy

I've done both - spraying myself and panelbeaters. Of course you'll never come close yourself to the professional finish you get from the panelbeaters, but if its just for you and something you'll keep for years, which seems likely, then I'd give the rattle cans a try. Worst case, you don't like the finish, sand down and start again. But sitting back and admiring something you've 'created' is definitely worth it. Best bit of advice - and its a toughie - is take your time, no matter how much you want to finish it and put it all together.

rikus

Giggsy wrote: Best bit of advice - and its a toughie - is take your time, no matter how much you want to finish it and put it all together.

+1!

As as Giggsy said, if reaaally want to do it yourself and it goes pear shaped you can just sand it all off and start again or send it to someone to do.

Oh, and black is about as unforgiving as it gets... so his advice is about 10 times more applicable.

Good luck!

Domin0

Thanks for all the help guys ?

As much as I would like to do it myself, I think the fact that the finish would be better if I got it properly done would always be in the back of my mind :-[ I'll go past some panelbeaters soon and see what they say ?

And of course, I'll post pics when its done ?