Is it required/recommended to color sand with 400/600 prior to applying polyurethane clear coat for a guitar body?

H

harddriver

Well-known member
Everything I have read says yes prior to clearcoating. But some YT guitar painters do not sand prior to their clearcoats.


Thanks!
 
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harddriver said:
Everything I have read says yes prior to clearcoating. But some YT guitar painters do not sand prior to their clearcoats.

Thanks!
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I don't sand before shooting clear, but I usually don't wait to shoot it either.... usually wait 10 minutes between color coats to flash, then 30 - 45 minutes after last coat to spray clear. The only time I will sand a color coat is if I miss that 30-45 minute window, then I'm gonna let it sit for at least 72 hours before I mess with it. Even then I wouldn't hit it with less than 800, fine scratches will show, some colors more than others. Remember that if you're shooting flake to you will need extra clear to bury and level it. Last thing you want to do is sand through the clear into a colored flake, sand the color off the flake then you haver silver speckles in there....ask me how I know hahahah

I can get a body done in about 1/2 a day, but that's just applying the color and clear and doesn't include the hours of prep that goes into it.

Last, I wouldn't even consider going with Duplicolor or Rustoleum type mass produced paints, guy says as much at the start of his video. I took his clip as a "it can be done, but.." For as much work as it takes it really doesn't pay to cheap out on the paint. Yeah $20-30 per can isn't $8-9, but you get what you pay for.

He's spot on with the 2K clear - I swear by SprayMax 2K Glamour clear but yeah its about $35 a can and you'll use a full can on a guitar. 2K is a two part product with a short shelf life once reacted.

I'm also using only rattle cans even though I have access to an air plumbed spray booth, I don't want to deal with cleaning guns.

Here's were I get all of my paint:

https://rothmetalflake.com/pages/rattle-bombs

https://tropicalglitz.net/
 
DanTravis62 said:
Yep. I would recommend sanding if you're using rattle cans. A LOT of sanding, lol.
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If you're using shitty paint, yes. I'm using only rattle cans, and I've never sanded between colors or before clear unless I miss the time window. Even then its only really for adhesion
 
* velcro-fly * said:
If you're using shitty paint, yes. I'm using only rattle cans, and I've never sanded between colors or before clear unless I miss the time window. Even then its only really for adhesion
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Most people aren't springing for Mohawk or whatever if they're painting their own guitar, man :ROFLMAO:

Leaving people with their own value judgement of what "quality paint" is, is a recipe for miscommunication/misunderstanding if I ever heard one
 
This one is all rattle can, no sanding between coats or before clear coat, no Home Depot or Ace Hardware paint haha
IMG_8270.jpeg
IMG_8238.jpeg
 
Rocker68 said:
Impressive
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Thank you! its fun to do and I'll never pay someone $300 - 500 to paint a guitar ever again. The beauty of it is now that if I end up not liking it after living with it I'll just start over hahaha. I'm not a "painter" and won't claim to possess painter chops but I've figured out how to work with these rattle can products on a level that works for me

I will say the only caveat to my "never will..." is if I wanted some big crazy flake I will send it to Styke at Rowyko. Thats a whole nuther' skill set
http://www.rowycokustoms.com/RK_gallery.html
 
* velcro-fly * said:
Thank you! its fun to do and I'll never pay someone $300 - 500 to paint a guitar ever again. The beauty of it is now that if I end up not liking it after living with it I'll just start over hahaha. I'm not a "painter" and won't claim to possess painter chops but I've figured out how to work with these rattle can products on a level that works for me

I will say the only caveat to my "never will..." is if I wanted some big crazy flake I will send it to Styke at Rowyko. Thats a whole nuther' skill set
http://www.rowycokustoms.com/RK_gallery.html
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How many coats of 2K clear do you usually apply to a strat guitar body?
 
harddriver said:
How many coats of 2K clear do you usually apply to a strat guitar body?
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Usually 3-5 light mist coats, let it build, resist the urge to spray a really wet coat. If you go slow with light coats you can often avoid any orange peel with that 2K stuff. I've done a couple recently that I didn't even bother to polish. If the base has any metal flake I'll go as far 7 coats to bury the flake level
 
Your guitars look great BTW!:2thumbsup:

I have two cans of Defthane polyurethane satin clear sitting here for the project but I may upgrade to the 2K two part urethane. I am assuming the 2K dries and hardens much quicker than the Defthane?
 
harddriver said:
Your guitars look great BTW!:2thumbsup:

I have two cans of Defthane polyurethane satin clear sitting here for the project but I may upgrade to the 2K two part urethane. I am assuming the 2K dries and hardens much quicker than the Defthane?
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Thank you! Here’s a shot from our gig last night, the purple Tele recently had a sand back and a dose of some cool flake, cleared that with SprayMax 2k and got away with no cut / buff polish but it prob could use it, it’s close

IMG_0109.jpeg
 
harddriver said:
I have two cans of Defthane polyurethane satin clear sitting here for the project but I may upgrade to the 2K two part urethane. I am assuming the 2K dries and hardens much quicker than the Defthane?
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I would upgrade to the 2K clear. It dries harder and quicker for sure. It’s a two part can actually, you slam it on a flat surface and puncture the hardener within. After you do that the can is good for about 24 hours but I’ve had luck putting it the refrigerator and getting a few more days out of it. I’ve been able to polish 3 days or do after final clear but always get better results waiting longer. That’s why I put the Teke back together, I’ll prob polish down the road but tight now it’s back in regular use
 
* velcro-fly * said:
I would upgrade to the 2K clear. It dries harder and quicker for sure. It’s a two part can actually, you slam it on a flat surface and puncture the hardener within. After you do that the can is good for about 24 hours but I’ve had luck putting it the refrigerator and getting a few more days out of it. I’ve been able to polish 3 days or do after final clear but always get better results waiting longer. That’s why I put the Teke back together, I’ll prob polish down the road but tight now it’s back in regular use
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Thanks for your suggestions and information! I appreciate the help!
 
harddriver said:
Thanks for your suggestions and information! I appreciate the help!
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Happy to help! I've got a few projects I'm diving into soon that I'll post some progress photos of, you'll get an idea of my setup I use. I'll add that my path to higher quality paints was the result of looking for more color options and metal flake specifically. These are pro level auto shop quality but available in spray cans now, ideal for us guitar geeks. May as well look good to, right ???

Shoot some photos of your project , would love to see it
 
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