Rescue my crap paint job

Corvus

If that copper paint is enamel, it's fairly crap unfortunately... never dries properly. It'll mark up easily, smear, etc. I got given a load of the 'chrome' of that type and did my workshop door insides with it. Makes it lighter in there but a year later it still smears with a finger dragged on it. It's also not that great to spray, relatively thick and gloopy - more prone to runs.

Cans can do fine but they have limits. Auto paint places usually offer nozzles giving a flatter fan, which is miles better than the 'dot' pattern when it comes to covering flattish areas.

WezV

You won't get copper leaf neat, at least not without joins between the sheets and some texture.   here is one a few months after i coppered it.  it looked a lot more uneven at first but that's because the copper changes colour as soon as its exposed

this was my 4th attempt at doing copper leaf though

here it was freshly done to show the colour change

thecolourbox

Is it the same principle for gold leaf? I went for copper because the spray paint lid looked a nicer shade than the gold which looked a bit like the door handles at my nans house. Can I lacquer it to lock it in?

thecolourbox

The copper paint I used was this:

http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/rust-oleum-copper---metallic-spray-paint---400ml-508781

There's a lie right there: Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray paint is perfect for creating elegant and brilliant metallic finishes

WezV

yeah,although real gold will be thinner.  but he faux stuff is good and both will change colour less than the copper

but this is the easiest finish option I have seen here

thecolourbox said:

Edit: this was the original plan
http://www.guitar-bass.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/IMG_0771.jpg

forget about trying to cover up mistakes with more paint or leaf.  go buy some decent sandpaper and work through the grits from 120 - 400.  after each grit wipe down and for scratches.  if you can see some sand a bit longer with that grit before going to the next.  before you start with the next grit wipe it down with a damp cloth have a break to let it dry. - don't soak it.  then start with the next grit

Then stain it a bit darker than the intended shade.  if its patchy sand back with the 400 and try again.  then wax it.  then play it

That's the simplest finish you can get and if you do it wrong its the easiest to rework.  you will either be staining, sanding or waxing and repeating whichever stage is needed till it looks right. 

decent abrasives are critical to getting it stripped nicely

...

If you ignore that and decide to paint, get brush on sanding sealer, brush on a load of coats,  and get it totally flat before you use any cans of paint.... don;t touch the spray can untill you can get the sanding sealer perfect

thecolourbox

Thanks mate, I am thinking the woody finish will look nice and yes it does seem the easiest. I do want a smooth classy looking instrument as I've got it to play the jazzier end of things on, so a nice smooth looking instrument will be lovely

Thanks everyone for the help!

paulnb57

octatonic said:

paulnb57 said:

Thers nothing inherently wrong with rattle cans as long as they are good quality, you need them from car paint suppliers, more paint less thinners.....spray very light coats, the biggest mistake people make is try ing to cover the item with too mich paint too quickly...

Yes there is- you cannot adjust the flow rate or size of the spray with a can, which is something you need to adjust depending upon the material you are spraying, the humidity in the room and the type of finish you want.

I appreciate what you say, however, I cannot afford or justify "proper" spraying equipment or have room for a dedicated spraying area, what I can do is get a really good, even finish with a decent rattle can.  Rattle cans are fine and relatively inexpensive, once you get the hang of them.....

Deadman

octatonic said:

paulnb57 said:

Thers nothing inherently wrong with rattle cans as long as they are good quality, you need them from car paint suppliers, more paint less thinners.....spray very light coats, the biggest mistake people make is try ing to cover the item with too mich paint too quickly...

Yes there is- you cannot adjust the flow rate or size of the spray with a can, which is something you need to adjust depending upon the material you are spraying, the humidity in the room and the type of finish you want.

I sprayed a bumper many years ago on a driveway using a rattle can with an adjustable fan. The flow rate wasn't adjustable but I honestly got the finish I'd get with my Devilbiss set up in my spray booth. They're definitely out there!

Sambostar

I'd strip it, stain it and shellac it or use Tru Oil, then haze out with 0000 wire wool or even finer wet and dry paper between coats and also to get it matt and then wax or buff to get that finish or just rub on T Cut to take the shine out.

Shellac is the best stuff as it's totally organic, safe to use and edible if you use pure alcohol and easier to apply if you water it down with alcohol a bit at first. I donno what's in Birchwood Casey Tru Oil, but I guess it's similar.  Both can be rubbed on.

Depending on what you want, you can get a mirror finish with shellac or Tru Oil just by using your hands, a decent technique, some alcohol, linseed oil and a clothe.

Spray on varnish is horrible to work with, can't be repaired and horrible to remove as well.

thecolourbox

Thanks everyone for the help, finally got round to getting some cellulose paint thinner yesterday as recommended by @deadman as sand paper wasn't really touching it. It seems to have worked to an extent though I only did the back. There were no instructions on the borrow from halfords so I just guessed that putting it on with a paint brush to run it around a bit then rubbed it further with a rash and it seems to be getting somewhere with that and a scraper. I think if I can get the most of it off then get back onto sanding that should give it enough to rough it sufficiently for the robseal wood wax I intend to put on it.

It's the same one I did my table with and it's a lovely colour, a nice dark wood colour

lamf68

get an old t-shirt or something similar, douse it in the thinners then leave it sit on the paint for a good few minutes, move it to a different section while you scrape off the paint from where you first placed the soaked rag, just repeat that all over it mate, it'll be a piece of piss to strip back provided you let it soak in a bit. dont fanny around brushing it on you'll get in a hell of a knot

thecolourbox

Oh brilliant thanks, I wasn't sure but as is seemed to thin it quite well I carried on

Will be having another go this weekend. Want to just get it finished and play the thing...