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I found lots about full-on fake nails
It is most probably cheaper to buy the ingredients individually and it would work just as well.
1) ensure that your nail is absolutely clean
2) rough up the nail with a heavy grade file ( you need this for the acrylic to to stick)
3) apply nail primer, this is a sticky substance that brushes on and forms a clean base layer for the acrylic, let it dry for a few minutes.
4) take a fine nail brush ( worth getting a decent one ) dip it into the acrylic liquid (wipe off the excess, you don't want it dripping ) then put it into the acrylic powder, just getting a small blob to adhere to the brush.
5) roll the accumulated gel off the brush onto the middle of the nail ( this takes a bit of getting used to as it remains quite sloppy at first.
6) when you have a small blob on the middle of the nail, use the brush very gently and slowly to gradually roll the gel upwards and outwards to the nail tip. Don't worry if it slops over the edge of the nail, it is still liquid enough to wipe off or with a purpose made salon brush you can collect any excess on the handle end and wipe off.
7) once you have a coating across the upper part of the nail ( you do not need to coat down to the base of the nail ( in fact this is problematical because as it grows out you will leave an unpleasant ridge at the end of the acrylic which can catch on the string ) you should let it dry until it feels hard ( about 10/15 mins ). At that point you can shape the nail with files and either buff smooth the nail with a fine file are with a nail block. Also file the underside of the nail smooth as ridges of acrylic can build up and set causing catch points for the strings.
8) wipe down the brush and clean it in acrylic brush cleaner ( keep the brush in good condition or it becomes impossible to work with )
The two hardest parts to master at first are 1} controlling the brush with your left hand while applying to your right and 2) getting the shape you want while filing again with your left hand. You get better at this every time to reapply, or so the theory goes, I still make a mess every now and then and have to restart.
At first it is pretty much trial and error ( it's easy to wipe off any disasters as you go and start again, unlike superglue ) and a good soaking in the acrylic brush cleaner will loosen an acrylic enough to peel it off should you so wish.
The biggest difference between this quick and easy way and the salon way is that they are typically glueing a plastic nail on then applying the rest of the procedure. That's more about nail length and aesthetics, which hardly apply here.
As you get more used to working the gel with the brush, it is quite easy to extend your own nail length by working the gel over the tip and slowly allowing an overhang to set , which once hard can be shaped. I learned this from the days when I used to get my nails done by a professional. She did not bother with plastic underneath but could make the acrylic any length just by coaxing the gel with the brush.
If you have enough good nail of your own, you don't need to extend the nail, just reinforce it.
Using the above techniques, I can make mine last for approx 3 weeks, before I need to sit down and sort them. Every so often one might start to separate from the nail, at that point it is a quick repair to either file away the breakage and apply a small dot of acrylic into the gap, or just peel the acrylic off and apply a fresh coating.
The only pain with acrylics is that you have to work hard not get get oil, mud etc under the edges because it is near on impossible to clean out. Again it's easier to rip the thing off and redo.
I've been using them now for around 10/11 years ( doing them myself for the last 8 ), and love them for the way they open up techniques, such as frailing and percussive attack, not to mention how much more I can get out of an acoustic guitar in conjunction with a thumb pick. I tried picks but I hate the sense of drag as the pick hits the string and the slight lag in control.
In the meantime I will try to remember the name of one of the guys who showed this process on Youtube.
Hope that's helpful in some way
Aparrently you can use the liquid as brush cleaner
I got my daughter to put some on last night, I think she was using too little liquid, it is a bit lumpy, I've had to sand off some lumps. Seems impressive, but needs redoing.
Do you clean it off with acetone before you redo it?
do I strip all the existing acylic off before starting again? How is that best done? acetone?
On times when I've broken a nail and needed to play a gig I've superglued a false nail on, or at a push just a piece of plastic bottle cut to shape - stayed on fine.
The last time I took a break, it was fine as I had approx 12 months of playing on the finger pad, which I had previously done year in year out for around 30 years, therefore, my fingers are pretty hardened anyway. In terms of playing keys, bass and electric guitar (especially without a pick) it was great as there is nothing to get in the way, particularly bass where, with nails I have to work hard on technique to avoid nail contact on the strings. While it was good in it's own way, I kept picking up guitars like my Sobell and realising that there was a whole world of power and tone that I could not access without acrylics or something similar, so back to it I went.
That sound great, so a very similar technique to acrylic but a process that needs to be done quickly before the glue sets ?
You have also reminded me that Pierre Bensusan used to recommend super glue and baking soda, I don't know if he still uses this method.