Strat colour vote

All things guitar, Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, Tokai, Ibanez etc. etc. etc.

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Colour

Capri O
24
46%
Oly White
18
35%
Black
2
4%
Trans white
8
15%
 
Total votes: 52

Lostininverness
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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by Lostininverness »

GrantB wrote:Mirotone nitro, couple of coats of tinted aged (yellow and brown), then 3 or 4 pure clear.

Has been 600 thru 1200 sanded, then polished tho.
Sorry, just noticed this. Have you tried their mirocat stuff. It's what I've used, but wonder if its harder and therefore more brittle than their nitro stuff - a bit of an issue in the past with chip out when installing screws in previously drilled holes. I have read that nitro is supposed to be a bit more of a "flexible"....

And even after wet sanding through to 2000 then polishing can still see fine scratches.

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by Molly »

Lostininverness wrote:
GrantB wrote:Mirotone nitro, couple of coats of tinted aged (yellow and brown), then 3 or 4 pure clear.

Has been 600 thru 1200 sanded, then polished tho.
Sorry, just noticed this. Have you tried their mirocat stuff. It's what I've used, but wonder if its harder and therefore more brittle than their nitro stuff - a bit of an issue in the past with chip out when installing screws in previously drilled holes. I have read that nitro is supposed to be a bit more of a "flexible"....

And even after wet sanding through to 2000 then polishing can still see fine scratches.
I used 3M Trizact pads which go up to 5000. That said, a glass-like finish might not be what you'd be going for with a vintage refin.

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by Lostininverness »

Molly wrote:
Lostininverness wrote:
GrantB wrote:Mirotone nitro, couple of coats of tinted aged (yellow and brown), then 3 or 4 pure clear.

Has been 600 thru 1200 sanded, then polished tho.
Sorry, just noticed this. Have you tried their mirocat stuff. It's what I've used, but wonder if its harder and therefore more brittle than their nitro stuff - a bit of an issue in the past with chip out when installing screws in previously drilled holes. I have read that nitro is supposed to be a bit more of a "flexible"....

And even after wet sanding through to 2000 then polishing can still see fine scratches.
I used 3M Trizact pads which go up to 5000. That said, a glass-like finish might not be what you'd be going for with a vintage refin.
That's the annoying thing, it definitely has a glass-like finish (well I think it has...), but can still see fine scratches. I was hoping to have a chat with you and have show and tell before you left at gearfest, but it didn't happen in time :( . Might try taking a pic and post it.

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by Molly »

Lostininverness wrote:
Molly wrote:
Lostininverness wrote: Sorry, just noticed this. Have you tried their mirocat stuff. It's what I've used, but wonder if its harder and therefore more brittle than their nitro stuff - a bit of an issue in the past with chip out when installing screws in previously drilled holes. I have read that nitro is supposed to be a bit more of a "flexible"....

And even after wet sanding through to 2000 then polishing can still see fine scratches.
I used 3M Trizact pads which go up to 5000. That said, a glass-like finish might not be what you'd be going for with a vintage refin.
That's the annoying thing, it definitely has a glass-like finish (well I think it has...), but can still see fine scratches. I was hoping to have a chat with you and have show and tell before you left at gearfest, but it didn't happen in time :( . Might try taking a pic and post it.
My overriding memory is that a couple of weeks after thinking I'd achieved a perfect finish I realised the paint hadn't finished 'gassing-off' (as I've heard it called) so the actual finished guitar was a bit disappointing.

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by GrantB »

Lostininverness wrote:
GrantB wrote:Mirotone nitro, couple of coats of tinted aged (yellow and brown), then 3 or 4 pure clear.

Has been 600 thru 1200 sanded, then polished tho.
Sorry, just noticed this. Have you tried their mirocat stuff. It's what I've used, but wonder if its harder and therefore more brittle than their nitro stuff - a bit of an issue in the past with chip out when installing screws in previously drilled holes. I have read that nitro is supposed to be a bit more of a "flexible"....

And even after wet sanding through to 2000 then polishing can still see fine scratches.
It’s a lot to do with the final polish. What are you using for the last steps after sanding? I’m using a bunch of compounds to get those fine cuts out. How long are you leaving it after the final spray coat before you start wet sanding?

I’ve not tried mirocat but yes nitro stays a little bit more flexible a bit longer than say 2 pack. Drill screw holes last. Otherwise water gets in them and swells the wood which will crack anything above it.
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by GrantB »

Sorry, - I didn’t mention if you have previously screwed holes (!) once you finish spraying, use candle wax pushed into the hole to seal off before wet sanding. Then before you reinstall the screw use a sharp drill to open up the hole (!!).
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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by GrantB »

And there’s more. The polishing rags should be 100% cotton, preferably a flannel cotton sheet. It must be washed and dried and have no residue on it. Impurities will make A perfect final polish difficult to achieve.
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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by Lostininverness »

GrantB wrote:And there’s more. The polishing rags should be 100% cotton, preferably a flannel cotton sheet. It must be washed and dried and have no residue on it. Impurities will make A perfect final polish difficult to achieve.
So I typically wait for 6-8 weeks (as I run late on time) between the last coat and wet sanding (wonder if thats part of the problem??). I've tried various things, the latest I've got Stewmacs medium and fine polish which I apply using a foam pad in a drill, then a meguires swirl remover with a hand held foam pad. To get off any dried polish I've got a pile of rags, the latest bunch is from a nice well worn winnie the pooh winter sheet - perhaps not soft enough?

Yeah, I've been back and forth on the screw thing. So I've had issue with cracking when drilling new holes, even when running the bit backwards first to wear the finish etc. The latest I've tried is countersinking all drilled holes and running a drill bit through before 2nd to last coat while everything is still real fresh to remove as much as possible. That seemed to work mostly ok. and then using heat on the surface before installing screw - again soften the surface.

I'm trying to install most of the bits on guitar before finishing to check alignment and make sure everything will work. Easier to plug and redrill holes before finishing!

Have heard about the wax trick, should probably do it rather than risking it by just wiping the water off!

Wonder if I should try Mirotones nitro and finish with the same system I always use to know if its technique or product. I see that Timberly wood turning offers NC in 1L tins which they "decant of large drums", so I wonder where they get it from...

One day I'll get it right..... Unfortunately with the cold weather, I might have to wait a while.

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by GrantB »

Cool. I'll take a shot of my polishes in the weekend and talk through it more...I rarely apply polish with a buffer...almost all done by hand.
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by Lostininverness »

That'd be great! Wonder if I should try spraying some scrap wood to allow some trials .....

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by jeremyb »

GrantB wrote:Cool. I'll take a shot of my polishes in the weekend and talk through it more...I rarely apply polish with a buffer...almost all done by hand.
I've got some wood that could do with a hand polish when all this lockdown business is over! :mental:
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by GrantB »

jeremyb wrote:
GrantB wrote:Cool. I'll take a shot of my polishes in the weekend and talk through it more...I rarely apply polish with a buffer...almost all done by hand.
I've got some wood that could do with a hand polish when all this lockdown business is over! :mental:
I have some 40 grit set aside for you.
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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by GrantB »

6-8 weeks is fine in summer to wait before wet sanding.
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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by Lostininverness »

GrantB wrote:
jeremyb wrote:
GrantB wrote:Cool. I'll take a shot of my polishes in the weekend and talk through it more...I rarely apply polish with a buffer...almost all done by hand.
I've got some wood that could do with a hand polish when all this lockdown business is over! :mental:
I have some 40 grit set aside for you.
And a bottle of iodine??

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Re: Strat colour vote

Post by jeremyb »

GrantB wrote:
jeremyb wrote:
GrantB wrote:Cool. I'll take a shot of my polishes in the weekend and talk through it more...I rarely apply polish with a buffer...almost all done by hand.
I've got some wood that could do with a hand polish when all this lockdown business is over! :mental:
I have some 40 grit set aside for you.
Aroused.
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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