What's in the works.......

[bclaire]

I call it the green panda - but it is a big muff pi clone.

Even with the partially effective tone control, it sounds great!

How Banksy of you!

[Les Paul Lover]

I'd like to build a neck, but looking into the cost of all the special tools I'd need to buy to do it properly it makes much more sense to just custom order one. I have basic shop tools that would only handle the rough work and it's important to have a well built neck to me.
I wanted to do a transparent Mary Kay White, problem I have is all the good guitar paints I can find are in the US and they can't ship them accross the border. Might have to settle for auto paint.

Acrylic paints aren't all that bad. They can be touched up to a degree too, once sanded a bit, adding extra lacquer will melt into the previous finish.

I've never worked with nitro, but I always hear people say it's better - but only if used with a compressor and a spray nozzle. Again that's quite a lot of equipment required. If you are patient enough, you can get brilliant results with rattle cans too - and keep in mind that the lacquer takes for ever to dry!!!!

I totally understand your misgivings regarding building a neck. It is the most important part of a guitar, and does need quite a few specialist tools to built. It does get pricey pretty fast!!!!

I call it the green panda - but it is a big muff pi clone.

Even with the partially effective tone control, it sounds great!

How Banksy of you!

Yeap - I totally ripped that one from Banksy - and the rat I did on the woolly mammoth clone too:

[Hubaxe]

Nitro cellulose spraying requires a secured environment (special bulbs, switches). You have to avoid any electric arc.
It's modern and safe to use waterborn paint and laquer (KTM9SV is great, even with a brush).

[bclaire]

I used auto paint on my resprays for years....

[Hubaxe]

I used auto paint on my resprays for years....

So did Leo Fender at the beginning!

[Jondog]

Came across this screen printing kit. Figure it could be applied to pedal enclosures easy enough. $46 for a starter kit. Not bad if you figure you could fit a few pedal designs on one sheet and it comes with two sheets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0ZAj2j6g6I

http://ezscreenprint.com/EZScreenPrintB ... ndard.aspx

EDIT: They have a mini 4.25''x5.5' kit which would be perfect for pedals, comes with four stencil sheets and it also says it works on metal
http://ezscreenprint.com/EZScreenPrintM ... ndard.aspx

[Les Paul Lover]

Came across this screen printing kit. Figure it could be applied to pedal enclosures easy enough. $46 for a starter kit. Not bad if you figure you could fit a few pedal designs on one sheet and it comes with two sheets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0ZAj2j6g6I

http://ezscreenprint.com/EZScreenPrintB ... ndard.aspx

EDIT: They have a mini 4.25''x5.5' kit which would be perfect for pedals, comes with four stencil sheets and it also says it works on metal
http://ezscreenprint.com/EZScreenPrintM ... ndard.aspx

I watched the video, it does look very good.
The 1st kit looks like the sheets are A4 format, that could be enough for 6 1590b design per sheet.

I like the sound of that, I might want to try that at some point!!!

One of my friend was telling about some photosensitive gel paper where you can dissolve away the areas you print on - sounds very similar to that.

Do you know what sort of inks are used for that? Can they be clear lacquered?

[Jondog]

A guy on another forum told me it works good. He bought their ink, but I imagine you can use paint.

[Les Paul Lover]

A guy on another forum told me it works good. He bought their ink, but I imagine you can use paint.

I found the web site difficult to navigate on my mobile phone. I couldnt see the inks. How much do they set you back for?

With paints, I usually run at around £4 to £5 per pedal.

[Les Paul Lover]

I recently acquired a mex standard strat for a very good price..... But in need of a little TLC.

It was quite dirty, and had quite a lot of rust on it - hence the good price.

Just look at the bridge, saddles and pick up!!!!





Not sure where the previous owner lived..... But It must have been really moist - that guitar is only 10 years old!!!!!

So I set about cleaning it up and make it (won't be a surprised for those who read some of my wheeling and dealing thread) more resaleable.

I must say restoration isn't my forte and I was wondering if I'd get that right. After some research, the best method to come up seem to be pretty simple....... Stick The rusty hardware in vinegar....... And then brushing up it up with..... Kitchen foil.....!!!!!!

It's worked VERY well. I've been very impressed with the results. The kitchen foil is a really soft but solid material, and is just hard enough to work the rust out with the help of the vinegar soaking, and soft enough to not leave a mark!!!! Two things that need to be mentioned though are that where the rust was really bad, the chrome has disappeared and the metal is left less shiny, of course. Still lots better!!! Secondly, for the pick-ups, I simply removed the covers, and wet sanded with 400 grit then 1200/1500, depending on which bit I had at hand. Same thing applies, where the rust was really bad, the poles are a bit discoloured. But they look really good I think.

I had to clean everything, all the screws too.






The guitar itself is in pretty good shape - a few small marks on the edges, the neck is fantastic, and with the slightly discoloured hardware, it's got a great relic look without the silly belt sanding or other.

I'm pretty pleased with that one - and a new restoration trick learnt - and shared!!!!

[Randy Bass]

A little vinegar and water can freshen up anything. I usually use a toothbrush though.

[Les Paul Lover]

A little vinegar and water can freshen up anything. I usually use a toothbrush though.

I had a toothbrush too, but that didn't work that well at removing the actual rust.

Using kitchen foil paper worked so well!!!! You just fold it over enough to make a small pad and run stuff down with it. I saw that people were using that to restore old cars chrome bumpers.

[Bensnake]

Great job, Ant! Awesome looking guitar.

[Hubaxe]

Hi,
here is a new addition to this great DIY topic.
I made my own pedalboard, and the matching flightcase.
But that was way too black. So at nearly 50, I'm not feared of ridiculous I decided to make a little tribute to "Back to the future" Like it or not but do not exceed 88 MpH






My 15 years old son find it cool, that's enough to make me happy about.

[Les Paul Lover]

Hi,
here is a new addition to this great DIY topic.
I made my own pedalboard, and the matching flightcase.
But that was way too black. So at nearly 50, I'm not feared of ridiculous I decided to make a little tribute to "Back to the future" Like it or not but do not exceed 88 MpH






My 15 years old son find it cool, that's enough to make me happy about.

Ace, that's brilliant!!!!
Makes me want to customise my own pedal board case.....!!!!