GooCart's 1 Build

[GooCart]

It's not that soft, it has cured some but if I'd press my nails hard I think it would be a mark. I also made sure that the table was clean without any crumbs.

[duff]

thanks alot for the answers magnus, really appreciate it. One more if u don't mind. How long between layers ?
I'm surprised it cured that fast, when i had my guitar resprayed in nitro it took 2 months before the guy would let me the guitar back so he was sure it cured enough..

[GooCart]

For the clear nitro I waited for about an half hour or something like that, I have no idea if that was right but I didn't want to let the nitro to cure to much between the layers. But the color layers dried immediate. I could tape the mask and handle the guitar direct after spraying.
I've heard two months, I've heard 6-7 months and I've seen guys assembling the guitar the same night. But for the sanding and buffing I'll try to stay away for at least one month.

[ex-nihilo]

Wow Magnus that is truly a beautiful LP. I hope that bit of burst doesn't fade away. I really like it the way it looks right now.

As far as sanding and buffing..... I usually wait about 4 days and give it a try. If the sand paper gums up, then I wait a bit longer. If it doesn't, then I proceed. I haven't had any problems with this method yet. Actually, I find that it is easier to do than waiting until the lacquer is totally cured.

That's my method anyway.

[alk-3]

Originally Posted by ex-nihilo

Wow Magnus that is truly a beautiful LP. I hope that bit of burst doesn't fade away. I really like it the way it looks right now.

As far as sanding and buffing..... I usually wait about 4 days and give it a try. If the sand paper gums up, then I wait a bit longer. If it doesn't, then I proceed. I haven't had any problems with this method yet. Actually, I find that it is easier to do than waiting until the lacquer is totally cured.

That's my method anyway.

if you do it that way, the lacquer will continue to off-gas and shrink, which will telegraph the pores, and grain through the lacquer. if you want a flat shiny surface 4 weeks is about the minimum for sanding and buffing.
If you're after a bit of a rougher appearance than you can do it earlier, but in time it will show, particularly on the inlay where lacquer was scraped, then built up with clear.

[GooCart]

As I wrote earlier, when I studied to industrial designer we used nitro for all our design models. Back then we sprayed, took a cup of coffee and then sanded/buffed. The result was often fine, but the design models had a short life so I don't know how they looked after the lacquer had cured.

[delander]

Magnus,

You have done a superb job - this is guitar you ought to be very proud of.

Del

[opus1956]

Originally Posted by alk-3

if you do it that way, the lacquer will continue to off-gas and shrink, which will telegraph the pores, and grain through the lacquer. if you want a flat shiny surface 4 weeks is about the minimum for sanding and buffing.
If you're after a bit of a rougher appearance than you can do it earlier, but in time it will show, particularly on the inlay where lacquer was scraped, then built up with clear.

I've had a nitro finish develop hair-line cracks before and I found out that I had sprayed the nitro too quickly between coats. It was about 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the nitro seemed to dry quickly…less than 15 minutes. And since nitro melts into itself, I figured I could put on another coat…then another…then another…etc. But I was wrong.

If each coat doesn’t dry sufficiently, when you finally have all your coats on (I usually do 7-8), and you wait a week for the finish to cure before sanding/buffing, the coats under the top coat will slowly gas and shrink which will leave hair-line cracks. For a weathered finish, that would be OK I guess…but not so much if you’re going for the high gloss finish.

Awesome build Magnus...it's been great following along.

[GooCart]

Interesting theory, that's maybe the trick for the weather checking
I wouldn't be sad if my replica would check some, I did like in your example, wet in wet, or at least not complete dry.

[monsterwalley]

Originally Posted by GooCart

Interesting theory, that's maybe the trick for the weather checking
I wouldn't be sad if my replica would check some, I did like in your example, wet in wet, or at least not complete dry.

Thats basically the same thing I did on mine also. I knew when I did it I was pushing it, but was up against the weather. Checks would have been a nice bonus for me. I sprayed lawrence mcfadden nitro on mine back in late June, still can't get it to crack despite plenty of trips to the freezer. Maybe my finish is too thin?

Again that looks terrific!!!

[alk-3]

Originally Posted by monsterwalley

Thats basically the same thing I did on mine also. I knew when I did it I was pushing it, but was up against the weather. Checks would have been a nice bonus for me. I sprayed LF nitro on mine back in late June, still can't get it to crack despite plenty of trips to the freezer. Maybe my finish is too thin?

Again that looks terrific!!!

I've never used LF nitro, but it may have plasticizer in it. Most lacquer has some plasticizer in it in the form of retarder, designed to slow down drying to avoid blushing. The lacquer I use without retarder will check after one week of cure time. with retarder could be years.
On the other hand a very thin finish will resist checking as well.

[monsterwalley]

Originally Posted by alk-3

I've never used LF nitro, but it may have plasticizer in it. Most lacquer has some plasticizer in it in the form of retarder, designed to slow down drying to avoid blushing. The lacquer I use without retarder will check after one week of cure time. with retarder could be years.
On the other hand a very thin finish will resist checking as well.

Oops, My bad........ I meant "lawrence Mcfadden" I need to slow down and proof first. I sprayed it without retarder btw.

[opus1956]

Originally Posted by monsterwalley

Thats basically the same thing I did on mine also. I knew when I did it I was pushing it, but was up against the weather. Checks would have been a nice bonus for me. I sprayed LF nitro on mine back in late June, still can't get it to crack despite plenty of trips to the freezer. Maybe my finish is too thin?

Again that looks terrific!!!

Yeah, spray it heavy/thick and don't let it dry too much between coats and it'll check...

[GooCart]

COOL!!
I just hope it works.

[Knarbens]

I always knew - this thing turns out very good! Well, the CNC stuff was a big help but anyway I think it's one of the best looking Les Pauls in this forum section! Can't wait to see it completely finshed! The color is wonderful Magnus! It's actually the kind of finish I'd supply on a guitar myself ... Look at the wunderful Les Paul in my avatar! It could be yours! All you got to do is send this beauty over to me when it's done! PM mail me for my adress!

[pinefd]

Absolutely gorgeous, Magnus! Amazing job!


Frank

[cplus]

That guitar is stunning. Well done!

[HCB 06]

Fantastic Guitar Magnus. Great seeing the Build.
I refinished the top of my LP and gave it about 10 coats of clear with little drying time in-between coats and it's starting to check now. I sprayed it about 4 months ago.

[jb2060]

It's gunna look fantastic Magnus. Sure you have to wait for the sanding but you have got a whole lifetime ahead of you playing this beauty.

[GooCart]

I just got back from a pro paint shop where I bought some really high quality 1200, 2000 and 4000 paper for my Festool Rotex. I don't think I'll use the Rotex except for the back and maybe some on the top and only with the 4000. When I'm ready with the sanding I'll use Leif's big buffing wheels, he have a big buffing machine with two wheels and two different buffing compounds, just like the big factories.
But this won't happen in, let me see, I painted this Monday, one month minus three days....

Meanwhile I think I'll test assemble it and hire Leif to do a real setup. Then maybe I can try to post some sound clips.

[Standard_59]

Originally Posted by GooCart

Leif's big buffing wheels, he have a big buffing machine with two wheels and two different buffing compounds, just like the big factories.

If you haven't used one of these before. I'd get some Practice in on some other item before 'Goin' in like Flint' with your new, Beauty.

[GooCart]

Good idea, it wouldn't be fun to "unwrap" the nitro, but according to Leif it's not hard at all, but I'll definitely practice on something else with "fresh" nitro before I'll do mine.

[Neil Morgan]

Hey Magnus,

I go away for a few months and look what you get up to - beautiful job, congrats.

[GooCart]

Hi, it's me again,
here are some photos from tonight. I've started to assemble the guitar and thought I should show you some photos.

Here's one where the color is quite true, she's hard to get right, the burst isn't as red as it show on some photos.



Here are the Dimarzio 36th. and the rings from RetroSpec, looking good!!



Here you see some of the spray dust bumps, some have sink quite much, they'll be easy to sand down.

[alk-3]

Looking great!
I didn't get those rings from retro-spec, but they are over the pond rings. The guard did come from retro-spec though, and is equally nice.
Thats a killer guitar!

[ex-nihilo]

The best replica I have ever seen Magnus!

[decoy205]

Great work man Congrats! What can be more satisfying? Its very reminiscent of the Stanley Burst.
Cheers!!!

[SG Lou]

Originally Posted by GooCart

Hi, it's me again,
here are some photos from tonight. I've started to assemble the guitar and thought I should show you some photos.

Here's one where the color is quite true, she's hard to get right, the burst isn't as red as it show on some photos.

Magnus..............She is GOREOUS !
You and Tom did a superb job !

If mine comes out looking half as good as yours i'll be pleased !

[ryancrossguitars]

just amazing work wait till paint time kicks in make me a body now

[GooCart]

Thanks for those very kind words guys

Great to have you back Neil and Jason, it's been a while.
OK, so it's over the pond rings, that's very cool!! They do look really really good.

Does anybody have any suggestion how to darken the inlays some, or just make them look a little dirty and worn. The guitar has a overall aged feeling but with the tight tolerances and the bright color the inlays kind of fails.