Page 11 of 16
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:07 pm
by johnallg
"Paul W., have we been to the buffer yet?
Yeah, inquiring forumites want to know!
Back from vacation - my (and my wife's) latest senior moments - it was during the week off we realized if we took today off also we'd have had 11 days off in a row! Doh!
Glenn, it is but it isn't. You'd think with 3 colleges in the metro area there would be more night places with live music but it just ain't so.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:26 pm
by jingle_jangle
Not yet, Paul and "inquiring forumites".
On Saturday, the entire bass was flatted, prior to its second group of clearcoat coats.
Flatting consists of sanding all surfaces with #320 aluminum oxide sandpaper, dry, mounted to a hard EVA block.
It takes two hours alone to flat the fretboard properly by hand, using four different widths of EVA rubber blocks.
Two more double coats of clear varnish were sprayed Saturday afternoon. These were allowed to cure until this morning, when another flatting took place over the entire bass, including once again the fretboard.
Two more double coats of clear varnish were sprayed this afternoon. There will be one more flatting with #800, wet, followed by #2000, wet, before it meets the buffing wheel.
Still waiting for parts on this one, too, Paul.
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:05 pm
by johnallg
Thanks for the update, Paul. Sounds like your making good headway with it. Sorry if we all sound impatient but it is a lot of fun and very satisfying to see your projects. Happy 4th!
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:30 am
by studiotwosession
I see, John. That's kind of the way college radio is here in NYC. Lots of schools but few stations and none cool.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:54 am
by bassduke49
Thanks, Paul. I'll give Ted another call about the parts. He's been pretty busy lately. Hope you have a good Fourth!
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:47 am
by rickaddict
So...How many coats of varnish go onto a typical Paul W creation?
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:57 am
by jingle_jangle
My restorations typically get 6-8 double coats (12-16 coats) of CV.
They're called "double coats" because they go on two at a time, with about five minutes between. Then there's about an hour wait and a second set of double coats is put on. A typical schedule calls for two double coats, cure overnight, flatten, two more, cure overnight, flatten, two more, ditto, two more, ditto except flatten wet with fine paper, buff, detail, wax, assemble.
A typical guitar refinish takes 20-24 ounces of varnish. A bass takes slightly more.
The gnarliest part of any refinish is the fretboard. It takes the most time, whether it's been refretted or not. By the time a guitar or bass is buffed out and ready to assemble, about 1/3 of the total time was spent on the fretboard.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:27 am
by jingle_jangle
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:48 am
by bassduke49
Golden Toasters fill your eyes!
Smiles awake you when you rise!
Paul, I gotta know where he got the toasters gold plated. Gorgeous!
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:50 am
by sloop_john_b
Oh my goodness. That looks incredible! Great job Paul and Russ!
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:03 am
by jingle_jangle
I know the plating is vacuum deposition (not the usual tank stuff), but Russ will have to fill in the blanks here.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 12:06 pm
by simer4001
That is a beautiful guitar for sure. That is a great look.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:24 pm
by rumbush
Oh my god, that thing is so cool.
Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:40 pm
by winston
Oh man what a beauty. That has to be a one of a kind. I love it.
Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:16 am
by sashua
Thanks for all the compliments folks. Paul is right about the gold. I wanted to stay away from gold plating because it just doesn't stand up to wear. I am using low temp vapor deposition. It is much more expensive than plating since it can't be done in small batches. I use this process in my business (Aerospace) and so I have a relationship that allows me to slide a few pieces in here and there with other jobs.
