Inlay Lacquer Scraping Tools? Post Pics!

[Jeff Perkins]

I've got another Gibson J-45 that the finish on the headstock has completely peeled off. The customer used some cleaning agent (which he can't remember what it was), and it destroyed the top coats. I've taken the remaining flakes off the headstock and am ready to spray black over it. It has the pearl Gibson logo and diamond in the middle. After I spray the black, I need to scrape the lacquer off the inlays. I was hoping some of you could post pics of the inlay scraping tools you use to do this job, as I'm going to have to make some. Thanks ahead of time for your input.

[Mike Kolb]

I'm certain there's a dozen ways to skin this cat, but I've always waxed the inlays (tedious and exacting, to be sure) being careful to keep the wax only on the MOP.  Then spray the black, let dry, remove the black from the inlays with a razor knife (it comes-off easily, sitting on the wax), clean the wax off real carefully with alcohol or lighter fluid and clear-coat the whole thing.

The devil's in the details.... get the wax only where you want it and nowhere you don't. Give everything time to dry between steps, and clean the MOP like you were gonna eat off it before clear-coating. 

There's another way to do it using wax paper, masking tape, heat and whatnot, but it never settled in my brain deeply enough to recall the specifics... any experts know about that one?

[Jeff Perkins]

What kind of wax do you use? And, how do you apply it?

[Mike Kolb]

I use a solid 'brick' of regular hardwood paste wax -meant for bowling lanes I think-  and apply it very carefully with a Q-tip after taping-off the edges just outside the inlay (which is what I'd forgotten to mention previously).  Again, wax what you want waxed and nothing you don't.

[Jeff Perkins]

Have you tried taping off the inlay before?

[FRANK]

just tapping the inlay can bring other problems like pulling an edge from being adhered down and lift an edge or a not so perfect edge with color is a difficult thing to clean up ,Id say Mike has it the wax is easier to remove even though I may have gone with carnauba wax applied carefully with a Q tip very thin layer just something to easily clean up after a top coat and VM and P to wash away the wax .this is just the way id try it ? tell us what your out come is Good Palm Sunday

 

[Mike Kolb]

Yes indeed... what FRANK said. Others may have done it successfully, but when I've tried taping-off the inlays, it tends to keep lifting on the edges and making a mess of things.

There's no real 'secret' to the waxing, as it simply makes the job of removing the unwanted color from the inlays a little easier. The real trick is careful application of the wax and equally careful removal of the paint with a narrow razor knife. A tedious job at best.

Still would like to hear from anyone who has used the procedure that involves waxed paper and a heat gun... whatever that may be. 

[FRANK]

i forgot to add you can scrape with a single edge razor blade any thing left over they work good .

[Todd Mylet]

I just tape over the inlay.  Before taping I stain the headstock in the area of the inlays black.  I use the Fiebing's oil stain that I use for staining ebony.  I do this to give me a little room for error when masking off the inlay.  Then I tape over the inlay with cellophane type packing tape.  Next I carefully cut the tape around the perimeter of the inlay.  I then remove the tape from the perimeter of the inlay leaving only the inlay covered with cellophane tape.  In practice there is usually a little bit of the tape extending beyond the borders of the inlay but that is over the area that I stained black so in the end it looks pretty clean.  After spraying my color coats, I peel off the tape and spray my clear top coats.

[Jeff Perkins]

Well, I used carnauba wax, and brushed it on. It worked perfectly!! Nice clean lines and looks like it came from the factory. I am still curious to see pictures of the homemade tools you guys use though. I used dental picks and had great results. I'll try and post some pictures soon.

[Jeff Perkins]

Here's a pic. Lacquer is still wet in this one.

[Ned Knepp]

WOW, that really looks good. How long did it take you to to do it this way?

[Jeff Perkins]

I painted the wax on very carefully, which took about 20 mins. The scraping took about 15 mins. Thanks for all the advice