Drops of paint and orange peel

[Stefano]

Hi... I've just paint my guitar in sonic blue. Unfortunately it's all ALMOST  perfect: a) I've a pair of drops (the paint was too liquid) and b) on the back a little zone with "orange peel". How can I fix this?

Thank you,

Stephen

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

I'm not sure to understand : if the color coats are finished and cured, you just need to sand these defects away and apply you varnish coats. Am I missing something?

[Stefano]

No... you don't miss anything. I've covered the body with two coats of primer and then I've paint it in blue. I still haven't sprayed varnish. My doubt is if, after I sand these defects away, I can pass directly to the varnish coats or I have to spray the paint again. Thank you

[Stefano]

No... you don't miss anything. I've covered the body with two coats of primer and then I've paint it in blue. I still haven't sprayed varnish. My doubt is if, after I sand these defects away, I can pass directly to the varnish coats or I have to spray the paint again. Thank you

[Ned Knepp]

I think you will have to make that call when you finish removing the defects. You might be able to remove most of the drips with a razor blade but you will probably need to finish them up with very fine sand paper and the orange peel will also need to be sanded.  A lot depends on how thick the paint is and how much you need to remove to get it all flat. If you go through the paint or it is too thin you will probably need another coat.

[Stefano]

Thanx Ned... so, if I understood right I have to try to fix the orange peel and the drops with a very fine sand paper (The drops are very very little... I don't think I'll need a razor blade). And... if I've fixed them without going through the paint, I can spray directly the laquer coats. Otherwise I've to spray another paint coat before laquer. Am I right! Thank you very much Ned for your help!

[Ned Knepp]

Stefano, you could spray a clear coat on the body now except you have higher standards for the job you are doing. It's your decision to make once the flaws are removed. If you can sand the paint to a fine enough finish so that the repair blends into the rest of the paint, you should be ready to go. You will have to make that decision.

  The reason for using a razor blade is because it can be very hard to sand only the drops and not the surrounding paint too. The tendency is to sand through the paint around the drops before you actually get them leveled out. You will probably end up with white undercoat and a couple of blue spots in the middle of them before you get it close to level.

  Using a razor blade as a very small scraper, perhaps with a bit of thin tape wrapped over the ends of the blade so that only the center section is exposed, will allow you to remove almost all of the top of the drop without removing any of the surrounding paint. THEN you can use very fine sand paper, usually wet/dry paper with a touch of water, to blend/level in the drops.  It's also possible that you will find that there are air bubbles with in the drops that will leave pits in the paint.

   Anyway you happen to end up, either sanding and going to clear coats, or repainting first, the flaws will have to be blended into the surrounding finish first.

BTW, the books Paul recommended are very good and would give you much more complete information. 

[Stefano]

Thanx Ned... so, if I understood right I have to try to fix the orange peel and the drops with a very fine sand paper (The drops are very very little... I don't think I'll need a razor blade). And... if I've fixed them without going through the paint, I can spray directly the laquer coats. Otherwise I've to spray another paint coat before laquer. Am I right! Thank you very much Ned for your help!

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

You're right.

[Paul Verticchio]

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans/Building_and_repair:_Finis...

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans/Building_and_repair:_Frett...

Stefano,

Based on the questions you've been asking, I highly recommend you get the books I've to which I've given you a link.

They will serve you well for years and will provide you with all the answers you've asked for so far.

Best of luck with & enjoy your project. I bet it will turn out great (-: