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Damn. What a champ. That's some impressive work there, man

Thanks! I am pretty happy with it as well.

Wow. That looks amazing HNB. Good skills sir.

Thanks! I learned a new trick with wetsanding that reduced the polishing swirls I was getting. Basically the back of the 3000 sand paper I use is fuzzy. I used that to apply and buff the polishing compound and it worked much better than the rag I have used on my other projects.

That is the thing I enjoy about these projects. I think every one I have worked on taught me a new trick or lesson. Sometimes it is through major trauma and sometimes it is just a small trick like this to make it a little better and easier.

Buttload of new pictures. This is in overcast lighting. Pretty low light today.

IMG_7061 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7063 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7064 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7065 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7066 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7068 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7069 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7070 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7071 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7072 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7073 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_7074 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

HNB wrote:Sorry for the delay in pictures. I am pretty sick still. I pulled myself off the couch for a few hours this morning and did some work. This is just the first round of sanding at 1000 grit to take off the bumps.

Before sanding.

IMG_6951 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_6954 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

Got almost all the orange peel off.

IMG_6955 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_6956 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMG_6957 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

Tomorrow if I can sit up long enough, I will do the same as today but with 2000 grit. After that I use 3000.

Beyond beautiful of course. Did you start wet sanding at 1000, not 400-600-800 etc? What do you sand with? A block eraser or some power thing?

On this one because it wasn't for me and I didn't want to risk sanding through, I started with 1000. To start off I wrapped the wetsanding paper around a small block of wood half the length of a dollar and once it was more flat, I switched to just gently sanding it with the paper and my fingers.

Thanks, are you going this route from now on? What's your normal course?
On my first refin attempt, my finish took 3 tries : first ReRanch then Duplicolor gm medium blue metallic, the first blotchy, the second good but sanded thru everywhere, third time was good enough. Too blue in some light, but not so blue in other light. Overall pretty good, not yours good
Your finish looks near flawless from here, color is perfect, can't wait to see it with the tort.

It isn't flawless, but I think it is very nice. Maybe if I had a machine buffer I could get it super great? Not sure. I might get one some day. I think normally I would start with 600 to knock off the orange peel and then go to 1000 because it takes a lot less time, but you have to be careful with 600 so you don't take off too much clear or leave nasty deep scratches.

i hate to be this guy, but how much would u charge to do this kinda refin?
just curious but if I could get a vm jm refin'd it would rly be an incentive to pull hte trigger...

also-- can u really just shoot a new finish over the poly? and it will stick if you just scuff it w steel wool? i might try it myself....

I am not doing paint work for people (other than myself) going forward until I can get more of a factory finish. I have had a couple people unhappy with my work when they get it and I just don't like risking it on someones guitar.

I would totally go for it if you have the interest. I used steel wool to scuff up the poly evenly and sprayed right over the stock finish. You could strip it with heat or chemicals, but the base finish works nice as a sealed and primed surface really plus stripping can be a pain.

It is a good learning process and fun to have a guitar that you had a part in making.

fair enough-- I've always wanted a shell pink guitar and I'll never be able to afford one of those stupid custom shop jobs. I've done a heat and chemical strip job before and it was a nightmare-- but if I can spray over poly and get results like yours!?>!?!? wow.

You can. Fender even sprayed colors over other finishes when there was a blem on the first round.

I did the Reranch tip, spray BINs tinted shellac over the sanded poly finish, it did end up looking good

Packing it up tonight to ship to Cali. Positive shipping vibes are appreciated. 99% of my shipping has been fine.... but there is always that 1%...