Stripping

[dagobert]

A solid body electric guitar. I have seen numerous videos in regards to stripping the finish of a guitar - paint stripper, sanding, heat gun etc.

My questions is:

Could you place said body on a tray in an oven( not momma's good oven) and bake it - then work on removing the finish?

Or am I overlooking something?

Thanks
dagobert

[stephenT]

I wouldn't. Chances are very good your body is at least two pieces and you'd run the risk of it falling apart.

>Zip Strip<

[fazool]

Why do you want to strip it?

If you intend to remove the paint and go with a natural woodgrain look - do oyu know if that wood is one piece and has a good grain and not some ugly wood?

If you are just fixing it and repainting, you don't need to strip it all the way off.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by dagobert

Or am I overlooking something?

You mean like the wood warping or splitting and any glue joints failing?

[dagobert]

Originally Posted by fazool

Why do you want to strip it?

If you intend to remove the paint and go with a natural woodgrain look - do oyu know if that wood is one piece and has a good grain and not some ugly wood?

If you are just fixing it and repainting, you don't need to strip it all the way off.

The plan is to give the naked body to my niece and nephew (5 & 2) and let them paint it up how they want. I want them to decide on everything which is why I want to take it down to the wood and start with a blank canvas.


They love music and love it even more when I play guitar for them so this is a project we are going to do together and then I have the ultimate momento.

[dagobert]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

You mean like the wood warping or splitting and any glue joints failing?

This is why I ask.

[redir]

There is a product out there called Aircraft Remover.

It's evil.

But it will strip anything.

[repete]

If its a telecaster or strat body, just get an unfinished one. A firend of mine makes these here in oHIo. search for ohlar on that popular auction site.

Its NOT a good idea to bake a body.

Paint stripper is your best bet. Some brands are better than others. If the body you are stripping is a solid color be prepared for it to look UGLY with no paint.

[Frank Ford]

Rather than stripping the body, consider preparing the finished body to receive the new paint job on top of what's already there.

If you think of the current finish as a substrate rather than something in the way, you could scuff sand it thoroughly and give it a nice wiped on coating of high grade shellac*. That stuff will stick really well to any sanded finish, and it will act as a good base for any paint you want to use over it.




* NOT "hardware-store-in-the-can shellac," but the stuff you make up from flake shellac dissolved in alcohol (ethanol, methanol or denatured - NOT isopropyl rubbing alcohol). I contend there's only one product you can buy at paint stores that works well, and that's Zinsser Seal Coat. Watch out - Zinsser also makes really crappy shellac with tons of impurities, wax and other solvents in it, and sells it under different names besides Seal Coat.

OK, well, maybe you CAN get lucky with some prepared shellac as a base coat, but I wouldn't bet on it. . .

[dagobert]

Thanks y'all.