Comment

Comment by Habanera Hal on November 14, 2012 at 3:33pm

<Neat rig Hal. I'm an old graphic designer and illustrator and have nice airbrushes for such things. I did it for a living for many years.>

LOL! Then obviously you can put my ham-handed cheap-ass feeble attempts at sunbursting to shame!  I'd love to learn airbrushing (and woodburning, and inlay work, and marquetry, welding, horseshoeing, crocheting...........)

Hal

(Renaissance man trapped in a Stone Age body)

Comment by Dave Lynas on November 14, 2012 at 11:43am

Neat rig Hal. I'm an old graphic designer and illustrator and have nice airbrushes for such things. I did it for a living for many years. 

Comment by Habanera Hal on November 14, 2012 at 10:44am

You're welcome, Dave.  BTW, in case you didn't know (or for anyone wondering) this is a Preval Sprayer:

You can get them at most hardware/home supply/paint stores if you want to mix your own toner into clear lacquer.  Also, when I painted my motorcycle, I used Killer Cans from ALSA Corp. They have some outrageous colors available albeit a bit on the expensive side - $40.00 a can, but it goes pretty far.

Comment by Dave Lynas on November 14, 2012 at 5:40am

Hal, thanks for the info on technique and materials. I know Stu Mac has a 4  can set of sunburst lacquer, but i'll bet your way is less expensive...

Comment by Habanera Hal on November 14, 2012 at 3:14am

Thanks, guys!  The sunburst is easy to do.  Go down to you local auto parts store and get a can of VHT Taillight tinting spray in both black and red.  Sand the box lightly with 220 grit and spray with a lacquer-compatible sealer, then sand that with 320.  Spray the red, lightly in several coats working from the center to the outside to darken the edges.  When it's dry, rub it down with 0000 steel wool to lighten the center if you want.  Mist the black over that to highlight and darken the edges, rub it down as desired, then clear coat.

The VHT sprays are basically just tinted lacquer.  You could do this with any sprayable lacquer.  Try using a Preval sprayer with clear lacquer tinted other colors.

Comment by Josh Thompson on November 14, 2012 at 2:30am

What do you use to make the sunburst...is it dye?

Comment by Dave Lynas on November 13, 2012 at 3:13pm

Beautiful batch of ukes. I like the sunburst model best, but i'm no kid....