Menu
What's new

How to paint my new street organ

Tom Baugues

Tom Baugues

Member
Messages
2,893
Location
Lafayette, Indiana
I still have a ways to go with my new street organ build but I can see light at the end of the tunnel. This is my third organ. The previous two were simple finished with shellac and rubbed smooth allowing the natural wood to show. However, I want to change things on this newest organ and paint the exterior. The case is made from Baltic birch plywood. I want to paint it black then perhaps paint on pinstriping or lines of some kind (still not decided). I want a smooth paint. I do not want the grain of the wood to show. If I simply put on a coating (or two) of shellac first then paint, would that give me a smooth surface? Spray cans vs brushed on? Any advice would be appreciated.
 
I'll punt on the surface prep for painting.. I do know you want it as smooth as possible. If you did shellac I'd sand back the first couple of layers to smooth. For me personally I have pretty good luck with rattle can for the base layer unless I'm doing oil and then brushed works ok, I might consider colored lacquer for the top coat on this.. That'd get you that super gloss look and is .. moderately forgiving..

Also can't help myself.. sorry...
Tom Baugues said:
I want to paint it black
Click to expand...

 
I'd sand to 180 or 220, then apply a couple coats of sanding sealer - sanding between coats - then put the color coat(s) on. The color coats may need some rubbing with Scotchbrite (Red or gray), then polished.
 
I'll echo the others on the surface prep and the polishing. If you do decide on pinstriping, you might look into automotive pinstriping tape. I've had good success using it on wood, with a sprayed clear coat over it to protect it. I used it for fret markers on a lap steel guitar I made about 45 years ago and it's still as good as the day it was new.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top