Swirl Painting a Jackson Guitar with Borax Method and Humbrols PART 1

Here's a video of my first swirl. I did it on a Jackson JDR-94 Concept.
Finished Pix: www.sevenstring.org/forum/luth...
Thanks to MrDean2005 and the guys at sevenstring.org for their advice.
Ratio: 1 gallon of water (~78°-79°F) to 1.5 tbsp borax. No thinners used for these colors.
Humbrol Colors used:
Gloss, Brunswick Green, Enamel, 14ML, Shade 3
Gloss, French Blue, Enamel, 14ML, Shade 14
Gloss, Black, Enamel, 14ML, Shade 21
Gloss, Sea Blue, Enamel, 14ML, Shade 47
I bought my enamel paints from airfix-usa.shptron.com/.
Rust-oleum Painter's Touch white base coat
Song: Marco Sfogli - Genius. Buy his stuff. He's incredible

[@panther105]

That was AWESOME!!! I learned something today......It's going to be very hard to paint my whole car this way....

[@Nugmania1]

How much borax did you put into the water, ie %

[@TANK-df6mu]

Wsg uncle

[@BerlinMoskito]

FINALLY someone who told us what kind of colours he was using THANKS awesome job btw :D

[@nojyeloot]

Thanks man. Hit me up if you need any help bro.

[@DontLeaveMeLucile]

I really liked the beginning paint but it came out gorgeous in the end. I would want to drop the guitar in within the first minute or so, that blue and white glow was great. But the finished product is so much more complex and interesting. Great vid.

[@nojyeloot]

Excellent! Keep me posted. I love this stuff.

[@TurkeyTuck]

Looks like a jawbreaker. I love the green bro!

[@moonboycool]

Awesome colours

[@nigelderksen]

Great job guys, well done.

[@rustysphotography]

not seen this done before , great job :D

[@bradenst.jacques9505]

Awesome video, and the guitar looks great! I was thinking about doing a black and clear swirl, that way I could light up the clear part from beneath. Do you think the black and clear would stay separate? Please reply

[@erdalkoc9518]

Looks great !

[@nojyeloot]

With enamel paints it's highly recommended to use only Urethane clear coats. Don't use lacquer because it will react with the enamel and shrivel up, and you'll have to start all over again. I went to O'Reilley's and bought some Nason SelectClear 2k: 496-00 clear coat and 483-78 activator. I think it was about $45 total. I used a spray gun with it. A lot of guys just use a can of "SprayMax, 2 Part (2K) Urethane Aerosol Clear Coat" which gets good DIY results.

[@Decalto35]

personally i found the back side of the guitar body nicer than the swirl at the front

[@dawsonabel6068]

The backside is always better. (;

[@tilberry19]

Dawson Abel jesus christ! ... YOU ARE RIGHT!

[@ChantalWalters]

Fantastic! Was riveted. Thank you for sharing. ;)

[@SPIDER1966ENGLAND]

Nice Job, one to be proud of

[@nojyeloot]

I most definitely put a clear polyurethane coat on top. I have yet to gig with it, but am quite confident that the clearcoat will hold up.

[@frankatack385]

Amazing..!

[@2112dim]

It looks beautiful, what kind of colours did you use?

[@MrTahabk]

This track is sick !

[@mikepayne3294]

I want a swirl painted guitar. What better way to get a truely one of a kind instrument.

[@nojyeloot]

For the colors I used, I didn't need to thin them. However, in previous attempts I tried to use regular gloss white but it was way too thick. I never attempted to thin it b/c I change my mind with the color scheme. On the contrary I used Green 203 and it was so thin I couldn't use it for anything. The borax will appear to thin the paint a little, but it's really just dispersing it. Proper temperature and borax ratios are really the bread and butter to this process.

[@vivianthegreat4150]

where did you get the paint?...been looking around on the internet and can't find any

[@BradAngove]

Nice job man. How much borax did you use (per volume of water)? Did you use just above room temperature for the water?

[@AZTEC_ARTS]

Nice ! How is the guitar primed ? (automotive primer ? or .... ?)

[@DavidScarto]

Awesome.... What kind of ink did you use sir.?

[@BrianClarkeLive]

why did the first colour spread more than the others ? did you have thinner in that one ? also are you using 14ml tins ?? ta !

[@blackfender100]

Very cool not my choice of colors but.I am going to try a black and yellow swirl on an old Samick Strat soon thanks for posting.

[@liamdrew427]

Would this work on a skateboard? If so what materials do you need?

[@littlewing62]

with what coating did they prep the body with?

[@nojyeloot]

Absolutely. On facebook, look up "Guitars(Swirling & Custom Finishing)". That's MrDean2005's page. He has swirled some effect pedal boxes beautifully. I'd inquire with him on base coats and finishing. You'll need a huge tub to do a bike, but it can be done. Make a video and link me!

[@DeathCubeKFC]

do you need to thin the paint too when you do it this way? or just use borax in the water?

[@larrywhitted7333]

What does the borax do? I've been thinking about painting my guitar.

[@clsilvestre5709]

what is the color of your guitar my brother and i are fighting about the color is it blue or black i wish it's blue :)

[@JuanCardoso97]

what kind of paint you used in the painting?

[@nojyeloot]

Makes the water soapy feeling and makes the oil paint float and disperse on the top.

[@nojyeloot]

Good and valid question. I've heard the same thing. However, in my case, I had another Red Jackson JDR-94, and you couldn't (really) tell the difference acoustically or plugged in regarding which guitar was which. So if there's any difference, it's not noticeable on my guitar.

[@Myopinionjustsaying]

You sure did screw up a pretty guitar! :(

[@Ew0ny100]

Do you need to use borax or can u use something else because i don't think they have borax at the market in my country

[@smtp4me]

What type of paint do you use? And when I say type, I mean acrylic, latex, etc. and not the brand name (unless a special brand is required). Also - where do you get it - a hardware store, craft store?

[@Rockboss1987]

who is playing the background music of this fantastic movie?

[@ericdorsey2262]

good job, not my fav colors though, prefer bright crazy colors. question, what do you do with all that after? what if you want to change colors? lol

[@TheFloydRoselover]

what kinda paint do ya use?

[@yoloisdamotto007]

What kind of pain do you use?

[@marcoguzman7425]

Should this work on a skateboard

[@oommiinnii]

Could metal be painted using this metod, a bicycle frame to be exact?

[@samuelcabasan]

how do you remove the original color of your guitar?

[@nojyeloot]

That's part of the fun. You can do it. Look up some tutorials. It's worth it.

[@nojyeloot]

1 gal Water (78-79F) : 1.5tbsp borax. Humbrol gloss enamel paints (see video description). All the tests take money, but you could do a job like this for around $50.

[@patozverky3153]

colour on models and clean water ?

[@Kunnel87]

Can i use something other than Borax?

[@bbigdaddy198294]

what is the other liquid? is that just water. how expensive is something like that

[@slingernoob356]

If you want to do another one can you just add more paint in the water?

[@FutureLaugh]

ia that testors paint?

[@ItaliSt4r]

Hallo meine frage ist wie heisst das ganz genau und was für Farben hast du benutz ?? danke fürs antwort

[@nojyeloot]

Hey man, If you're in the US, google "airfix usa humbrol". It's the first link. Make sure to get Enamels, and not Acrylics.

[@thegooch7206]

I wish somebody would make a step by step video on this. I cant seem to get it down packed.

[@MrDean2005]

Not bad for 1st attempt!!

[@chrismorrill7960]

what type of ink is it?

[@ufo4theufo]

Nice

[@khanyb]

Is that solvent paint such as ICI 2 K , PPG, STANDOX as I am a painter I would like to do that in my workshop plz reply

[@nojyeloot]

yusuf khan It's enamel. Check the description. Everything, is in there.

[@khanyb]

Ok sir thanks will definitely try that

[@BradAngove]

It's not great for it, but it would be very difficult to notice the difference in tone from something like this. Thick polyester finishes have been shown to dampen resonance, but generally the thickness of the paint makes only a minimal difference. He probably would have done well to sand back to the sealer before priming to help alleviate this factor a little bit.

[@nojyeloot]

There are other methods out there. If you check out theswirling . net then there is another method called the Carageenan method. Also google the Herc Fede method. I'm only familiar with how to do the Borax Method.

[@tswain92]

Nice

[@symphx1]

what brand and type including spray or not, did you PRIME with, thanks

[@nojyeloot]

For primer I used Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X 12-oz. Flat Gray Primer General Purpose Spray Paint. For the base coat of white, I also used another primer; KILZ 13-oz. White Oil-Based Interior Primer, Sealer and Stain-Blocker. I used different colors so that I was sure that I had a full second layer of paint for my base coat of white, if that makes sense.

[@derekcalamia871]

Yup, just a barrel of water, and what appears to be oil based miniature modeling paint pots for the colors.

[@aloklolama7684]

which paint u have used in a guitar before,,,,,which type of white colour is that in guitar before swiriling ,,,,,,,,,,,,plz answer ,,I'm gonna try on mine,,, plzzzzz

[@nojyeloot]

all in the description bro.

[@dylandorosh588]

What do you have to coat the guitar in before dipping?

[@blak1veil]

Primer

[@A-Milkdromeda-Laniakea-Hominid]

So the tbsp of borax is what keeps the paint from mixing into one color as the oily colors float on the surface? What would happen if you dunk it first, then add the paints, then pull it up through the paint layers?

[@PlannedAccident]

You'd get the guitar wood soaked with water which would rot the wood underneath the paint, assuming the paint even stayed on...Don't do it that way.

[@nojyeloot]

PlannedAccident Exactly. Less time the wood is in the water, the better.

[@A-Milkdromeda-Laniakea-Hominid]

It's better to ask a pro than repeat their mistakes. Thank you both for the info.

[@nojyeloot]

You got it man. Ask anytime ;)

[@A-Milkdromeda-Laniakea-Hominid]

You know KZbin needs? A way to earn credibility. If I could click a counter attached to your name indicating "Intelligent Commenter" I would. Once a person gets x number of clicks, a bronze/silver/gold circle appears beside your name. In this way those of us who are polite and helpful could know a kindred KZbinr. Thanks again :)

[@olllivier]

and what vernish after ?

[@nojyeloot]

Colors are in the video descriptions. Two blues, a black and green.

[@racerlives]

EXACTLY when and where I would have dipped it..........thought the same thing........would have been kick-ass.

[@thegooch7206]

OK, I finally got it down packed.

[@themusicmanisme8400]

nice

[@fredylopez9189]

como se puede conseguir el papel transfer

[@robynj.garrett2306]

I love it I wish I was Brave enough to do this lol///

[@nojyeloot]

I've heard of other methods, but I really only know how to work with borax, in regards to swirling.

[@Saabdude40]

So what exactly do you buy to do this yourself?.....im sure pattern possibilities are endless.

[@nojyeloot]

All in the video description.

[@nojyeloot]

It's all in the description.

[@MischiefGuitarMods]

I want that stick.

[@rodneyhall81]

cool

[@marcelolaurindo.musica3239]

QUE TINTA E ESSA ??

[@juffurey]

isn't that bad for the guitar, to put extra layer of paint like that? doesn't it dampen the resonance?

[@MinNyeAccount]

What is the music!?

[@symphx1]

So one "expert" says Never use enamel on wood, its for metal, and will never dry. Especially with a clear coat over it? He says remains thick, sticky and impressionalbe (finger nail test) forever. Have you noticed any of these problems? One person says wait at least a MONTH to dry before clear coats? thanks

[@ericdorsey2262]

your expert is right, avoid enamel unless you don't care and want to go to WalMart and paint a guitar for practice. enamel is a tough, durable, but soft and ply-able paint finish. great for outdoor applications. it stays soft almost forever. will it work ok though, yep. if you want a perfect paint job, get good hard acrylic paint a lacquer clear that will harden. can lacquer clears take forever to harden as they don't have the hardeners that autopaints have. depends how long you can wait and pay, but rattle cans work great IF your patient. go for it!

[@nojyeloot]

I waited about month for my swirl to dry, FWIW. Partly b/c I was waiting on the availability of a friend to shoot the poly clear coat on it.

[@FreshBagelz]

Would it be possible to stick some painters tape over the body and get stripes?

[@joepesci7629]

Yup that would work fine. Go out and get some low tack frisket film paper and cut out all the designs you want. Then peel and stick them on. After you are done dipping your part, blow off the extra water and let it set for a couple of hours so you don't smudge the paint job when you try to lift up the stencils. Then let the paint dry for at least 48 hours before you put on your clear coat to seal it. Alumahyde ll Matte Clear (which is a firearm spray finish) is tough as nails for a seal coat but automotive clear coat works great too. You can speed up the curing process of Alumahyde ll by baking it for 4 hours between 185-195 degrees.

[@FreshBagelz]

Awesome! Thanks :D

[@nojyeloot]

Joe Pesci This, but I would wait days if not weeks before I peeled off that tape. This enamel paint needs a long time to dry. You want to make sure it's fully dried before you peel that tape off.

[@joepesci7629]

***** Thanks. The Matte Enamel Humbrol dries a lot quicker than the gloss enamel. I just left it hanging in front of a window towards the back of my house and it dried completely in less than 48 hours. I also put it in my Brownells gun curing oven for 4 hours on a high heat before putting on the Alumahyde ll Matte Clear finish and it held up with no problems. It's been to the range and there is no problems with the finish. I also hit it with 60 psi from my compressor air hose set up to get all the water off of it before hanging it to dry.

[@nojyeloot]

Fantastic man!

[@MsTrishjohnson]

that is tight

[@dzywa7410]

its water and Farbs ?

[@nojyeloot]

I did too, but that's not realistic. There are great guidelines out there, but each swirl is a case by case basis due to so many random/hard to control elements (time, local water, paint disbursement). You'll have to do a lot of tests, and there's no way around it. I can tell you that the biggest thing for me was the proper water temperature (78-79F) and ratio of Borax:Water (1.5tbs:1gal). Nail that, and it's a lot easier. Certain Humbrol colors didn't work well for me: #208 & #22

[@greammreaper]

2:11 metall band name right there!

[@nojyeloot]

All in the video description.

[@Sirikazy]

what kine of paint is that?

[@nojyeloot]

All in the description.

[@federicomarin8575]

WHAT KIND OF PAIT U USE ,CAN U TELL ME PLEASE?

[@codyreynolds365]

federico marin In the description mate

[@nojyeloot]

***** I can't believe you didn't check the description.

[@federicomarin8575]

Nope

[@ellesnyder942]

***** A lot of people have never heard of Humbrols, and they make more than one kind of paint.

[@Nomadcreations]

I see rustoleum Listed as White Basecoat, Are All colors Rustoleum? I haven't Heard of humbrol Name Before . Knowledge any one ? Thank You , Nc.n

[@nojyeloot]

All info is in the description

[@iainenfc]

It loooks silly, but I loved the music

[@juffurey]

and that guitar doesn't have resonance?

[@CJ_175]

i would do the same to my Ibanez if i knew i could put it back together!!

[@novalluqman9488]

nggambar taek tah lek ? #inEnglish : so awesome ! (y)

[@FutureLaugh]

i didnt see any borax?

[@nojyeloot]

I didn't. I sanded through the original clear coat to rough up the surface, then I primer'd over the original dark blue.