Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey folks,

Is anyone here spraying Crystalac Brite Tone? I’m going to give it a shot for my first HVLP shoot. I’d like to do a traditional three tone burst so amber, reddish-brown, and black. Any idea what to use for the tint? How much color pigment can be added before I start creating problems?

Thanks!

StewMac’s guitar finishing book has finishing schedules for such things. $17 with a StewMax subscriptions.

https://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Books/Gu ... -Step.html

Here’s what I use for color. A little goes a long way!

https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_S ... tains.html

I've bought Brite-tone from these guys in Canada. And this is the dye they recommend using for it. Haven't had any issues. I've been brushing it on though not spraying.

http://www.woodessence.com/ColorFX-Dye- ... s-C12.aspx

I'm new to spraying finish. Trying to spray that stuff in my garage set up was a nightmare. I thought it was mostly me and my inexperience, and finally gave up. Figuring that I'd try again when I could afford some better equipment, and a dedicated space. Recently I was in a pinch on a repair I was working on (an old Gibson LG.) I figured I'd try spraying again only this time with Nitro. Using the same set up it was so easy to spray, it felt like I'd have to actively try to screw up for things to go sideways. So my conclusion is that the Brite-Tone is a fantastic finish, but super finicky when it comes to all the variables that go into spraying finish. Patience, practice, and attention to details are all required to a much finer degree than with Nitro.

Contact the folks at CrystaLac. I've met them and they are real nice folks, Best way to get the best information.

The CrystaLac Company
​6205 Hwy 91 North
Mountain City, TN 37683
thecrystalaccompany@yahoo.com
(423) 727-6425

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Trans Tint is another dye similar to the other 2 mentioned.