Swirl finishes, "Dragonfly style !" (56k warning for pictures !)

[suprleed]

Sweet!  All I can say is sweet!

Thx

[Dragonfly]

That's your best yet Andy, looks like jade!

I hadn't even thought of that, but yeah, you're absolutely right...it DOES look like Jade !   

[Dragonfly]

Sweet!  All I can say is sweet!

Thx

I hope you get a chance to give the technique a try...its a LOT of fun !

[mdh]

Huh, so I take it that it's more or less self-leveling due to the thinning?  I would think that the toothpick swirling would leave little scratches behind in the surface of the paint.  Did you have to mess around a lot to get the right degree of thinning?

[Dragonfly]

Huh, so I take it that it's more or less self-leveling due to the thinning?  I would think that the toothpick swirling would leave little scratches behind in the surface of the paint.  Did you have to mess around a lot to get the right degree of thinning?

drying it out under the light evaporates the water and levels it out quite nicely...not perfect, but very good.

a light wet sanding after every 2-3 coats of clear gives a nice finish.

paint consistency is really the key, imo ...thats why i mentioned a "more or less" ratio in regards to paint / water...the artist cups work great...1/2 full with paint, add water till 3/4 full...then mix.

[sixstringphil]

I'm buing shares of stock in acrylic paint manufacturers! I can see a sudden spike in sales this weekend at Hobby Lobby's all over the country!

Do you have any pics of the enclosure you labeled? Did you use decals or hand paint them?

[Dragonfly]

I'm buing shares of stock in acrylic paint manufacturers! I can see a sudden spike in sales this weekend at Hobby Lobby's all over the country!

Do you have any pics of the enclosure you labeled? Did you use decals or hand paint them?

decals

[moro]

Hey Dragonfly, did you do this enclosure differently? With all the others, the paint has dripped and smeared down the sides, but on this one, there's a very distinct swirl on the sides as well. No smearing.

[jimbob]

Thanks for the tutorial- I'm going to give it a try in the next few days if I find the time.

also

R.G. states-   I was simultaneously experimenting with how thick/durable I could make a paint coat without going to epoxies

What kind of epoxies? How does that work? Can you buy a can of epoxy paint?

[nordine]

Hey Dragonfly, did you do this enclosure differently? With all the others, the paint has dripped and smeared down the sides, but on this one, there's a very distinct swirl on the sides as well. No smearing.

seems like he added less water than in the others

[Dragonfly]

Hey Dragonfly, did you do this enclosure differently? With all the others, the paint has dripped and smeared down the sides, but on this one, there's a very distinct swirl on the sides as well. No smearing.

I swirled the sides as good as I could on that one. Usually I just let it drip...I kinda like that look...but on the one you pictured I did the toothpick treatment to the sides while it was drying.

[Dragonfly]

seems like he added less water than in the others

It may have been a bit thicker..I KNOW the magenta was thicker.

This is all a learning process for me...but I'm getting it down, at least a good working method for "me"...

Heres one I did today...

[moro]

The bubbly detail around the holes in that last one is delicious.

I am so trying this this weekend.

[Dragonfly]

The bubbly detail around the holes in that last one is delicious.

I am so trying this this weekend.

DEFINITELY let me know how it works for you. Post pictures too !

[Marcos - Munky]

I tried this today. And guess what, in a Dragonfly's effect (a Golden Dragon OD) . I will try to take some pictures of it and post here, but my work is nowhere near Dragonfly's . But I think it went good as a first try.

[Dragonfly]

I tried this today. And guess what, in a Dragonfly's effect (a Golden Dragon OD) . I will try to take some pictures of it and post here, but my work is nowhere near Dragonfly's . But I think it went good as a first try.

I definitely want to see pics ! I'm looking forward to it....

This method takes a few tries to get a "feel" for it, but the results are awesome once you figure everything out ! 

[andrew_k]

Thanks very much for posting this, I've got just the pedal to try it out on -- a hammond BB with a SHO going into the 12AU7 tube boost that dano posted. I'm lovin' the breakup caused by cranking the boost; much nicer than the gain pot

Anyway, the point of this post is to ask if you (or anyone else) has attempted this on a powder-coated enclosure? It'll be a couple of weeks before I can drill mine and get to painting, but if no one's done it by then I' guess I'll be the guinea pig...

[Marcos - Munky]

Well, here's my pictures. First of all, it's my first attempt at Dragonfly's method, and also my first attemp at painting an enclosure.

Fist the unpainted box. I used a cheap aluminuim box sold at the local stores.


Now the painted box, after about 6 hours drying outside my house, and before any clear coat layer.


My errors:
- too much water
- trying to create the swirl effect, I mixed the colors too much with the toothpick, and they mixed together

Like Andrew said:

This method takes a few tries to get a "feel" for it, but the results are awesome once you figure everything out ! 

[Dragonfly]

Once you clear coat them it might look really cool...I kinda dig the top especially ! 

[Boogdish]

yeah, I think your swirl looks really great Marcos.