masking

[txturbo]

After laying out your flames or graphics, outline with 1/8" masking tape then cover the whole piece with clear shelf paper(cheap at WalMart). Then you can make your cuts with an exacto knife on top of the masking tape without scoring the base coat. This way you can only peel out the sections you need and put them back to mask them while painting other areas.

 

[in4speed98]

i am wanting to lay down tribal design on my motor cycle...how do you lay 1/8" masking tape on the surface...i don't know how to lay 1/8" for desings or any...i a beginner at this...thank for any help... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[TAZ]

Lot's of practice!!!

You should be using the 1/8" <font color="blue">blue</font> tape instead of the masking tape. YOu can get this to curve easier

 

[airartist]

Make sure it's the VINYL BLUE tape. It follows tight curves great and lays down perfectly flat. Slightly stretch the tape as you are rounding the cornes. It's a touch that comes with practice. I agree...stay away from the 1/8" MASKING tape. It isn't forgiving to curves.

 

[hoss]

What is a 1/16" tape to use? I tried the 3m that is a light yellow/green color, but it sucked. I've been useing some pinstriping tape, but it is so thin.

 

[TAZ]

Hoss,
Yes, I use the yellow/green 1/16" tape. Pretty tricky to work with. Pinstriping tape is too thin...you may run into a problem in which the glue is left onto the surface..not too good to use.

 

[hoss]

ya, i have ran into that problem w/ the pinstripping tape, but the brand at o'reilies seems not to leave anything behind, it isn't as sticky as the 3m pinstripping stuff.

The yellow/green 1/16 doesn't stick, and i can't make it curve at all.

Sometimes when i airbrush it lifts and the effect i was looking for is screwed up. is there anything better?

 

[68mako]

Why is it nobody here uses a spray mask? My producton speed has drastically improved, especially with multi layered graphics. Just my .02.

 

[Bornhard]

Where do you order your spray mask from 68mako?

I've had trouble finding the recommended spray mask product. The locals keep trying to sell the spray mask used for overspray issues in the bodyshops.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MasterxAce]

3M Blue fine line is the way to go. the vinyl backing allows it to follow curves. Allow the hand with the roll to dictate the direction you want to go and the one following to just press the tape down. Stretching it to much just makes u frustrated when it comes back off when it starts to want to shrink back lol The green shtuff is used to reduce tape tracking. always pre-tack ur tape haha by the way my name is Andrew and i am a new member of this site.

 

[flatscrewd]

I bought some wide masking tape maybe 15 or 18 inches wide , This works great on flat surfaces but complex curves get tricky. This tape is cool because you can stick it to wax paper and then draw out your design and partly cut it out then stick it to your work piece. I have used it on Vessel numbers and signage with great results.

 

[Franks_Customs]

I just found out today that with the blue 1/8" fine line tape. If the tape pulls back just a bit in curves and leaves the glue edge behind all you have to do is just take a piece of regular masking tape onto the edge of the blue tape and it will pull that glue off your paint work leaving a nice crisp line....maybe everyone knew that, but it's something new to me....just wanted to give everyone a heads up....

 

[TAZ]

Frank,
Yes, you are correct. I discovered this quite awhile ago. You can probably find some old posts on this using the 'search'. Maybe search for 'blue' or blue' or '3M'??
I now use 1/16" green fineline. It's like spaghetti when you first try it, but not too bad after that. Did my past 300+ flame jobs using it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drink.gif
Surprised 3M hasn't fixed this yet.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bigokay.gif

Even the German made orange tape is better than the 3M blue tape!

 

[00Alex]

I used to use 3M 'Fineline', (the piss green/yellow vinyl stuff), and found it brilliant for long straight runs and long 'curves' but a little tricky for the curvs needed on a flame job, especially bike petrol tanks. Only ever had trouble with lifting though when my prep wasn't 100% ????????? (If the cap fits, wear it !!) What I did find was that in the tight curves it would pucker up in the paint shops heat, and spoil the inside edge. Which pissed me off somewhat.
I have been uing "Finesse Pinstriping Inc" "THE EDGE", for 3 yrs now, and all my previous problems are a thing of the past, it dont lift, it dont leave glue behind, and the edge left behind is miniscule. Try it out guys, its the Dogs Bollocks, as we say over here !!!

 

[AirArt]

Hey Alex,
You got that Finesse tape to lay nice curves for flames on tanks? That's where it gives me problems.

Phil

 

[TAZ]

I think this is the tape Alex is talking about.