Second question… when do you pull tape? I have tried pulling it at various times from when the paint is still fully wet to fully cured. The sharpest line I have gotten so far was achieved by letting the paint cure for a few hours and then score it with an exacto knife before I pull the tape. Very labor intensive and it leaves a sharp raised edge that needs to be sanded to get the next layer to cover. If I pull the tape early the edge relaxes and smooths itself out, but the paint has a tendency to lift or tear occasionally and unpredictably. This is not so much of a problem with base coats, but a real pain with effect coats and clear.
Pulling Tape
- Thread starter BeoBob
- Start date
chopolds
Member
Tape pulling is different with basecoats, or lacquers, than with enamels. The first, you can do almost immediately, as they dry quickly and are relatively brittle, so the tape breaks it clean. Enamels stay soft, so I prefer to pull them wet, so the edge has a chance to lay back down. If they dry too long, because of the inherent paint thickness of the material, it can bridge over the tape, so pieces can get pulled off with the tape. You have it right about using a fresh new razor to fix this problem. It also helps to pull the tape back against itself, when removing it, so it makes a clean break. I pull it back at an extreme angle, just about doubling up on itself.
You can try to minimize film thickness to fight this problem when doing graphics as well. If using Candy or Pearl, mix them at double strength, so less coats are needed. If using transparent basecoats, try a light coat of a similar color sealer first, to minimize coats.
You can try to minimize film thickness to fight this problem when doing graphics as well. If using Candy or Pearl, mix them at double strength, so less coats are needed. If using transparent basecoats, try a light coat of a similar color sealer first, to minimize coats.