taping help needed!

[BDsbigZRX]

I am using the blue painters tape (buying it at Home Depot) and it seems to stick too aggressively, and (sometimes)leaves a residue in spots that I need to use thinner to remove. I am typically taping over a few coats of PPG clear (which has been applied over the first stage of graphics), becuase I have not had enough faith in the SG100 intercoat to put this blue tape over it (the PPG clear, when dry, being much more durable) to do the second and third graphics steps. Am I using the wrong tape, is the stuff at the paint stores different than the HomeDepot 3M stuff, or do I need to be taping over the SG100 becuase it's a less smooth surface, and it will release the tape better, and when I am all done with all my paint work, then clearing it?????? I know ideally I want to do all paintwork, then clear a couple coats over everything all at once, I just haven't had the faith to tape over SG100, or I am using the wrong tape.....
Help!

Bryan

 

[ezrider]

BD, forget about the Home Depot tape. you need to use automotive refinishing quality tape. 3M works best, American brand is alright, cant speak for the other brands as far as custom tapework goes the 2 brands i mentioned are the only ones i have trusted with 3M being my preferance /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[Bornhard]

Ooh man BDsbigZRX sounds like you're gonna have a mess on your hands.

First don't use that tape, second DO NOT use thinner to clean off mistakes on paint! You can use a little bit of reducer on some cured clear coat, but proceed with caution. I usually sand with fine sand paper to remove minor errors. About SG-100, I use to not like the product and now I can't use it often enough. Just make sure you add the proper amount of reducer (info on the can) and have your spray gun set at a propper air pressure. SG-100 should lay smooth and adhere properly and not pull up. In my past experience, not adding the right amount of reducer will cause the SG-100 to peel off the surface. You can also lightly sand it. One last thing, let the paint & SG-100 fully dry before laying tape down. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sunglass.gif

 

[BDsbigZRX]

"You can use a little bit of reducer on some cured clear coat, but proceed with caution"

That's what I have been doing, spraying my base, marblizer, then SG-100, then PPG clear, waiting a day or two, wet sanding it, masking it off, spraying flames/details, removing the mask, spraying several coats of clear, then wet sanding and buffing the next day. I'd REALLY like to spray the SG-100, do the details/flames, remove the masking, and spray several coats of PPG clear, then wet sand and buff it.

Bryan

 

[rex]

"That's what I have been doing, spraying my base, marblizer, then SG-100, then PPG clear, waiting a day or two, wet sanding it, masking it off, spraying flames/details, removing the mask, spraying several coats of clear, then wet sanding and buffing the next day."

That's the ideal way to do it (depending how many coats the last clearing is).You should need the clearing over the marbelizer to level it out before continueing with more grafix,otherwise the grafix or stipes will magnify the surface irregularities.If you're not using marbelizer you can layout the grafix on the SG100'd basecoat and clear,then sand and buff.The best thing is to do a normal clearing anytime after you sand the last grafix edges out of the clear.Thin striping,airbrushing or ghost flames can be cut and buffed but you can thin it down too much depending how you did it.Scott has a great cross section example of this in the site's home page under 'double dose' clearing that shows what's happening.You can plow on multiple coats the last time and do the cut and buff but not only are you sanding and buffing your A off,you run the chance of solvent pop and dieback if you get impatient.Taking too much time to do it can screw you too.

 

[BDsbigZRX]

Oh man! I got some of the green 3M tape at the PPG store today, WOW what a difference! That blue 3M tape from Home Depot is junk, by comparison!!!! Now I am on track!!!!! I did some taping today, and that green tape left NO residue, as in NONE!!!!!!!! Thanks guys for the advice!!!!!

Bryan

 

[rex]

Sorry BD,I never answered your question.That green is nice stuff.Had a good party after work that night (weird day for payday) so I think the attention span was reduced,eh?Sorry.