First off let me say this is a great board! I think I have learned more here just looking around than I have since I got intrested in painting. I guess the biggest question I have is when do you pull the masking tape? I have just started messing around with flame painting and such and I seem to be having some problems with the paint coming off with the tape. If I wait until it's dry the paint sticks to the tape. If I pull the tape while it's still wet it want's to get stringy. The few times I have tried it I also seem to get a pretty heavy amount of paint at the tape line. Am I just applying too much paint? Let me know what you think. Thanks in advance!
When to pull the tape?
- Thread starter barr5150
- Start date
T
TAZ
Guest
Welcome to the Custom Paint Forum.
Glad you are enjoying it!
As far as your question goes, it sounds like you have the surface prepped with too fine of scratches before you apply the basecoat. What are you finishing the surface with before painting?
Also, what paint are you using?
Glad you are enjoying it!
As far as your question goes, it sounds like you have the surface prepped with too fine of scratches before you apply the basecoat. What are you finishing the surface with before painting?
Also, what paint are you using?
I have been using House of Colors paints. One of the last projects I did was a sportster tank. I used HOK primer wet sanded down with 400 grit. Over that went a pure black and some clear. I should have used the sg intercoat but I didn't have any. I'm not sure if that matters. Over the clear I laid the flames out and taped everything off. Because of the brandy color I picked for the flames the paint store said I had to lay some pure white down first so I did. After the white I sprayed the brandy. The job looked good. I kinda surprised myself. The problem was I had to redo the flames like three times because I couldn't get a good edge. It was like I had too much paint in the layout. I don't know how else I would have done it. When I finally got the tape to come off fairly decent I had a tall lip of paint at the edge of the layout. Because of the paint color the paint store said I couldn't wet sand it down any because it would distort the color. The guy who pinstriped the tank for me wasn't too happy. The job ended up O.K. but it took alot of learning. The next time I think I will try to mist the paint in the layout. Maybe that will help? You mentioned that you thought the scratches from sanding might be my problem. What do you sand with before layout? Thanks for the help!
hoss
New member
how long are you waiting after you've applied the protective clear before you apply the tape and graphix? what kind of tape are you using for your masking?
if you wait too long you'll need to resand the sg100 or clear coat (i always resand anyway) i use 800 grit to scuff up the surface. you'd be ok using 1000, be careful not to sand through your job though. when you shoot dark colors, you can get away w/ coarser sand paper. the lighter the color, you'll need to keep w/ 800 or finer.
as for spraying flames/graphix. i use a quicker stroke, don't lay down the paint like when shooting one color on an entire surface, and have your gun atomizing very fine. i'll put on 2-3 very light coats of base. if it's a light color, usually 2 light coats is good, if it's dark, it might take more coats. you just have to look at it under good lighting to see any spots that are thin where you need to apply more. make sure your gun is perpendicular to the surface being painted, and don't point it into the tape edge. usually i'll use a touch up gun w/ a 1.0 tip for tanks. i'll use my base coat gun too at times, but keep it light on the trigger, just like your feathering in a fade on a pannel. spots you need to check is under the tank and at the front and back of the tank. that's usually where we over look painting, and after the final clear is on and you see it in the sun, you'll say ****!!! i didn't see that inside and i can see primer shinning through a little. (that's a pain, so check and double check!)
have fun and keep us posted!
if you wait too long you'll need to resand the sg100 or clear coat (i always resand anyway) i use 800 grit to scuff up the surface. you'd be ok using 1000, be careful not to sand through your job though. when you shoot dark colors, you can get away w/ coarser sand paper. the lighter the color, you'll need to keep w/ 800 or finer.
as for spraying flames/graphix. i use a quicker stroke, don't lay down the paint like when shooting one color on an entire surface, and have your gun atomizing very fine. i'll put on 2-3 very light coats of base. if it's a light color, usually 2 light coats is good, if it's dark, it might take more coats. you just have to look at it under good lighting to see any spots that are thin where you need to apply more. make sure your gun is perpendicular to the surface being painted, and don't point it into the tape edge. usually i'll use a touch up gun w/ a 1.0 tip for tanks. i'll use my base coat gun too at times, but keep it light on the trigger, just like your feathering in a fade on a pannel. spots you need to check is under the tank and at the front and back of the tank. that's usually where we over look painting, and after the final clear is on and you see it in the sun, you'll say ****!!! i didn't see that inside and i can see primer shinning through a little. (that's a pain, so check and double check!)
have fun and keep us posted!
Thanks for the reply! As far as time tape goes I started with the original "crepe" tape. I think thats spelled right, but the paint seemed to bleed a little here and there. Nothing that the pinstriping wouldn't cover but it still was there and I thought if was any worse it could ruin a job. I switched to the blue tape and had better luck. The problem I had with either tape was I didn't know when to pull it from the surface. Do you let the paint dry or pull it while it's still wet? As far as laying the flames out I did that about 2 days after the clear was sanded. I didn't know it mattered if you wait. It sounds like you sand and than do the layout right away. Thanks for the help.
hoss
New member
you can pull the tape when the paint's dried, some like to pull it when the paint is just a little tacky still, this is b/c the edge will have a tendency to fold over itself and give a nicer edge. as long as there is good adheason it doesn't matter too much when you pull off the tape as long as you don't get your hand in wet paint or smear it where it doesn't belong. some others like to put a light coat of clear (sg100 or whatever) over the graphic that is taped and then after they pull the tape sand the edges ever so slightly to give a nice edge w/ minimal height. just trial and error stuff, i've found what works for me so that's what i do.
here's a little tip. on flames the fine line tape has a tendency to move on the ovals, so after it's all masked out and ready to shoot, take some masking tape and dab it on the oval areas to get the glue residue off from where the tape slid from. much like the lint roller for clothes. this will give you a nice consistant edge around your flame licks.
as a rule of thumb, all basecoat/clearcoat paints have a 24 hr flash peroid (some are more, you just have to read the tech sheet) in this 24 hr period you are safe to apply more paint and get a chemical bond. the strongest paint bond. after that peroid it is better to sand the panel so that you can get a mechanical bond. you'll need to sand it so it has some tooth for the next layer of paint to stick too. in our mind, the reason your paint is not sticking is b/c of the bond. it' shouldn't be pulling off if you are using compatible paints.
does that make sence?
here's a little tip. on flames the fine line tape has a tendency to move on the ovals, so after it's all masked out and ready to shoot, take some masking tape and dab it on the oval areas to get the glue residue off from where the tape slid from. much like the lint roller for clothes. this will give you a nice consistant edge around your flame licks.
as a rule of thumb, all basecoat/clearcoat paints have a 24 hr flash peroid (some are more, you just have to read the tech sheet) in this 24 hr period you are safe to apply more paint and get a chemical bond. the strongest paint bond. after that peroid it is better to sand the panel so that you can get a mechanical bond. you'll need to sand it so it has some tooth for the next layer of paint to stick too. in our mind, the reason your paint is not sticking is b/c of the bond. it' shouldn't be pulling off if you are using compatible paints.
does that make sence?
perfectcolor
New member
Color black is a good choice but you should have enough money for it..