Pulling tape/mask

[Clem]

Need some pointers if you would. When I pull the tape or mask off it looks like I chewed it off the project.

Am I waiting to long or not long enough? Something else I am missing?

Any and all suggestions appreciated.

Clem

[Whit]

On enamels (oilbase) you pull while
the paint is still fresh,, or it "bridges"
between the paint and tape,, giving
the "chewed" look you refer to !!!
On automotive I always let it dry
before pulling,, pulls clean !!!
Waterbased can be a bugger !!!
On a light coat,, you can pull wet or dry
but the more build-up can be tricky in
that the underpaint is already set when
the other coats are applied and results
in the same bridge as with a dryed enamel !!
You're really just going to have to experiment
pulling wet vs dry and what build-up you're
dealing with in order to get a fix on what
does what,, and when it does it !!!
Sorry I could'nt give a straight answer but
the variables determine the answer and
their flexible at best !!!
Just pull tape "AWAY" from the painted
edge,, and never "INTO" it !!!
Good Luck on it Clem,, rootin for ya !!!:partyalone:

[gphood]

Need some pointers if you would. When I pull the tape or mask off it looks like I chewed it off the project.

Am I waiting to long or not long enough? Something else I am missing?

Any and all suggestions appreciated.

Clem

If you think your masking is going to rip the paint, run a scalpel down the line to give it some assistance. Might be tricky if you have intricate masking but you should be able to use that technique in most situations.

All the best

Grant

[Cowboy]

Clem, its kinda hard to tell, what paint & what tape are you using ? I use a light green fineline tape (3m, they make it from 1/16 of an inch on up. ) Very low tack In My opinion . For the outside edges. Then to go further out use the blue also low tack, Then masking paper ( non stick ) If further out is needed.

Then . pull the other stuff off & when the outside edge dry,s ( not cures ) pull the fine line tape slightly torwards you while pulling it off ( also slightly in the direction of the last color ) This should allow the fineline tape to cut the paintline.

Then let dry, skuff that edge ( lightly ) & either intercoat clear or proceed on. depending on the windows Yer working with ( depending on paint Yer using.) Biggest thing is DO NOT use cheap masking tape. & pull off as soon as possible. Hope this helps a little. Cowboy

[Clem]

Hope you folks do know what I mean, after you post you think.

AA paints, 3M 1/8'' green masking tape. Trying to do flames, again. I put down the tape then cover with R-tape and cut along the tape lines. Painted layers and let set for a while before pulling.

From the sounds of it I need to pull the tape sooner and will most likely have to cut the edges first.

Thanks for all the good advice, now I need to work on it some more.

Clem

[Whit]

Clem,,,
just try not to get too much build-up
at the tape edges,,, helps keep the
edge build-up down after tape removal
as well,, plus pulls a lil cleaner !!!
Again,,, Good Luck on it !!!:partyalone:

[colourshift]

Sorry I didn't get to this sooner Clem...
I have learned by experience on this very thing, with the very same materials used. Sometimes, you have to go heavier with whatever colour you're using to get the coverage needed....and it causes problems later. For those instances where you're going heavier than normal (and you know, don'tcha)...do both... both run a pass LIGHTLY with a spankin new blade along your taped edge....as soon as the paint is dry to the touch. No need to wait with AA to pull the tape, just go ahead and go for it. As long as it's dry to the touch (meaning, dry, but not fully cured) you can pull the masking. Letting it cure, or heatsetting to cure will only 'reinforce' the bridge formed from painted surface to mask...making your task more difficult.
Post mask/tape removal....and voila...we have a step. If we were to run our naked nimble fingers over it...we would most definately feel it...but we won't, cause it'll contaminate the paint surface. Clean gloves, sure. What to do now? you know for a fact you'll read this sucker when you clear it, if left as is. This is where finesse, transparent base, and a little fine (1000 or 1200...or so) sandpaper comes into play. Heat set that sucker, now that the masking of said headache area has been removed. Just a hairdryer should do it, no need for heatguns. let it cool down, and start building up a little transparent base, working dry....let's not hose it. What we're goin for is a buffer zone between the colour and when we sand...yeah, I know it's building up on the mountainous edge as well, that's ok. Using the sand paper DRY (I personally like 3M's wet/dry- I say dry...if you use it wet, you'll find yourself removing a hell of a lot more than what you intended)...alternate a light swipe or two of the sandpaper (using a soft sanding block would be handy under the sandpaper) with a light pass of a tack cloth, and perhaps a little more transparent base. (curing the transparent base with the hairdryer and letting it cool down is always a good practice)

Now, let me make one note...you could, with q-tips and a tiny bit of fantastic/water solution, wipe down that mountainous edge if you're very very careful. I go through a lotta q-tips (thank you Sam's club for bulk products)...
It'll take down SOME of the edge, but not all of it.

I found I got a cleaner edge with blue fine line tape, when doing heavier applications of paint....for that gas tank I just did...the Brite Blue of the flag would have never showed up well over that red, if I hadn't hit it with a little white sealer base first...but boy, did it build up the paint thickness. Had to do this very thing...

Best of luck Clem...don't give up man!!!

[Ladypainter]

Are you pulling the tape back over itself, using the tape itself to cut the paint?

If I pull tape AWAY from the paint edge, it will tear the paint rather than cut it - leaving an edge similar to what you describe.

[Clem]

When I paint the outer edges of the flames, I really paint more on the mask and let the over spray catch the flame edge. Maybe I am doing this wrong but I don't see another way to keep from the buildup on the edge and get the shading even on the flame edge.

I would say that I pull the tape either straight up or back over the paint a little. When I pull away from the paint, the tape it looks like it stretches and I didn't think that was any good.

Give up? It has been mentioned that on some things I don't know when to quit. Maybe this is one of them or maybe I need to be 2% smarter to pick it up, I don't know but I have the time and it keeps me entertained.

Thanks again for the responses from a great bunch of folks.

Clem

[colourshift]

We'll have to include this as a mini demo for the get together, I think...take pics, and post em here on the board....using different paints, materials, etc...so everyone has a point of reference...

[PinWerk]

wow i didn't see where anybody classified the different types of tapes.. you know when your in a project, well back up a little bit.. before you start a project be sure you get more than enough masking tape. i think i ended up with 8 rolls of tape maybe 10 and then 2-3 rolls of fine line tape and so forth.
well then when i ran out and had to use some that wasn't the same brand, i learned cheaper brands doesn't really pay off.. the adhesive sucks, it halfway sticks, then some maskin tapes aren't really for automotive or other types of paints. so thats also something to consider n research or learn by trail and error.. i ended up liking 3m brand. period thats it.. hehehe after learning from trail n error from here on out i li ke fresh FRESH 3m tapes. i always make sure the edges of the roll is clean cause some are caked in little particles, thats something to consider when ur spraying paint, those particles can come off from pressure of paint gun. Also i squeeze the roll to see if its soft or hard. i tend to get the softer n fresher stuff.. but thats me.. i just wanted to bring this up because this is also something to know when dealing with pulling masking tape. if its not fresh and its lost its adhesive from being in the store several years. after you pull that tape theres a butt load of paint under it.. it makes u think.