Ye Olde Rocket Forum - Paint masking

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I screwed up again.

About a month ago I masked off the fin tubes on my Super NeonXL. Shot the main BT and fins lightly (fluorescent orange). Repeated a week later. And repeated a week later (final coat). Last night I removed the masks and found strings of masking tape adhesive stuck to the fin tubes. A few pulled off, but every fin tube has an obvious ridge of adhesive showing where the edges of the masking tape was located. Alcohol doesn't touch it. Sandpaper (320) takes off some primer, but not the adhesive. I'm assuming that I left the tape on too long. I haven't seen this problem before. Haven't found this in forum searches.

Thanks for all your past and future help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemech

Mike,
What type of tape, and what type of paint? Mineral spirits should take the adhesive off, and be gentle on the paint. The quality of the adhesive on "standard white" paper masking tape has gone downhill the last 10 years or so. It really is not suitable for solvent reduced paint anymore. I stick to automotive masking products, namely 3M (green and fineline) and K-Tape from Kustom Shop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FondyFlyer

Regular 3M masking tape. It was holding down paper masks. The paint (Krylon) never touched tape edges. I'll try the mineral spirits. Thanks.

Yep, you always want to "untape" as soon as possible, to avoid these very issues.

Some paints are advertised or state that they can be left on for relatively long periods of time, but basically the sooner you can get that tape off there, the better, regardless of what kind of tape it is...

Good luck! OL JR :)

Doesn't sound like anything you can't fix but JR is correct, as soon as we have the last coat on, we get our maskings off asap. I might wait 4-5 minutes. Nothing gained by waiting.

Randy
www.vernarockets.com
https://www.facebook.com/RocketBabeDustStorm

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke strawwalker

Yep, you always want to "untape" as soon as possible, to avoid these very issues.
Some paints are advertised or state that they can be left on for relatively long periods of time, but basically the sooner you can get that tape off there, the better, regardless of what kind of tape it is... Good luck! OL JR :)

Ditto!

Personally, for tape residue of almost any kind I use naptha-based lighter fluid. It will usually leave fully dry solvent-based paints relatively untouched as long as you don't wipe too hard or for very long.

I use the Tamiya brand masking tape you can find in a hobby shop. It is pricey, but it works very very well. I think you can find the same stuff for less at an automotive body supply store, kind of like what FondyFlier suggested. But I know the Tamiya stuff is the cat's pajamas.

-Wolf

Well, I can't comment on the fashion sense of Wolf's cat, but I get great results with the good ol' blue Scotch masking tape. And I do get it off in a hurry. I didn't once and learned that lesson.

Hobby Lobby carries the Tamiya masking tape and their putty for plastic. The 40% coupon does help. I had stocked up on the tape a while back from Hobbylinc. Used the putty on the Estes Nike Smoke nose cone seam. Took some dedicated wet sanding to clean off.
I have used the Tamiya tape to establish the paint line and burnish it down. Then use the light tack 3M tape over it to hold any masks. Then, as mentioned, remove it as soon as practical.

And I still muck up a line or two....One of our cats, Morris, hogs the chair when I am trying to work. Cat fur is another painting hazard.

Chas