Paint over BMF

[landman]

I know the answer is in here somewhere but I can't find it. the car I am working on has ribbed running boards with the ribs being shiny metal. I want to avoid BMF'ing eavh rib so I BMF's the whole board and painted it. What do I use to rub the paint off the top of the ribs?

[gtx6970]

Toothpick dipped in thinner to just rub it of very lightly and slowly..

Patience is key here

[landman]

Toothpick dipped in thinner to just rub it of very lightly and slowly..

Patience is key here

Thanks Bill. Looks like it will be just about as tedious as BMF'ing each rib.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks Bill. Looks like it will be just about as tedious as BMF'ing each rib.

For a larger job like that, you could use a Q-tip or even a rag stretched over your finger tip & dampened with thinner. As long as your "ribs" are deep enough where you don't need to be as precise as with something fine like a script.

Steve

[Kit Basher]

I use "artist's blending stumps", available at art and craft stores. They are basically sticks made out of rolled paper, so they are more absorbent than toothpicks, and hold more thinner. They can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener, and sanded to custom shapes. I suspect you could use the side of one to clean all your ribs at once, without having to worry about removing paint in the spaces between ribs. They're also good for burnishing BMF, and painting raised details, like scripts on valve covers.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Kit Basher

[landman]

After three tries, here's the result. I ended up painting "between" the ribs and wiping the top with an alcohol dampened q-tip.It''l have to do.

[fseva]

After three tries, here's the result. I ended up painting "between" the ribs and wiping the top with an alcohol dampened q-tip.It''l have to do.

I wish I had known about your plight earlier - in instances such as this, I have used a black transparent "wash" - it's thin enough so that it seeks the lowest part of the object, and then rarely leaves any behind on the tops, but after it's dry, you can go over it with a dampened finger or q-tip and just hits the tops again if you see some wash has been left behind. The wash I use is Iwata Com-Art Transparent Smoke.

[Mike_G]

I use "artist's blending stumps", available at art and craft stores. They are basically sticks made out of rolled paper, so they are more absorbent than toothpicks, and hold more thinner. They can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener, and sanded to custom shapes. I suspect you could use the side of one to clean all your ribs at once, without having to worry about removing paint in the spaces between ribs. They're also good for burnishing BMF, and painting raised details, like scripts on valve covers.

I've been using "Tech Swabs" for those kinds of duties owing to their having harder heads and more rigid wooden sticks than Q-tips, but your idea sounds great, I'll have to give them a try.