Another Reason.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I was reminded "again" today of why I need to stop using regular masking tape, and/or Testors clear.

I sprayed all of the black chassis & engine parts of my '69 Coronet with Duplicolor black primer, just because I like the nice smooth finish it gives, plus I can spray all of the parts with one color & then either leave them flat or clear coat them for glossy parts.

So, I sprayed the shiny parts with a couple of coats of Testors clear lacquer over the primer.

I decided to use some Alclad on some of the metal parts for a little more realism, so I needed to do some masking.

I used some BMF, Tamiya tape & blue painters tape for the job.

Well, you can guess what happened.

every place I used foil or Tamiya tape I had no issues.

The painters tape, on the other hand, pulled patches of clear off all over the place.

I really don't know why I torture myself with this garbage!

Probably because it's cheap.

Well, no more!

I've had my fill of the regular masking tape.

From now on it's Tamiya tape, especially in critical circumstances.

As for the Testors clear?

I really don't know how much of the blame it shares in this instance, but I've had enough problems with it to warrant ditching it as well.

 

Steve

 

[MrObsessive]

I hear ya Steve! I was trying to patch up some tiny areas on the roof of my Shelby build, and I tried to use masking tape to cover over an area that I had already puttied. Either I didn't mix the putty for that area correctly, or there was some grease on that spot, but the masking tape pulled the putty clean off the plastic!

I've since fixed it, but that'll be the last time I use that! Tamiya's tape worked fine over the other puttied areas, and no drama so far.

I've got a looooong way to go on bodywork with all that I want to do, and I'd like as little drama as possible!

[Mike_G]

I had a weird reaction with blue tape and Duplicolor clear, it didn't lift it, it made the surface all puckery- I think it's a chemical reaction with the adhesive

[StevenGuthmiller]

I don't know, but I was watching very carefully under magnification while I removed the blue tape, Tamiya tape & foil.

The Tamiya tape, while adhering very well, has no real "pull" when removing it.

I could see while removing the painters tape, much longer & tougher "strings" of adhesive as I slowly pulled on the tape.

The Tamiya tape had almost none of that.

The painters tape was also much more prone to leaving little "balls" of adhesive behind.

The foil will of course leave a little adhesive behind as well, but as long as it's not burnished too heavily, there is not a lot of "pull" when removing that either.

Regular masking tape sticks even harder than the blue tape, which is why it never touches paint on any of my projects & hasn't for years.

I thought that I could trust the painters tape to not give me these sort of problems, but I've come to the conclusion that it can't be trusted either.

 

I had a weird reaction with blue tape and Duplicolor clear, it didn't lift it, it made the surface all puckery- I think it's a chemical reaction with the adhesive

I've had the same type of situation happen to me mike.

I had a bit of an issue in a couple of spots on my current project, but just chalked it up to the paint not being completely cured.

I just don't think this stuff is worth the risk anymore given the issues that I've experienced, especially given the fact that there are other options.

I will use all garden variety masking tapes sparingly & with extreme caution in the future.

 

Steve

[Xingu]

I have used blue painters tape to cover large openings, but I put Tamiya tape at the edges first so the blue tape only touches the Tamiya. Painters tape is a lot cheaper than the Tamiya so I figured to save a few pennies. Has worked well so far.

[Snake45]

Sorry to hear of your problems, fellas. I've been having good luck with regular old cheap masking tape from Walmart. I think it might be Duck brand. But then I'm not using the same paints you're using, either. I hope you find something that works for you because I know it's maddening when problems of this type come up.

[Mike_G]

I'm only using Tamiya and (rarely) 3M fine-line tapes these days

If I have to mask a large area I use paper and just tape the edges

[Ace-Garageguy]

Blue "painter's tape" is generally manufactured and specified for use with latex and other wall and house type paints.

The paper and adhesive used are NOT resistant to the solvents in either automotive or model-car lacquers and enamels. The Chinese-made blue carp is even worse.

Blue tape is specified for "low tack" applications where a more aggressive and chemically-resistant masking medium has the potential to pull up the outer layer of paper that's the usual finish on drywall.

It's fine to use blue tape to cover large areas to protect from light mist overspray, but never in contact with the surface of a model itself when the tape will be coated with paint.

There's a real good reason that body-shop masking tape is considerably more expensive. It works, and resists the solvents in lacquers and enamels. The paper it's made from is coated to inhibit solvents from soaking through and making the adhesive gummy or sticking it to the work permanently, too.

[Jon Haigwood]

I have been using 3M Fine Line Tape I bought at an auto paint supply stores a few years back. Sees to do OK

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-17961/3M-Masking-Tape/3M-218-Fine-Line-Masking-Tape-1-4-x-60-yds?pricode=WY475&gadtype=pla&id=S-17961&gclid=CMCvhOaoqc8CFc9ffgodUZ4CNA&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Ace-Garageguy]

I have been using 3M Fine Line Tape I bought at an auto paint supply stores a few years back. Sees to do OK

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-17961/3M-Masking-Tape/3M-218-Fine-Line-Masking-Tape-1-4-x-60-yds?pricode=WY475&gadtype=pla&id=S-17961&gclid=CMCvhOaoqc8CFc9ffgodUZ4CNA&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yup. It's a stretchable polypropylene tape that follows curves well. It's widely used in the automotive custom-painting biz for laying out flames, etc. specifically because it resists all common paint solvents, releases clean, and leaves a razor-sharp line.

It comes in 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 inch widths and it's great stuff.

NOTE: It is generally not flexible enough to do intricate flame jobs on a model.

3M green masking tape in widths from 1/8 up to several inches is a paper tape that is also very solvent resistant, but it doesn't make the sharp line that "fine line" will. I use it exclusively for masking NEXT TO the fine line product, and treated paper beyond that. No problems.

[StevenGuthmiller]

It's fine to use blue tape to cover large areas to protect from light mist overspray, but never in contact with the surface of a model itself when the tape will be coated with paint.

 

In this situation, the tape had almost zero paint over the top of it.

I was only spraying a small amount of Alclad.

So the large area in the photo where the clear coat is missing had absolutely no paint on it.

Yet it still pulled it off.

The situation that Mike reminded me of also had very little paint over the top of it.

I used it across the trunk lid when painting the blacked out area around the tail lights.

It left impressions in the trunk lid.

Very minor stuff that was easily polished out, but it had nothing to do with wet paint over the tape.

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

I'm only using Tamiya and (rarely) 3M fine-line tapes these days

If I have to mask a large area I use paper and just tape the edges

I pretty much do exactly the same thing, but occasionally I have a momentary lapse of reason!

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

In this situation, the tape had almost zero paint over the top of it...

... but it had nothing to do with wet paint over the tape.

Hmmm. That's especially good to know. 

Very interesting that BMF wouldn't pull paint up, but blue tape would. 

I'll have to avoid blue tape entitely.

Thanks for the heads-up on this.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Hmmm. That's especially good to know. 

Very interesting that BMF wouldn't pull paint up, but blue tape would. 

I'll have to avoid blue tape entitely.

Thanks for the heads-up on this.

I would, at the very least, keep it in the back of my mind.

 

Steve

[vintagedragcrazy]

I've had good luck with the lime green 3m masking tape I get mine at advanced auto and not real expensive.

vince

[signguy2108]

 3M also makes a bright yellow tape for use with waterbourne paints, it's like the green at about half the price. My 3M jobber carries it, but does'nt keep it on the shelf out frt., I have to ask for it. I bought 2 rolls of 2" this morning @‌ 5.99, the green 2" is about 13 bucks here now! Our W/Mart carries the green 3M in 3/4".

[935k3]

Can I ask what clear coat it was exactly? It looks like Glosscote the way it pulled up. Tamiya's clear(TS-13) and Testors wet look have better chemical adhesion. Glosscote just lays on top as a separate layer. I truly think Glosscote is a shellac not lacquer.

Edited September 26, 2016 by 935k3

[slusher]

I use Tamiya tape on everything no matter the size of the space. I have use paper masking tape and to kill some of the adhesive stick your tape pieces on your Jean or t-shirt and it will not pull pull off paint.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Can I ask what clear coat it was exactly? It looks like Glosscote the way it pulled up. Tamiya's clear(TS-13) and Testors wet look have better chemical adhesion. Glosscote just lays on top as a separate layer. I truly think Glosscote is a shellac not lacquer.

The clear I used was Testors #1261 Glosscote.

It's virtually the same thing as Testors "Wet Look Clear".

Neither are really lacquers, but labeled as such.

If I were to do it over, I would use Duplicolor clear lacquer.

I doubt I would have had any issues with it.

 

Steve

[D. Battista]

I have'nt used Tamiya tape, But I have been using 3M automotive masking tape for years now after having issues with other masking materials.

I buy the 2" tape. I put a piece on my cutting mat and cut it to the width I need with a sharp #11 exacto blade and a metal straight edge....I also use it for cutting masking for flames etc. always with good results.

[Snake45]

I buy the 2" tape. I put a piece on my cutting mat and cut it to the width I need with a sharp #11 exacto blade and a metal straight edge....I also use it for cutting masking for flames etc. always with good results.

I do the same thing (but not necessarily with 2"). For masking any kind of straight, clean edge, I ALWAYS lay the tape down and cut a new edge with metal straightedge and razor or Xacto. The "factory" edge on masking tape is always ragged, and usually linty as well.

I usually cut the tape into about 1/8" more or less strips, use those to mask the actual edge, and then fill in larger areas with tape ripped right off the roll. It's been working well for me.

[Tom Geiger]

I have'nt used Tamiya tape, But I have been using 3M automotive masking tape for years now after having issues with other masking materials.

I buy the 2" tape. I put a piece on my cutting mat and cut it to the width I need with a sharp #11 exacto blade and a metal straight edge....I also use it for cutting masking for flames etc. always with good results.

I use Tamiya tape for the edge and use cheaper tape past that.

One thing about you cutting a straight sharp edge...  in 1:1 auto body shops, a roll of tape that's hit the ground is garbage. The edge has gotten dented and it's picked up floor dirt.  Same with model car tapes.  Mine never sits on the bench.  I keep them on hooks over the bench to keep them straight and clean.

[thatz4u]

I just "2 toned" my 50 Oldsmobile, & used my old standby..Silly Putty for masking...no problems

[Dragline]

I know this one. I pulled the decals and clear coat off my Rambunctious funny car. It sits in the box a shameful mess and lesson.