Masking across panel lines?

[NOBLNG]

I am painting some stripes on a Cobra and am wondering how you all deal with the hood/trunk/door lines. I am worried that the second colour will weep down the joint line. I didn’t think tucking the tape into the seam was a good idea. I have read about spraying a light coat of clear to seal the tape. I did a test with Tamiya tape both with and without a lacquer over coat. The crispness of the lines were similar so I don’t think I need to seal all the tape. I think I will just dab a bit of clear on each side of the tape unless someone has a better trick? Thanks.

[Miatatom]

Yeah, a coat or two of clear works.

[espo]

One thought would be to burnish the tape a little in the panel lines. I have used a wooden toothpick to do this, and it seemed to work for me. I would still use a dab of clear. 

[Bainford]

I use the aid of a little liquid mask. There are different ways to approach this, but most often I will apply the tape as shown in your photo, then use an exacto blade to slice the tape at the panel line to about 1/8" - 1/4" in from the paint edge. Burnish the tape well  into the panel line using the thinned edge of a toothpick, or similar. Then carefully apply a drop of liquid mask to burnished cut-line.

Edited March 14, 2022 by Bainford

[1972coronet]

I'd be more concerned with the emblem and licence plate light housing. Panel lines can be covered by your choice of "accents" (I use Tamiya Panel Line Accent , which comes in various colours and contrasts -- others use diluted black paint, etc.) after deepening the panel lines.

[NOBLNG]

  On 3/14/2022 at 7:28 PM, espo said:

One thought would be to burnish the tape a little in the panel lines. I have used a wooden toothpick to do this, and it seemed to work for me. I would still use a dab of clear. 

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I did put a tiny drop of clear where the tape crossed the gap.

  On 3/14/2022 at 7:45 PM, Bainford said:

I use the aid of a little liquid mask. There are different ways to approach this, but most often I will apply the tape as shown in your photo, then use an exacto blade to slice the tape at the panel line to about 1/8" - 1/4" in from the paint edge. Burnish the tape well  into the panel line using the thinned edge of a toothpick, or similar. Then carefully apply a drop of liquid mask to burnished cut-line.

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I thought about slitting the tape and filling the cut with liquid mask. I think that would work also.

  On 3/14/2022 at 7:48 PM, 1972coronet said:

I'd be more concerned with the emblem and licence plate light housing. Panel lines can be covered by your choice of "accents" (I use Tamiya Panel Line Accent , which comes in various colours and contrasts -- others use diluted black paint, etc.) after deepening the panel lines.

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I brushed a little clear around those points also. My first colour coat I just misted on, and gradually went heavier. I want to give it one or two more coats and we’ll see how it turns out.

Thanks, Greg.

[Plowboy]

Like David, I tuck the tape in slightly. 

[NOBLNG]

Well the dabs of clear worked!? I did get some very minor bleed under the tape in some spots. I think I can carefully sand those back down to the white layer before clearing it. There are some ridges where the tape edge was. Should I try sanding them down before clear? I’m thinking it might be best to put one coat of clear on and then knock them down level before more clear?

Edited March 14, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Belugawrx]

You should try to knock them down before clear...wet sand gently with 1000g, otherwise they will transfer through the clear

Looking good