Panel Gap Spacing

[LennyB]

Does anyone have a specific method to measure panel gaps before painting to ensure enough space after paint. Like a certain size feeler gauge or a sheet of 24lb paper.

I recently sprayed a body and after the paint and clear coat were applied (2K) the hood was too tight. Not a big issue as I simply had to redo the hood after sanding the perimeter a bit, but I'd rather avoid the extra work. I know this will vary depending on the type of paint you apply but just looking for some general ideas.

[johnyrotten]

I don't really build to 100% perfection or scale, but just if it looks correct to my eye. A .188 (3 1/16) inch panel gap would be .00752. At 1/25 scale. If the calculator was correct. 

[LennyB]

1 hour ago, johnyrotten said:

I don't really build to 100% perfection or scale, but just if it looks correct to my eye. A .188 (3 1/16) inch panel gap would be .00752. At 1/25 scale. If the calculator was correct. 

John, thanks for your reply. But I'm not looking to get true to scale gaps. I'm just looking to keep my gaps large enough so that after I apply the paint and clear I can still close the hood.

 

I painted a body this afternoon and I gapped the hood with a piece of 60lb paper. I'll see for myself how that woks out after the clear.

[johnyrotten]

No problem,  nothing worse than putting in work for a nice paint job and having in issue arise. I'm not really familiar with paper weights/ their grading system,  I'm a welder/fabricator.

Edited November 9, 2024 by johnyrotten
Spelling

[Ace-Garageguy]

Hmmmmmmm...

As you already mentioned, it's going to be different depending on things like how many coats of primer and paint you apply, whether you're using 2K clear or lacquer, etc.

Somebody can tell you .010" and if that's too tight you're screwed, and somebody else can tell you .030" and if that's too loose you're screwed too...but worse.

Best thing to do is experiment, writing down exactly what you do each time, and adjust as necessary for your technique and materials.

And...this is one of the reasons the only 2K product I use on models is urethane primer-surfacer over extensive bodywork.

I think 2K clear for real cars builds too much film thickness (and in my opinion usually gives a model a dipped-in-syrup look), and if there's a thinner product for models, I have zero experience with it.

 

Edited November 10, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[StevenGuthmiller]

4 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Hmmmmmmm...

As you already mentioned, it's going to be different depending on things like how many coats of primer and paint you apply, whether you're using 2K clear or lacquer, etc.

Somebody can tell you .010" and if that's too tight you're screwed, and somebody else can tell you .030" and if that's too loose you're screwed too...but worse.

Best thing to do is experiment, writing down exactly what you do each time, and adjust as necessary for your technique and materials.

And...this is one of the reasons the only 2K product I use on models is urethane primer-surfacer over extensive bodywork.

I think 2K clear for real cars builds too much film thickness (and in my opinion usually gives a model a dipped-in-syrup look), and if there's a thinner product for models, I have zero experience with it.

 

I have to agree.

It’s all about the paint.

There’s no possible way to offer any sort of definitive spacing without knowing exactly what paint you’re using and how much.

This is another good reason to settle upon a definitive set of materials and procedures and stick with it for all projects.

jumping back and forth between materials used, and how they’re used is all but guaranteed to produce discrepancies in panel fitment.

Once you have settled upon a painting regimen that’s completely consistent time after time, it kind of just happens by sight and feel.

You get a pretty accurate feel for how much space you need to allow for paint, because you’re applying almost identical volumes of paint on every project.

 

 

 

Steve

[johnyrotten]

11 hours ago, LennyB said:

John, thanks for your reply. But I'm not looking to get true to scale gaps. I'm just looking to keep my gaps large enough so that after I apply the paint and clear I can still close the hood.

 

I painted a body this afternoon and I gapped the hood with a piece of 60lb paper. I'll see for myself how that woks out after the clear.

I'm curious how this worked out for you, I'm always learning and taking what I know from full scale builds and shrinking it down isn't always the best option at this scale. Both Steve and Bill are leagues more knowledgeable than I, and that boils down to experience. 

[Mike 1017]

You can try liquid mask. I use this quite a bit

Mike

[MeatMan]

10 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I have to agree.

It’s all about the paint.

There’s no possible way to offer any sort of definitive spacing without knowing exactly what paint you’re using and how much.

This is another good reason to settle upon a definitive set of materials and procedures and stick with it for all projects.

jumping back and forth between materials used, and how they’re used is all but guaranteed to produce discrepancies in panel fitment.

Once you have settled upon a painting regimen that’s completely consistent time after time, it kind of just happens by sight and feel.

You get a pretty accurate feel for how much space you need to allow for paint, because you’re applying almost identical volumes of paint on every project.

 

 

 

Steve

I've heard this before and agree to an extent, but I've found that you can't find some colors in lacquer that come in acrylic and vice versa.
How do you deal with that?

[StevenGuthmiller]

3 hours ago, MeatMan said:

I've heard this before and agree to an extent, but I've found that you can't find some colors in lacquer that come in acrylic and vice versa.
How do you deal with that?

You can get virtually any color that exists in lacquer if you’re not limited to spray cans.

If you combine the color pallet available from MCW, Scale Finishes, and a number of other aftermarket paint providers, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be able to find any color that you can think of in lacquer.

I would imagine that there are hundreds, if not thousands of choices.

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

[LennyB]

John, I was really not expecting any exact answers because as I said from the start there are variables between the type of paint, number of layers, etc.. In fact I didn't really know what to expect for answers and in that respect the board always surprises me.  So I put the question out there just to find out. For instance Mike 1017 how does the liquid mask factor into this? I'm curious. Although that might work on my Fairlane trim.?

But since I just jumped back into modeling earlier this year I thought maybe someone would have some insight as to how they determined if the gap was large enough. But fiddling with ideas is what we do. Now maybe using a piece of paper to measure a gap might seem odd but what it did show me is that my gap was not even. Not that you would notice the difference by eye, I now know I have an even gap FWIW. The 60lb paper measures out at .010" BTW.

Now after four coats of paint, Scale Finishes basecoat, I can still slip the piece of paper between the gap, albeit snug. So the basecoat takes up very little space. I won't know where we stand on the clear as I probably won't do that until next weekend, but I will keep you posted. And Bill, that is very true about 2K clear, it's very easy to put it on too thick. But I've had thickness issues with Testors Extreme Lacquer clear sprayed right from the can. That's one of the reasons I switched to the 2K. But your never going to find out until you try I guess.

[johnyrotten]

Thanks for the tip, didn't even think of using paper as a "feeler" Guage. I've got to get what's left of my brain to get out of "metalworking " mode. Lol. I can see how the stacking up will quickly get you into a bind. I'll keep this in mind as I'm close to painting my current project. I believe a misunderstood the nature of your question, and ultimately ended up learning another tip/trick in the process, so thank you again.

[deuces wild]

This might be an off the wall question, but did you slip in the firewall and radiator core support in place yet???... It might be enough to spead the front fenders apart so you can drop the hood down for a look see...??

Edited November 14, 2024 by deuces wild

[Muncie]

I may go at this a little backward...  it's kind of the crudest level of eyeball engineering. I try to leave a gap before paint that is bigger than I will need.  Then fill with paint.  Usually easier for me to add paint than to take it away. 

I probably start with a gap that is a about one thickness of manila file folder (depending on the paint) for each coat of paint plus a bit more than that for the final space between parts.  One file folder for primer on the body, one for primer on the part, one for color on the body, one for color on the body - same for clear (I don't use 2K). Plus allow for the final gap between painted parts.  Add a bit to the unpainted gap for any base coats, candy base, etc.  I don't really measure it, it's just eyeball, I'm not leaving huge gaps because I try to get the job done with paint that doesn't need heavy coats and spray it thin - just thick enough to get good coverage so I don't bury crisp lines or obscure detail.