Working with Parafilm

[Smart-Resins]

I just got my first order of parafilm. Trying to use it on my Tin Indian to mask it off so I can touch up my hood where the paint unfportunately peeeled away! I see trying to use it only on the side panels is not working very well. Am I not stretching it enough? However, its ripping in the bottom corners of the wheel wells? Has anyone done a tutorial on how to use parafilm, or describe to me the ins and outs of using it? I know I have read of several poeple swearing by it. Help PLEASE! Jody

[CAL]

I just got my first order of parafilm. Trying to use it on my Tin Indian to mask it off so I can touch up my hood where the paint unfportunately peeeled away! I see trying to use it only on the side panels is not working very well. Am I not stretching it enough? However, its ripping in the bottom corners of the wheel wells? Has anyone done a tutorial on how to use parafilm, or describe to me the ins and outs of using it? I know I have read of several poeple swearing by it. Help PLEASE! Jody

I could never get that stuff to work either.

[Terry Sumner]

I'm one of those guys that swears by Parafilm. Stretching it isn't hard...you just gotta get the hang of it. Simply cut off a piece about 3 or 4 inches long. Take off the backing paper. Hold each end between your thumb and first finger with that first finger contracted. In other words don't try to hold it by your fingertips. You want to be holding the edges with as much surface area of your fingers as possible. Then slowly start stretching it apart. Do not make any quick movements. The Parafilm is kind of thick and hard before stretching. But when you stretch it correctly it gets very thin. It's when it is very thin that it becomes the useful stuff that we need. A 3" piece will probably stretch to twice or three times it's unstretched length. Then I usually cut the ends off that I was holding and lay the thin part over whatever I want to mask off. The warmth of your hands helps to mash the stuff down tightly into small crevices. When I use it I use a brand new very sharp X-Acto blade to cut out areas of the Parafilm that I want paint to hit. If I get some time maybe I will record myself stretching it and post it on my Fotki page so you can watch it being done. Or maybe a Youtube video...

[Smart-Resins]

I'm one of those guys that swears by Parafilm. Stretching it isn't hard...you just gotta get the hang of it. Simply cut off a piece about 3 or 4 inches long. Take off the backing paper. Hold each end between your thumb and first finger with that first finger contracted. In other words don't try to hold it by your fingertips. You want to be holding the edges with as much surface area of your fingers as possible. Then slowly start stretching it apart. Do not make any quick movements. The Parafilm is kind of thick and hard before stretching. But when you stretch it correctly it gets very thin. It's when it is very thin that it becomes the useful stuff that we need. A 3" piece will probably stretch to twice or three times it's unstretched length. Then I usually cut the ends off that I was holding and lay the thin part over whatever I want to mask off. The warmth of your hands helps to mash the stuff down tightly into small crevices. When I use it I use a brand new very sharp X-Acto blade to cut out areas of the Parafilm that I want paint to hit. If I get some time maybe I will record myself stretching it and post it on my Fotki page so you can watch it being done. Or maybe a Youtube video...

That would be super useful! I oughta google youtube to see if there is anything? I am needing to get used to it so I can mask of this mustang to paint blue flames on it with a black back ground. I will not be doing a reversed paint job. I will be painting the black first this time, then masking aff and painting the flames, then the highlights. I am trying to figure out how to do this and hopefully maybe even have it conform to the hood scoop? Any help? Jody

[Guest Gramps-xrds]

Jody, I've used parafilm for yrs, but it's not the easiest stuff to work with. The biggest problem is getting it cut in the corners and sticking places where you can't get your finger into. I have had some success using balsa pieces to force it into tight places, but even that will tear it sometimes. It takes some pressure and body heat to make it stick well. As for using it to mask for flames, that might be another story. I've never tried it for that, but that's not to say it wouldn't work. I wish you luck. lol