How to avoid tape line when painting?

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Jan 20, 2011 | 07:12 AM

bayer-z28

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From: N. Falmouth MA

How to avoid tape line when painting?

I was just wondering. I painted the scoop on my hood a while ago and it looks good from a distance, but when you get closer, you see the tape line. How do you paint something like that and avoid the tape line? I've seen something called back-taping, or where it's peeled back, but I don't see how this will eliminate the tape line. And can my hood be fixed, or should I just have it repainted?

Jan 20, 2011 | 07:14 AM

Ape Man

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From: Grand Valley

if your clearing over it, tape and paint normally, then clear over entire surface and itll be smooottthhh

Jan 20, 2011 | 11:46 AM

Gipraw

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From: Cypress, Tx

Back taping is your answer. It works because in stead of being a solid, raised edge, it is a tapered edge, so it results in much less build up.

Clearing the entire surface will get rid of being able to feel the line.

Jan 20, 2011 | 12:40 PM

PontiacFan

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Wet-Sand & Clearcoat may be a better method
Back-taping on something like that may not be the easiest route.
Especially for a rookie. An experienced layout artist/painter maybe, ...

Jan 22, 2011 | 09:32 PM

bayer-z28

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From: N. Falmouth MA

^ I forgot about this thread but thanks for the help. I originally laid the pattern out with 1/4" pin stripe tape and taped back from there. It's not bad. You really gotta look to find the flaw and one side isn't identical. I was thinking of laying a pattern out on one side, the trace over it with paper, cut it out and draw it on the hood with a crayon or something. (Forgot what the damn pen was called.... Not soapstone)

I'm wondering if I can just fix it with wetsending and clear instead of repainting, then wetsand and clearing it again. I could prolly do the back taping, but with an arch, it may take a couple tries to not have any hard bends, creases or angles. You're just basically letting the over spray get into the back taped area, right? Not sprayed directly in/on there, I would think.

I'll post a pic tmrw..

Last edited by bayer-z28; Jan 22, 2011 at 09:43 PM.

Jan 22, 2011 | 10:14 PM

Lotus289

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So wait... you painted the scoop on your hood. How? Did you paint right over the factory clear and just leave it alone? That's what it sounds like. And yes, if you did it that way you'll have a very high tape line. It should be cleared. Scuff the whole hood down with a scotch bright pad until it's 100% dulled out. Then just re-clear everything. It may take 4-5 coats to blend the color on the scoop, but it'll level itself off.

Jan 23, 2011 | 07:59 AM

bayer-z28

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From: N. Falmouth MA

^ I brought the scoop down to the primer. And apparently fiberglass can be picky to paint. Someone told me to watch out how you do it or you can actually sand the contaminants into the fiberglass and it's a pain to get out. When you go to paint it, it'll be a pain to get it right and will keep having defects. Fisheyes, orange peel... etc etc.

And so shoot me if I did it wrong. I've painted before, just not automobiles. These are much more picky. Was a drunk project from a couple years ago. Gotta try and fail before you know what not to do. I'll prolly just have it redone.

I grabbed a couple of pics last night. Car is in a small garage with bad lighting.