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how u guys get that nice Curve on the cheeks...mind kinda just wun get as sweet as u guys...any tips?!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ts/helmeyy.jpg
I also am living in Singapore..any one of u can like get a set of visors suitable to ship over to me? Most online shops dun do overseas outta US.....do leave me a price including shipping....if its ok with me i'll let u noe..
thnks
You just have to carefully tape it. You can also cut out pieces of tape to fit it better.
Don't use regular painter's tape. Go to a place that sells automotive painting supllies and get a vinyl based tape that can curve to accomodate edges.
Oh, now I didn't know about that trick. Does it pull the paint off at all?
No, it's designed for automotive painting and doing the nice curves. It's basically the same as painter's tape only with more of an electrical tape kind of stretchiness.
Always ready to help you Mirax. ;)
Oh man, that is awesome. I defintely need to get some as I am yet again painting my darn helmet as it keeps getting screwed up!
I usually cut out a template and then cut wide tape to that shape. It's worked just fine with blue masking tape.
I prefer to use 1/8" automotive pinstripe to make my initial masking on the cheeks. It stretches and bends easily and peels away without taking off any paint.
You can also buy 1/8" and 1/4" fine line masking tape in the auto parts store that is desinged to tape curved edges like that. Use the fine line tape to do the curved edges and then use regular masking tape to do the rest, no need to cut and fus with regular masking tape.Quote:
Mirax H wrote:
Oh, now I didn't know about that trick. Does it pull the paint off at all?
That is what car air brush painters use to make those nice flamed paint jobs on cars.
I have been using it for years.
Lynn
Personally, I come from the school of liquid masking and blue tape. I am horrible at doing curves with tape, but I'm handy with a brush. My cheeks came out beautifully, but as the trim caprenters always say, "Swear to God we tried our best, but paint and caulk can hide the rest", you can always hide bad curves with good weathering.
very insightful!! I'll try them!! Now to my repaint!
Just keep in mind that paint takes a few days to cure. It'll be dry to the touch in an hour, but it won't have hardened very much until a few days have passed. This is usually the reason behind paint sticking to the tape. If you're really crunched for time, 3M makes a tape called "Safe Release" that is really low tack. It's white (not the blue stuff that they make for normal paint masking), and costs about twice as much as regular masking tape. It's also kind of tricky to use, as the low tack means it tends to peel up when you try applying it to a curved piece. But, sometimes, when you're up against a deadline, it comes in handy. You're still better off letting the paint cure a few days, then using the vinyl stuff talked about earlier to get a hard line, and then covering the rest with regular or blue masking tape.
indeed valuable to know...thnkx!
You can always lesson the tack of any tape by putting in clothes or carpet and then taking it off and putting it back on. Just becareful you don't get too many "fuzzies" at the edge you are spraying against or they will show up.Quote:
Bexley wrote:
Just keep in mind that paint takes a few days to cure. It'll be dry to the touch in an hour, but it won't have hardened very much until a few days have passed. This is usually the reason behind paint sticking to the tape. If you're really crunched for time, 3M makes a tape called "Safe Release" that is really low tack. It's white (not the blue stuff that they make for normal paint masking), and costs about twice as much as regular masking tape. It's also kind of tricky to use, as the low tack means it tends to peel up when you try applying it to a curved piece. But, sometimes, when you're up against a deadline, it comes in handy. You're still better off letting the paint cure a few days, then using the vinyl stuff talked about earlier to get a hard line, and then covering the rest with regular or blue masking tape.
If it's not too late to put my 2 cents in 'n try 'n help, I've always preferred hobby store supplies.
Tamiya makes quite a few widths of masking tape that are pretty much totally safe against peeling - unless ur paint is still sticky! Bendable depending on width. Hobby stores have other bendable tapes too - but I have a feeling the auto stuff will be cheaper.
On an aside, I've also found Tamiya has the best standard filler (over Squadron that is) as well as a fine white primer that's perfect for helmets - again a little more $ than HD etc but IMO well worth it! Oh yeah, R/C latex liquid mask I find is the best too...
-Rod
Wow, lots of great little tips here! And as stated, weathering is a great way to hide screwups ;)
Hey Mirax, how does your helmet keep getting screwed up?
Well it is good now but when I was painting, I had some silver undercoat and the blue kept peeling off of it. So I had to sand my entire bucket down and start from the beginning. It's all good now :D
Good to hear. Are you uploading new pics to your site soon? :)
Cut the masking tape in a thin strip so you can stretch it around the curve. A big thick piece of tape wont arc.
I hear you Mirax,ANY silver is hard to bond to other paints,I've found,and I've yet to find a non-automotive,that wil clearcoat without 'orange peeling'.
We had terrible problemz "losing the blue" over silver,or chrome.
I have to fine-sand all silvers to get a really good result for multi-layering.Even the "bloody evil,and useless" rub'n'buff sits really well on fine-sanded polychrome,'til of course,you rub up against anything.(lol).
And,yes........the 'flexi-mask' vinyl tape is dynamite for cheeks on lids.
We use latex for masking battle damage,but the spray-shop vinyl tape is the bizzo for curves,no doubt..........