[Biggin]

after i lay down the base coat do i need to ultra fine sand the panel before i layout the flames?

[mrcleanr6]

no, you dont need to sand the base before laying out flames. base isn't like clear or primer, you can lay one layer over the next without sanding. if the base has sat for a long time, maybe 3-4 days or more than you might want to mask for the flames then run a scotchbrite over the taped off area but thats it. best thing to do is base out the whole panel, let sit for an hour or two then mask and spray flames.

[duallybuster]

If your doing a high dollar jobber, you might want to think about interclear then the flames.

[baddbob]

If I do a complete repaint that's going to have flames I'll usually start by applying the borderstripe if it's going to have one, then mask that off and paint the inside of the flame area letting the overspray go out past the border then mask the flames off completely, then shoot the main color on the car, then shadow the flames while they are masked then unmask the whole thing and apply the clear. This way saves a lot of masking and ends up being a cleaner job. If I had the talent to brush the border in then I'd probably do it the traditional way. I agree on the intercoat clear, sure makes it a lot easier to keep clean between steps.

[Biggin]

the flames i'm painting are solid red and with yellow tips no border line.you guys answered my first question.Now my second question is will it hurt if i sand with 1000 girt after painting the base just to get out the little pieces of dirt or whatever may be in the paint.Should i spray a white paint base after i mask off flames so the red covers easy or just shoot the red? I'm using a ppg 1999 ford red and a medium yellow for the tips?

[mrcleanr6]

if you need to sand out any little specs it is ok and wont really matter since its a solid color. normal procedure would be to sand out the dust nibs then spray another coat or two. the is absolutely necessary with a metallic or pearl but not solids. as for the white, it will really matter what the base color is. some reds barely cover at all so if i am doing anything red i make sure it goes over a very light or white solid base.

[outlaw17]

I could not see if you posted what the base color of the car is going to be , if it is a dark color ,then painting a white base under the red would not be good because once you pull your tape there will be a very fine white line around the edge of your flame , basically the mil. thickness of the white.

[theHIGHLANDER]

One other thing about intercoat clears...if you lay a light coat on before you start (even before the white) it helps seal off minor "leaks" that can occur from taping. The cleanup of the flames before the clear coat is easier that way.