[rumrumm]

Normally my painter improvises flames, but I designed specific flames for my car, and he used a pounce bag to transfer them to the body. After taping them off, he blew off the charcoal with air and then used a tack rag to remove all the rest of the residue. After shooting the candy color and removing the tape he found charcoal residue around the edges of the flames. So here is my question: What is the technique used to prevent this from happening? He would like to know what he did wrong.

[astroracer]

After he uses the pounce bag, pull the pattern and outline the flames with a china marker or soapstone. Do this on the outside of the pattern. Then clean off the dust with some prep-sol (carefully so as to not remove the outline) then tape inside the guideline.
I have found it is much easier to just use the china marker by cutting slits in the pattern every 3 or 4 inches and just marking through those onto the paint. Pull the pattern and connect the "dots". I use tape to do this but drawing the outline helps for visualization.
Mark

[willys36@aol.com]

I use light blue chalk in my pounce bag and don't seem to have that problem. Aren't you going to pinstripe the flames which would cover the contaminated edges?

[rumrumm]

Pinstriping will cover the problem so it will not have to be done over, thankfully. Thanks for the replies.

[Kevin45]

After taping them off, he blew off the charcoal with air and then used a tack rag to remove all the rest of the residue.

After cutting, taping etc, instead of an airhose and a tackrag he should have used something like Prepsol to clean it thoroughly. The tack rag is just to remove any airborne particles before painting. It doesn't sound like he prepped it right. All the airhose did is blow the stuff into the air just to land later.

[jimk]

He should have outlined it with a stabilo pencil.You don't have to worry about residue from a stabilo pencil as it is compatible with any type of paint.