[Bluepen]

I'm working on a '46 Chevy Panel truck and need to paint just the fire wall for now so I can finish mounting the engine/trans and brake parts. I read an article about painting a soft line so you don't get the hard tape edge but I can't find it again. I remember it saying something about folding the tape back on itself or something, I just can't remember. Does anyone know how to do this?? I'm not a painter and this is my first automotive paint job, I do woodworking and have spray finished alot of furniture with lacquer and poly's. I do quite well with that so I should do alright with the truck(I hope).
Thanks.

 

[TurboS10]

I believe what you are thinking of is attatching masking paper to the surface using tape in the direction toward the area to be painted. Then fold the paper back creating a rolle of paper where the desired line will be. This causes the paint particles to deflect and not leave a definate line. You could use the same technique from the other direction when the rest is painted. The trick I believe is using a blending agent to blend the lines together so a dry line does not show.

All this said, I have never done this, but have read about it. I have been too afraid that I could not get it blended properly.

If I were you I would just paint the whole cab at once. The way I did my S-10 was to paint the firewall, door jambs, and interior all in one session. I assembled the rest of the body and carfully masked all the painted areas in a fashion so that the mask lines would not show.

Chris

 

[collins motors co.]

I believe what you are talking about is backtaping. This is acomplished by using a body line or a bend in the painted panel as the cut off line.the procedure i use is sand prep and clean before any masking blow it off good also. Then mask off panel completly you want to paint staying about 1\2 inch from line you want to cut.Tack it off good then using 3\4 inch tape to edge of your tape thats 1\2 inch away leaving the 1\4 inch or so that is beyond your cut off line not stuck to anything, so that the stuck edge of the tape is directly on cut off edge. Now run your thumb over top of cutoff tape and you will see the natural line, gently fold unstuck tape back, paint it normaly and on your last coat tip gun so paint shoots under unstuck tape flap.pull cut off tape right away. take caution not apply to much paint on last coat when spraying under tape flap.

 

[spankyway]

I always use 2 inch tape and roll it into a tube and stick it to the panel where you want the soft edge. I only work tape about twelve inches long max. There is also a tape on the market for this, it is called D.A.R.T. it is a foam tape in a tube shape and is very pliable and easy to work with, but it is costly.