Liquid spray mask

Toolin

Toolin

Promoted Users
My plan is this. After a final round of epoxy on the entire undercarriage and engine bay. Let it cure a week or so and then apply liquid mask. I picked up a gallon of 3M brand to test and start out.

Will it protect from a direct spray pass of the gun. If so are multiple coats of spray mask required.
I read on some posts that members suggest using 18 in of paper around the edges for overspray. Is that needed or will just a narrow taping be sufficient.
Will tape adhere to it?

I imagine there will be a lot of overspray when applying spray mask. Can it be easily fully removed with water from surfaces to be painted.
Any recommendations regarding brand, pros and cons if any? Where to source the product?
 
Toolin said:
My plan is this. After a final round of epoxy on the entire undercarriage and engine bay. Let it cure a week or so and then apply liquid mask. I picked up a gallon of 3M brand to test and start out.

Will it protect from a direct spray pass of the gun. If so are multiple coats of spray mask required.
I read on some posts that members suggest using 18 in of paper around the edges for overspray. Is that needed or will just a narrow taping be sufficient.
Will tape adhere to it?

I imagine there will be a lot of overspray when applying spray mask. Can it be easily fully removed with water from surfaces to be painted.
Any recommendations regarding brand, pros and cons if any? Where to source the product?
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If you can find a TDS for the product you are using that will give you the most concrete answers. It was never really used much at any of the shops I worked at. All we ever used it for was covering the booth walls. IIRC it would take 2 coats to ensure coverage. No you can't tape it, at least that's what I recall. Maybe some products you can IDK.
What are you planning to mask with it? Engine bay and undercarriage? Personally I would use paper for the edges, and plastic mask for the majority if you are going to mask the underside and engine bay.
 
Used 3M spray mask for years instead of plastic. Still use it for certain cars and certain areas. Highly detailed engine, underhood, polished wheels and custom cars keep overspray off. Use a 2.0 or larger tip at least 50% overlap. Let it dry an hour or so, then tape 6" paper or 2" tape will stick, next to paint edge getting sprayed. I have not left spray mask on more than a few days, but haven't had a problem. Always cleaned up relatively easily. Never had to scrub or wiped. Just sprayed it to wet it down, then rinsed thoroughly.
 
Thanks Texasking,
Considering it will take quite some time for me to prime, fill, do poly primer, 2k, seal and shoot SS the entire time I have the epoxy covered in spray mask I am thinking of going a different route. That being doing all the aforementioned first. Then applying spray mask followed by 3 or 4 days in the sun to cure. All six loose panels will be in SS Motocryl as of tomorrow so the body currently is just a bare tub. This way the spray mask will be on the car for a much shorter time.

Provided I allow the SS to cure from sunlight for a substantial amount of time how long is safe in your opinion to leave it on relatively fresh SS?
Input from you Texasking would be appreciated. Also Barry, Jim C, Bob Hutton, Chad?

Also will a single coat be sufficient?
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The fresher the paint, more chance of causing problems. Any spray mask, plastic, or tape needs to be removed ASAP. 3-4 days in the sun, paint could still cause issues. Would rather see 2 weeks of sun paint cured before covering anything, still no more than overnight. The spray mask needs a very wet coat, but not several coats.
 
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i have never used it on paint. i do use it on my booth walls and it works great. it stays on there for about 2 mos. i powerwash it and it melts right off the walls. unfortunately thats all i can offer.
 
Thanks for all your comments,
Seems to me no one would feel comfortable using spray mask on new paint even if it's been cured in the sun several days before application.
I believe masking film maybe dangerous to use as well as it could potentially trap solvents. Obviously paper is breathable. Are there any other breathable masking products on the market?

Doing my best to learn from you all.
 
Imho spray mask would be more trouble on a car than just laying plastic or paper. You still have to tape everything around your paint area. Plastic covering is the easiest part to me.
 
Adhesive masking films are suspect on fresh epoxy. I once applied "Pask" brand vinyl paint mask to white epoxy to create some lettering and the mask became part of the epoxy. Quite a mess.
 
Not much of a risk to paint to a point if cured some, as all these products are is highly concentrated soaps with an alcohol added for drying.

In the past, they had versions that stayed wet and ones that dried not up on what's out there now.

The last I used it years ago was to protect the frame undercarriage and engine compartment.

Like pointed out, do not put in the sun, and if the engine is covered, do not run to move the car.
 
I had a next door neighbor for about 10 yrs who was the production manager of a 3M plant that made tape. He was explaining to me one day what they did to automotive masking tape to keep it from welding itself to the car in the sun as opposed to regular masking tape for household use.

He told me a story about an employee who ordered up some spray mask thru the employee company store. Without asking anyone in advance about proper use, he taped off around all the windows on the exterior of his house and sprayed them with the mask so he could then spray his house with an airless rig. The mask had baked in the sun for about a month by the time he finished the paint job. He starts to wash it off and finds it has been cooked onto the windows to the point where he spent the better part of another month with razor blades and scotchbrite removing the mask from the glass and trim.
 
this all goes back to my habit of reading the label every time i use anything. best habit i have. saves a disaster from a brain fart.
 
metlmunchr said:
I had a next door neighbor for about 10 yrs who was the production manager of a 3M plant that made tape. He was explaining to me one day what they did to automotive masking tape to keep it from welding itself to the car in the sun as opposed to regular masking tape for household use.

He told me a story about an employee who ordered up some spray mask thru the employee company store. Without asking anyone in advance about proper use, he taped off around all the windows on the exterior of his house and sprayed them with the mask so he could then spray his house with an airless rig. The mask had baked in the sun for about a month by the time he finished the paint job. He starts to wash it off and finds it has been cooked onto the windows to the point where he spent the better part of another month with razor blades and scotchbrite removing the mask from the glass and trim.
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Been there and kind of done that, but here is how to fix it.
Set the car under an oscillating sprinkler; it will take about an hour, and you will know when it has worked as the spray mask is gone.
 
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