Removing tape lines

[JayL]

Hey all,

I hope this is a simple question but the more I learn the more I realize that most times the question is simple but the answers are not.

How do you all suggest one either gets rid of tape lines or sprays so that you don't get them in the first place?

I taped off most of the front of the guitar as I am bursting the back/side color around to the front.

You can see the line in the photo below that the edge where I masked off the front built up after 2 coats enough to see it.



Once I realized that these lines were going to be too noticeable I decided to stop with the airbrush as I figured I would be doing some sanding and will have to re do the burst which is not the end of the world.

Suggestions?

Thanks
Jay L
Tampa, FL

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

The next time you mask for something like that just mask the complete front and let the tape hang off of the edge-this will protect the front and usually provides a soft line on the edge where it transitions from side to front.

 

[JayL]

The next time you mask for something like that just mask the complete front and let the tape hang off of the edge-this will protect the front and usually provides a soft line on the edge where it transitions from side to front.

Thanks for the input Bob.

But what I was hoping to do ended up costing me.

Because I was bursting the color from the back and sides around the front I wanted to be sure and have a good solid back ground of the dark blue on the front.

But after I sprayed 2 coats, let it cure about an hour and then pulled the tape, I had the small tape line (Maybe a mil or 2 in height at most)

I wet sanded the entire front and after that was done you could not feel the tape line at all and I assumed that when I airbrushed the burst it would cover it fine.

And it did, kind of.



From a couple feet away it looks pretty nice.



Get closer and the edge is still visible.



I have no idea why considering I did at least 8 airbrush passes. its almost as if the paint is going on almost transparent.

At this point I am wondering if I need to just keep doing passes until its not visible.

Hope someone has some direction for me as I am at a loss.

Thanks in advance.

Jay
Tampa, FL

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

Tape it like I suggested next time and you wont have a tape line to deal with. You sanded and couldn't feel the tape line but it keeps showing up, intercoat clear can help in these situations, spray two coats over the whole works, sand where needed then shoot some more color. If you sanded the tape line completely gone and sprayed more paint then the tape line reappears... what you're seeing is swelling from solvent at two different rates. Shooting a couple coats of intercoat clear will help equalize both sides of the tape line. Jim C could advise better on this but that's my take on it. If you let it set for awhile and sand and apply more color in the tape line area it may stabilize and be ok.

 

[anotheridiot]

I have been told the only way to eliminate tape lines is to remove the masking tape immediately, meaning the paint is still wet and ends up flowing over the sharp tape edge. I dont know why your airbrush paint looks transparent though, maybe you need to adjust how you are thinning the paint or adjusting your brush.

The other thing might be the type of tape you are using and the solvents in the paint breaking down the adhesive and leaving a residue on the body and not accepting the next coat.