I’ve learned when to pull masking tape when painting my house but I don’t have an answer for using automotive paint. Can anyone help here? Today’s project is repainting my metal lathe & I had masked off the bed areas I didn’t want painted. I always remove tape when wet for house paint edges but it seems like automotive paint is more “stringy” if pulling wet. If needed I primed with epoxy primer then painted with a single stage Acrylic Enamel from Martin Senour (Napa). Appreciate the advice here! Haven’t painted the head unit but looks like a decent match to the color near the emblem.
Like @anthony myrick said, as soon as you can touch the overspray on the tape without leaving a print. Masking tape can cause headaches when left on too long. I use 3M or the best they sell. I’d rather pay a dollar more at the register and deposit less in the swear jar.
^^^^^^^^^ As soon as possible, especially if drying in the sun (maybe sooner). Learned that lesson!!!
If you are doing 2 tone or striping I pull tape while its still quite wet so the edge will ooze over a bit and not be so sharp. Be careful, the tape can have stringy paint things that flop on the other paint.
Everyone’s swift response allowed me to pull it before the paint was too dry & hard. No prints left on the over sprayed taped! THANK YOU ALL!!!
We painted a house and left the masking tape on the aluminium doors and windows way too long, it basically got baked on by the sun .An absolute nightmare to get off. A week or so indoors should be safe , though too much over spray on it will cause issues. If you’re confident pull it as soon as the paint is dry.
Lookin like you have a bad gear in the gear box also . I have some Atlas gears , measure it and tooth count . If I have one it’s yours for the shipping costs , my Friend .
Made me laugh pretty good. Spray the paint and then think to ask when to pull the tape. Hahahahahaha... Luckily, Anthony and the others answered in time. I'm glad you asked the question cuz I needed the answer, too.
Hours, not years. Can't tell you how many flea market parts I've bought that had old, brittle, years old, impossible to remove masking tape on them.
Glad you got it answered and sorted. Props to @deathrowdave for the gear offer. I enjoy inheritance machining's videos. I know there are a ton of people putting out some amazing stuff, but the calmness, old machines and OCD level works for me.
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