Vinyl masks

[mproy]

For the first time I painted a body using some vinyl (I always used liquid mask before that I hand cut).

I had good results but I am looking for even better results.

What is the best approach in using vinyl masks. I had some paint lift as I removed the masks. Did I pull before it was totally cured? After some lifting, I started doing relief cuts at the junction of paint and mask to "break" the buildup at the edge. Should I always be doing this? Did I shoot too much paint here?

People have told me they heat-up the mask before shooting paint and after to remove the masks. What's your theory?

Also, what is the best source for manufacturer logos (KSG, Customworks, TQCells, SMC, etc..) in eps / vector art formats?

M.P.

[Lidz]

get your masks from majesticrc.com or from charlie if time is available.

There shouldn't be any build up on the masks from the paint. If there is, you're using too much. If this does happen you definitely took tht right apporach by recutting hte lines....however, as you now know, this takes forever and kinda defeats the purpose of using vinyl in the first place.

[GoofyTexan]

Your laying the paint on to thick at once, Instead of doing one or two different coast. Try Doing 9 or 10 very light coats. If you do this the paint will dry and and leave an edge. Even if you put on the paint in one or two heavy coats and let it dry out in the sun for two weeks it's still going to pull up on you because there is no edge between the mask and the paint and body.....

I've suffered with this for awhile, Painting severl light coats will not only let the paint bond to the lexan better, it will let the mask release from the paint and body a whole lot eayser (sp).......

[RespirologyRC]

http://forums.radiocontrolzone.com/showthread.php?t=221293
IF you think you are creative enough to draw your own designs; then just use 3m masking tape. It works as good as vinyl and it's your own design. I find that often i just want my bodies to be painted fast, and i then make a mistake or forget to add shading. Honestly take your time! While paint, regardless of using an airbrush or spray cans, use a hair dryer. Spray a coat, dry the coat, spray a coat. Make sure your coats are light. This will prevent your paint from tearing as your removing masking. Not only this, but for example: Your using a Candy red. When sprayed this color comes on transparent. This doesn't mean that you continuously spray this color until you can't see through it anymore. WHat you should be doing is spraying 3-4 light coats; use a white piece of paper and place it against your sprayed color. This will give you an idea as to wether or noth you have reached the desire affect. If you feel you could go a little darker on the paint, then spray another coat. Then back it with white or black. IF you spray so much paint that holding a piece of white paper against it makes no difference; then this means that you have spray to much of that color.

[mproy]

Thanks for the input guys. For the record, I have used liquid mask in the past, I chose to go vynil (actually bought a stika 15") because my cutting of curves using the exacto was not great. It was ok. So i wanted to kick it up a notch.

Never had lifting issues with liquid mask. This is what surprised me the most...

I agree on more light coats that mega-wet ones... which is what I tought I was doing. As a matter of fact, if I was wrong in this area, wouldn't it have lifted with liquid mask as well?

M.P.