How do they do that?
 

We have all seen multi color paint jobs with sharp edges between the colors and absolutley no ridge. How in the heck do they do that???

RE: How do they do that?
 

These are usually done with automotive lacquer (which is very thin) followed by rubbing compound and lots of clear lacquer on top.

RE: How do they do that?
 

Minn is correct. Jet guys, pylon racers and sometimes pattern flyers often use automotive paints with a few coats of clear. Sanding, polishing and waxing gives the flawless finish. Control line flyers use clear butyrate dope which is a lighter product than the automotive paints. Both systems require an incredable amount of time and effort. Unless you've done it, it's difficult to appreciate the labor put into those finishes. Custom car painters have the advantage of being able to use power polishers, but almost all models have to be done by hand.

RE: How do they do that?
 

My brother taught me a trick from his body shop days to help soften the edge on a color line.

When you paint, spray a test piece too. When you can touch the test piece and you leave a finger print but the paint has skinned enough that it doesn't stick to your finger, that's the time to remove your masking tape. The paint will self level and instead of having a sharp edge where the masking tape was, you'll now have a much smoother rounded edge. Not absolutely ridgeless but much smoother than if you allow the paint to really set up before removing the masking. This works with any paint but much better with automotive paints.

When I asked him about the absolutely smooth color seams like on a custom motorcycle gas tank he said each color line is masked twice so the colors don't lay on top of each other. Then it's wet sanded to make everything absolutely smooth. Then it's shot with clear coat.

Dave

RE: How do they do that?
 

Or they were painted in the mold.;)

RE: How do they do that?
 

Hi!
All you do is spray clear cote over

RE: How do they do that?
 

If you spray a coat of the undercover color (it will bleed some under the tape) and create a clean line, now re-spray with the color of choice and it doesn't have anywhere to 'run' under the tape. Nice clean line, now buff it down with some fine grit sandpaper and you have a clean line. That is for those of us who use Epoxy paints :)

RE: How do they do that?
 

No idea! :)

Check out a short video i made of me at:
http://bit.ly/csBt3S
Let me know what you think!!
Watch it now!!

Thanks..xox

RE: How do they do that?
 

i've spent more time glassing and painting my current build than i did building it. and it was built from plans not a kit.

RE: How do they do that?
 

Ditto!!! I'm a slow builder but the glassing filling, sanding, filling, sanding, filling, sanding................then paint takes at least twice the build time.

Cheers,

Colin