Masking tape marks on ClearCoat... :(

[Sly]

HI,

I'm kind of left alone with my issue as idk any modeller personally... So, I am mostly an 1/35 armour modeller trying to get a nice car model done with a shiny paint and all but now I have this issue that have just ruined all my efforts and left me discouraged (Actually, I'm really pissed off, tbh...)

So, I sanded, primmed, painted the model and gave 3 good layers of clear coat, then sanded and polish this body to a nice mirror finish with compound. After tape masking for trim painting, I am left with those marks on the body. I want to say they are tape residue, but the marks seems engraved in the finish and I had to sand them over to get ride of them... Anyone know what is the issue? Here are the details below... Was using the Tamiya X-22 a bad choice of product? Any advices are of course welcome...

Acrylic Paint: Tamiya X-7 + Tamiya laquer thinner, 3 layers
Clear: Tamiya X-22 + Tamiya laquer thinner, 3 layers
Cure time: 3 weeks
Sanded + Tamiya compound to a mirror finish
Masking tape: Tamiya

Masking tape was applied before painting the trims and removed immediately after. I also noticed that the finish takes the fingerprints still, I wonder if that Tamiya X-22 gets hard enough for this purpose. (For masking tape application)

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Pantherman]

HI,

I'm kind of left alone with my issue as idk any modeller personally... So, I am mostly an 1/35 armour modeller trying to get a nice car model done with a shiny paint and all but now I have this issue that have just ruined all my efforts and left me discouraged (Actually, I'm really pissed off, tbh...)

So, I sanded, primmed, painted the model and gave 3 good layers of clear coat, then sanded and polish this body to a nice mirror finish with compound. After tape masking for trim painting, I am left with those marks on the body. I want to say they are tape residue, but the marks seems engraved in the finish and I had to sand them over to get ride of them... Anyone know what is the issue? Here are the details below... Was using the Tamiya X-22 a bad choice of product? Any advices are of course welcome...

Acrylic Paint: Tamiya X-7 + Tamiya laquer thinner, 3 layers
Clear: Tamiya X-22 + Tamiya laquer thinner, 3 layers
Cure time: 3 weeks
Sanded + Tamiya compound to a mirror finish
Masking tape: Tamiya

Masking tape was applied before painting the trims and removed immediately after. I also noticed that the finish takes the fingerprints still, I wonder if that Tamiya X-22 gets hard enough for this purpose. (For masking tape application)

Thanks in advance!!!

How long did you leave the paintwork to harden before applying the masking tape ?
Pantherman

 

[urumomo]

He says 3 weeks prior to masking .

How long between each of the 3 coats ?

 

[Sly]

He says 3 weeks prior to masking .

How long between each of the 3 coats ?

Hi! That would be about 15 min between each coats. I think the 3 weeks period was long enough, I read that preferably 72 hours is required for complet curing, and some modeller on YT don't touch it for a week...

So I was doing some thinking last night, I came to the conclusion that I sprayed to thick and the laquer soaked the tape, and bonded the adhesive to the top clear coat... I will do some tests, I really think that is the only reason, and I remember my mix to be very generous on the thinner ratio.

 

[urumomo]

Yeah , if you soaked the masking tape with solvent that could definitely be an issue .

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Masking tape as in regular masking tape? I use Frog Yellow painter tape for all my masking sessions. Regular household masking tape is garbage for masking.

 

[Eagle-1]

I also noticed that the finish takes the fingerprints still...

That looks like you ain't cured enough, but 3 weeks shoulda done it.

Rob.

 

[Sly]

Masking tape as in regular masking tape? I use Frog Yellow painter tape for all my masking sessions. Regular household masking tape is garbage for masking.

No sir, I used the Tamiya yellow tape. I later on concluded the issue was the used of paint retarder I put in my paint mix, I think it messed the cure time enough to cause this…

 

[airdave]

The time frame, and the fact that he sanded and polished the final clear, assures that the finish is cured enough to receive tape.

The tape is most likely a heavy adhesive type, not meant as a paint masking material,
and a solvent (or solvent based paint) has soaked through the tape and released the glue to the surface.

final wipe

Wash the surface with final wipe solvent to remove the glue residue, before applying any more paint.
It will all come off leaving the untouched clearcoat.
You'll probably kill that lovely shine and you may need to repolish the clearcoat.

 

[Sly]

The time frame, and the fact that he sanded and polished the final clear, assures that the finish is cured enough to receive tape.

The tape is most likely a heavy adhesive type, not meant as a paint masking material,
and a solvent (or solvent based paint) has soaked through the tape and released the glue to the surface.

final wipe

Wash the surface with final wipe solvent to remove the glue residue, before applying any more paint.
It will all come off leaving the untouched clearcoat.
You'll probably kill that lovely shine and you may need to repolish the clearcoat.

Thanks for the comment, and this product I didn't know existed! Although for this project, I carefully sanded and polished the surface carefully to get back a shine. Still, the surface took my fingerprints, so it was painful to manage…. As I mentioned, I added some paint retarder in the paint mix, and I really think it is the reason why it kept the paint soft. I also will spray thinner layers on tape so it better seal the surface.

 

[trekriffic]

You might want to wear Nitryl gloves next time especially during the polishing stage. Will keep the fingerprints off. The finish in your last photo looks great.

 

[Sly]

You might want to wear Nitryl gloves next time especially during the polishing stage. Will keep the fingerprints off. The finish in your last photo looks great.

I saved it the most I could, but being a Tank guy, I did learn a lot! Now, I got that Tiger in the work, that will soon sports a faded winter camouflage…

 

[trekriffic]

I saved it the most I could, but being a Tank guy, I did learn a lot! Now, I got that Tiger in the work, that will soon sports a faded winter camouflage…

Wow! Talk about a change of pace. Great, great weathering on your tank!