What masking tape.

[daibeer]

Hi, This is for any UK members. I'm making signs for a bike club and am having poor results when using Masking tape over the job area. When I have V carved the job, I spray the colour on but when I remove tape, it has somehow leaked under the tape. So is their a specific Masking tape or a cheap sticky plastic paper I can use?Many thanks

[martin54]

Proper paint mask is not particularly cheap but either signmaking application tape or a cheap vinyl will work, you may have to try a couple of different brand vinyls though as some can leave glue residue when removed.
MDP Supplies sell to the general public & no account needed, they sell application tape in a range of different widths & I think they sell vinyl at narrower widths for craft making machines. Or there is always that well known auction site

My guess though would be that your either not cleaning the substrate properly before applying your masking tape or you are not sticking it down firmly enough.

[garylmast]

I bought some material through Johnson Plastics who owns LaserBits for a plaque project I was doing with my Laser. I ended up buying the material that already had the masking, but I noticed this liquid masking material that might seem easier or better than tape. It's a little pricey though. http://www.johnsonplastics.com/liquamask-pint

[ChiloquinRuss]

I am a model builder and have used masking for all kinds of different kinds of projects including v carving. There is a simple trick to get sharp edges when doing masking.

You CAN'T stop the bleed BUT you can make a sharp edge. After you v carve, simply spray a very LIGHT CLEAR coat over the edges. The clear does the bleed part so who cares? Let dry completely, then do your color coat. Do a couple of experiments before you do a big job but the clear coat really does work. Russ

[daibeer]

Thanks Russ, will tryout tomorrow.
Dave

[mtylerfl]

Similar technique I used when I used to do a lot of model building/painting. Instead of clear spray, I lightly spray painted over the masking tape edges with the exact same base coat color. Either way works (clear or base color) to seal the tape edges to keep overcoat paint from bleeding, IF there is a base color, that is.

Clear is the right (and only) choice for sealing masking edges when no base paint color exists.