Hello, I am in need of some painting tips. I am trying to lay down some tape on my fenders and I dont have any clue how to lay them staight down the fenders. any tricks up your sleeve? please post here 
Need help laying tape for paint!!
- Thread starter Craiggo
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
recently posted on another build. viewtopic.php?f=21&t=43473
Craiggo said:Well, today was somewhat experimental. I didnt get much done, but i figured out how to do this...
I had trouble getting the painters tape straight, so i came up with this little marker
it may not have been the most accurate, but it WORKED.
here are the poorly crafted hawthorne rims for ya, not even centered. and thats not my fault, I measured!
I am just doing the front fender for now
the point of no return!
here it is with the rims and their FINAL COAT!!!!
Oh, and does anyone have any opinion on the five speed idea? I'm really stuck between what I want to do and any opinoins would help. Thanks in advance!
i agree just hold tape taught lay on slowly eyeballing as u go if u do need to make any marks u can use a stabilo pencil which is a kind of grease pencil which wont damage your paint and can easily be removed after tape with wet rag . pinstripers use these a lot to prepare there work to lay center lines so forth . hope this helps .
Try it in reverse. Instead of leaving the stripe bordered by tape, paint the fender the color of the stripe. Then tape over where the stripe will be and paint the fender the correct color. Then the tape you remove will leave you with the stripes underneath. Might not fit your application best, but for some striping it is a better option.
I don't have time to do a tutorial with a whole fender, but I'll tape off part of a fender just to quickly show you how I do it. This method will make perfect Schwinn style stripes. Other brands...I don't know.
First, you need tape. 3/4" wide 3M blue painters tape. The blue doesn't have as much sticky and I like it better. You also will need a roll of 3/16" 3M Fine Line tape. You can get it at any auto paint supply store. It's $12 a roll, but worth every penny if you want nice stripes.
Start by running a strip of the blue tape along the edge of the fender. You have to kink the inside edge a bit to make the curve. Don't worry if the upper edge is not perfectly straight.
Run a strip of the 3/16" tape above the blue. As you run the tape you will see any places on the blue tape that are wavy. The 3/16" tape bends nicely and you can run it straight even though the blue might be a bit wavy.
Remove the blue tape. Save the 2 strips of tape as you will use them again shortly.
Now run 2 more strips of the 3/16" tape below the first one, making sure the edges where the tape bumps against each other are nice and tight and smooth.
Remove the strip of 3/16" tape in the middle. Smooth the edges of the 2 pieces of tape left behind. I use my fingernail to make sure they are pressed down good.
Use the blue tape to mask the entire fender except for the place the stripes go.
Use 0000 steel wool to rough up the paint before painting the stripes. Use a tac rag to remove the steel wool dust.
Here's a front fender I striped with this method. Gary
First, you need tape. 3/4" wide 3M blue painters tape. The blue doesn't have as much sticky and I like it better. You also will need a roll of 3/16" 3M Fine Line tape. You can get it at any auto paint supply store. It's $12 a roll, but worth every penny if you want nice stripes.
Start by running a strip of the blue tape along the edge of the fender. You have to kink the inside edge a bit to make the curve. Don't worry if the upper edge is not perfectly straight.
Run a strip of the 3/16" tape above the blue. As you run the tape you will see any places on the blue tape that are wavy. The 3/16" tape bends nicely and you can run it straight even though the blue might be a bit wavy.
Remove the blue tape. Save the 2 strips of tape as you will use them again shortly.
Now run 2 more strips of the 3/16" tape below the first one, making sure the edges where the tape bumps against each other are nice and tight and smooth.
Remove the strip of 3/16" tape in the middle. Smooth the edges of the 2 pieces of tape left behind. I use my fingernail to make sure they are pressed down good.
Use the blue tape to mask the entire fender except for the place the stripes go.
Use 0000 steel wool to rough up the paint before painting the stripes. Use a tac rag to remove the steel wool dust.
Here's a front fender I striped with this method. Gary
