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two-color painting?

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A. Peillet & M. Long

unread,
Jul 17, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/17/98
to
OK, I'm not afraid to ask a REAL beginner's question...

My Bolger Brick (4'x8' sailing dinghy) is nearing completion in terms of
building, and it's time to start thinking about paint. I've already got
the material (oil-based primer and gloss latex from Ace) and no, I don't
want to talk about paint types.

Here's the question. The boat will be white all over inside and and out
with color (red) from the waterline to the gunwales.

Do I paint it all white, and then just mask it off and add the red on top?

OR

Do I mask off the parts to be painted red when doing the white, then mask
off the white to paint the red? If so, how do I get a nice crisp edge
between the two?

For either method, when should the masking tape be removed?

All helpful comments appreciated!

MWL

--
Matthew Long & Agnes Peillet
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, USA
owln...@gis.net

Rob Weaver

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Jul 17, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/17/98
to A. Peillet & M. Long
Paint the whole boat white and then add the red boot stripe. Use HIGH
QUALITY masking tape (i.e. 3M , not some dollar store's bargain brand),
and remove it as soon as you're sure the paint isn't going to run into
the white. You don't have to wait for the red to dry to remove the
tape, but you do have to make sure the white is very dry before putting
the tape on :-) BTW, do not let the tape stay on through a rain storm
followed by a baking sun -- you'll never get it off, trust me on this.

And congrats on building.

Rob Weaver

Your Name

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Jul 18, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/18/98
to

>Do I paint it all white, and then just mask it off and add the red on top?
>
>
Depending on the paint, reds often have poor hiding characteristics, which
means that paint the whole boat white and then adding the red might be a
good idea.

>
>Do I mask off the parts to be painted red when doing the white, then mask
>off the white to paint the red? If so, how do I get a nice crisp edge
>between the two?
>
If you decide to do this, I would paint the white first, overlapping the
area to be red by an inch or so, then mask and paint the red. However, this
will only look good if your red has real good hiding properties. Otherwise,
you might be able to see the where you stopped with the white underneath.

On a small boat the small amount of extra paint used by painting the whole
thing white first will not cost too much and in general will be worth it in
time saved.

Painting one area and then masking off to paint another without any overlap
is rather tricky and the inevitable raised edge problem is doubled at least.
Only do this sort of thing if there is absolutely no other choice.

As a third choice, you might consider a "boot top" stripe of a dark color
with good hiding properties between the red and white, which would make it
easy to hide any mismatch or color "show through", but then you have a three
color boat to maintain, plus you have to buy more paint.

If you want the best line, get some of that expensive plastic masking tape
used for auto body work. Any auto paint shop will have it, but you are
likely to find it at many hardware stores too. Burnish the edge with your
fingernail or a piece of plastic to prevent run-under.

>For either method, when should the masking tape be removed?

When the paint is in no danger of running, but before it is fully cured.
Shoot for the "tacky" stage for most paints. Remove the tape by bending it
back over itself and pulling so that it makes a sharp 180 degree turn as it
is coming off the surface. Pull slowly and be careful not to let the paint
on the tape touch anything if it is still tacky.

If you pull too soon, the paint can run. If you wait too late, it is
possible for the paint film to be so strong that it will pull some paint off
the dingy near the masked edge. Even if it doesn't chip at the edge, the
raised paint edge right at the masking line will be proud of the surface.
If you hit it just right, the raised edge will be soft enough to lay down
somewhat so that it isn't so noticeable, but without running or sagging onto
the adjacent surface. This effect is tricky to achieve and works better
with some paints than others.

Good luck.

Bob Walters
Perdido Design.

MIKE GOODWIN

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Jul 18, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/18/98
to

Use " fine line tape " from 3-m ,I think, availabe at good paint stores or
Boat US , E&B etc.and it makes no differance which color you paint first
but dont waste the painby going over the other.

Classic Boatworks of Maine

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Jul 19, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/19/98
to
Exactly how you choose to go with the painting process is up to you. It
would be easiest (in my opinion) to paint all the white and then put on
your tape for the water line and paint the red.

Masking tapes come in a wide variety. Check with your 3M dealer for the
best one for your application. Some tapes are designed for very specific
operations. Some tapes can't be left on very long. Some can be left on
between coats. We generally pull the tape as soon as the paint is dry
enough that it won't run.

--

Good Luck and Fair Seas
Marshall and Jo Duhaime,Jr.
Classic Boatworks of Maine - We build and restore classic wood boats.
http://www.nemaine.com/classicboatworks

A. Peillet & M. Long <owln...@gis.net> wrote in article
<owlnmole-170...@host216.208-239-5.gis.net>...


> OK, I'm not afraid to ask a REAL beginner's question...
>
> My Bolger Brick (4'x8' sailing dinghy) is nearing completion in terms of
> building, and it's time to start thinking about paint. I've already got
> the material (oil-based primer and gloss latex from Ace) and no, I don't
> want to talk about paint types.
>
> Here's the question. The boat will be white all over inside and and out
> with color (red) from the waterline to the gunwales.
>

> Do I paint it all white, and then just mask it off and add the red on
top?
>

> OR


>
> Do I mask off the parts to be painted red when doing the white, then mask
> off the white to paint the red? If so, how do I get a nice crisp edge
> between the two?
>

> For either method, when should the masking tape be removed?
>

Dale Hymanyk

unread,
Jul 19, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/19/98
to
Over the years I've used ordinary black vinyl (electrical) tape for masking. It works well, is
flexible, and will follow surprisingly sharp curves when needed.

par...@brooknet.com.au

unread,
Jul 20, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/20/98
to
>> My Bolger Brick (4'x8' sailing dinghy) is nearing completion in terms of
>> building, and it's time to start thinking about paint. I've already got
>> the material (oil-based primer and gloss latex from Ace) and no, I don't
>> want to talk about paint types.
>>
>> Here's the question. The boat will be white all over inside and and out
>> with color (red) from the waterline to the gunwales.

I thought those (Bolger) "Brick " things had 3 waterlines ?

Steven H. Jackson

unread,
Jul 20, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/20/98
to A. Peillet & M. Long
Don't use cheap masking tape here. It will leave a jagged edge. Use either the
green autobody masking
tape (expensive) or (my preference), 3m magic tape. This tape will leave a
very crisp edge but you have
to use it correctly. Draw a line with a batten where you want the paint
masked. Apply the tape by pressing
very gently, hardly at all, then with the back of your finger nail press only
one edge of the tape down. Apply
your paint with a brush, gently. Do not leave tape on very long at all. As
soon as the paint reaches the tacky
state, pull tape off slowly. Try to work in conditions of about 68 deg. F.
Black electrical tape will work also but it does not do as nice a job and
costs more and is really too thick
for a fine job. The 1/2 inch magic tape in the big rolls rather than the 3/4
inch is the most economical, not that
it will cost that much anyway.
Good luck!

A. Peillet & M. Long wrote:

> OK, I'm not afraid to ask a REAL beginner's question...
>

> My Bolger Brick (4'x8' sailing dinghy) is nearing completion in terms of
> building, and it's time to start thinking about paint. I've already got
> the material (oil-based primer and gloss latex from Ace) and no, I don't
> want to talk about paint types.
>
> Here's the question. The boat will be white all over inside and and out
> with color (red) from the waterline to the gunwales.
>

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