Painters! What's the best way to paint a stripe and cover with clear?

[harrisonm]

I have been painting cars for 40 years, and I have never painted a stripe. I am painting a motorcycle for a friend, and he wants a 5" wide black stripe on the gas tank and rear tail piece. The parts will be urethane base/clear in yellow with black stripes and clear over everything. From what I have read and seen on TV, there are two ways to do it:
1. Paint the parts with the yellow base coat, allow the allotted time to be able to apply tape, mask stripe area with fine line tape and masking tape and paper, spray the black, wait a few minutes, peel off all the masking, and bury everything with clear. I have heard that I have at least 6 hours to do the striping and still have chemical adhesion for the clear coat. If I use this method, do I need to wipe the yellow off and or tack rag before spraying the clear?
2. Paint the parts with the yellow base coat and spray on a few coats of clear. Wait for the clear to cure enough to wet sand (probably overnight). Wet sand all the clear with about 800 grit sandpaper. Then lay out the stripes and spay the black paint. Then pull off the masking and spray clear on everything. I have never done it, but I have heard that the new clear will completely cover the 800 grit sanding marks. Which way is best?

 

[cawley]

I have been painting cars for 40 years, and I have never painted a stripe. I am painting a motorcycle for a friend, and he wants a 5" wide black stripe on the gas tank and rear tail piece. The parts will be urethane base/clear in yellow with black stripes and clear over everything. From what I have read and seen on TV, there are two ways to do it:
1. Paint the parts with the yellow base coat, allow the allotted time to be able to apply tape, mask stripe area with fine line tape and masking tape and paper, spray the black, wait a few minutes, peel off all the masking, and bury everything with clear. I have heard that I have at least 6 hours to do the striping and still have chemical adhesion for the clear coat. If I use this method, do I need to wipe the yellow off and or tack rag before spraying the clear?
2. Paint the parts with the yellow base coat and spray on a few coats of clear. Wait for the clear to cure enough to wet sand (probably overnight). Wet sand all the clear with about 800 grit sandpaper. Then lay out the stripes and spay the black paint. Then pull off the masking and spray clear on everything. I have never done it, but I have heard that the new clear will completely cover the 800 grit sanding marks. Which way is best?

spray the color of the stripe first tape it off then spray the main color then clear if you do it the other way it will take more clear to cover the stripe so you cant feel it put 3 coats of clear wet sand buff will not be able to feel the stripe

 

[doug 371]

The black will be harder to cover with yellow than covering yellow with black so I would do the yellow first

 

[Syleng1]

I’ve always put the car in final primer, then sprayed the base coat color of the strip Like 3” wider that stripe. Once dry, lightly sand that color and prepsol. Tape off your strip (cover what you want to keep) and then lay down your color base coat. Then following clear coat manufacture directions spray color. This way prevents the “lip” you get from the stripe color.

 

[doug 371]

my only concern is the yellow being too trans parent for easy coverage of any left over black...

 

[Syleng1]

my only concern is the yellow being too trans parent for easy coverage of any left over black...

Doug 371. That is a valid point. The car in the picture was silver over red and no issues at all. I knew where the strip was going so I feathered out toward the edges. Enough coats of color will hide. I’ve got 3 coats of silver base coat and it hid the red easily.

 

[doug 371]

Doug 371. That is a valid point. The car in the picture was silver over red and no issues at all. I knew where the strip was going so I feathered out toward the edges. Enough coats of color will hide. I’ve got 3 coats of silver base coat and it hid the red easily.

Yes nice job...looks great Ive had trouble with yellows before...

 

[lenky1]

I recommend you use fineline tape so you have a softer edge to bury also

 

[harrisonm]

I got the fine line tape. Thanks for the input. I am concerned about covering the black with yellow, so I'll probably spray the yellow first. I am not really concerned with the stipe 'bumps' disappearing. So do I really need to lightly sand the black, or will I get adequate chemical adhesion if everything is done within a few hours?

 

[lenky1]

If everything is done within a few hours you will be fine