Frankentank

[Wingedwheel]

Since I am soon to be embarking on a rebuild of a Bobber rebuild I had a few things to get ready. I plan on changing the paint and I ran across this pic of a EVH Frankenstrat design and that’s what I want to attempt. . I really don’t want to practice on my tank just yet so I am going to practice on a junk tank I saved just for something like this.
It did have a sizable dent so I broke out the trusty Harbor Freight dent kit..
I think I posted about this little kit before but it works really well for non-creased dents.

 

[Mailman]

That little dent puller did an impressive job!

 

[Wingedwheel]

That little dent puller did an impressive job!

When it “Pops” it’s like putting air pressure to a brake caliper. You know it’s coming but you still jump a little. I’ve also loaned this thing out to several friends. Definitely got my $15 out of it.

 

[Jim]

 

[Vincenthdfan]

<<<< Me doing a mental inventory of any tanks I have with true rounded dents in them that I could use as a guinea pig!

 

[Wingedwheel]

It will pull out creased dents, just the crease is still there. Lol

 

[DogBunny]

I am very impressed. I tried to find the thread where you posted about it earlier, but this forum's "Search" function has been down for a couple of days...

 

[Wingedwheel]

DB it’s been a while, I can’t even remember but pretty much the same results but with a fender. I wet sanded 800-1000 and wiped it down with spirits just to clean it up. No sense in taking it down to bare tank. It’s just to make sure any screwups on my part happen now.shot it a gloss black and let it dry until tomorrow. Question for those that know, how long before you can safely apply tape? Light wet sand before taping?

 

[Jim]

How long for tape free depends on the type of paint used.
Yes, light sand before taping. I just use a red scotchbrite for that usually.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Thanks Jim, right now I’m just using Duplicolor rattle can. I think tomorrow afternoon should be fine, if not lesson learned.

 

[Jim]

Yeah, Duplicolor is easily tape free after overnight cure

 

[Wingedwheel]

One more Jim. What’s the best time for pulling it after paint? Some say as soon as the paint is tacky others say wait until dry? I would think it still needs to be soft.

 

[Jim]

If you let the paint dry, or even become tacky, the edges will be rough... almost jagged. There's still paint mist in the air when I start pulling... literally pulling with one hand as I'm setting the gun down with the other. Wet paint will lay down and make a smooth edge.

There's a technique for pulling also. Pull the tape back on itself. The closer you can lay it down the better. And not just back on itself, but pull it across the stripes you just made. That way any paint "strings" that pull away with the tape will fall back and settle into the fresh stripe paint and not outside the stripe where it makes an ugly.

Make sense?

 

[Jim]

Hang on, I'll find a pic pic ya...

 

[Jim]

If you look at the pic here, the paper is still on the top and there's the green showing just outside the (white) stripes I just shot. Here's how I do it.....

I'll tape off the stripe I want to shoot, then I'll put the paper down with a gap between the striping tape and the tape used for the paper. Last step is I'll tape off the gap. This way, as soon as I'm done shooting, I can pull... in order, the gap tape, then the striping edge tape and finally the paper.

Couple reasons. First, I don't have to fuck with the paper coming off as I finesse the stripe tape off.... one at a time, not both at once. Pull the gap and you can pull the stripe tape while the paint's still wet.
Second reason is, you can just leave the paper in place 'till the stripe's dry.... no danger of dragging the paper across fresh stripes.

And if I'm shooting multiple stripe colors... like JP's Oceana tank, leave room for the other stripes, paper it off and use a large gap filler tape. Pull the gapper and you can tape off the next color while leaving the paper in place.... you won't have to re-paper every time.
That all make sense?

Whew.... prolly dribblin' out you ears by now... I'll stop.

 

[Jim]

Should have added too... that's just how "I" learned/evolved my technique. @46th Georgia does this for a living. Maybe he'll offer up some tips.
@halfmile used to do this for a living too. Phil?

 

[Wingedwheel]

Thanks Jim, that’s pretty much how I’ve done it in my inexperienced world but glad to hear I was close… Painted the second layer this morning and it came out good other than some contamination I had. WTF could this be from using two different paints? I will get fresh when I do the final tank but just using what I have to get the pattern down.

 

[Wingedwheel]

My tape order showed up and I tried it out. I like the results but it also tells me a few things I would change. The design slightly but I would also change the tape size for the main runs. I think I would go narrower next time.

 

[46th Georgia]

Should have added too... that's just how "I" learned/evolved my technique. @46th Georgia does this for a living. Maybe he'll offer up some tips.
@halfmile used to do this for a living too. Phil?

I do it the same way.