Tips for masking headlight door....

I'm getting ready to paint the headlight doors and I'm running into problems, hope someone has some good tips for me. I'm trying to mask off that 1/4" lip that boarders the round headlight. I bought 3M automotive masking tape, 1/4" wide, but it wants to buckle after it's been down a few minutes. The surface is very clean, washed it a couple of times, even wiped it down with alcohol just before trying to put the tape down. Regular masking tape looked like it would stay down better (stronger adhesive I guess), but of course it's wider and would need to be trimmed (and to cut it in a perfect circle is almost impossible).

Are there any tricks to this? How did you mask off this little 1/4" wide strip around the headlight?

Thanks for any help!
Art

 

Have you tried the "Fine Line" tape from 3M, it's like a plastic not masking tape.

 

Yep, that's what I used.....it's kind of a combination of plastic and masking tape. I've used it before for lots of things, typically it "curves" just fine, but it still wanted to buckle on the headlight door. What kind of material are these door/trim pieces made out of anyway, aluminum???

 

There was a discussion here
http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=15049

And here is some spray on mask
http://www.tcpglobal.com/autobodydepot/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=MET+260001

 

Thanks for pointing me to that previous thread, it's exactly what I'm experiencing. I sent an email to Dan to see what he ended up doing on his....

 

One trick I learned while masking headlight buckets or any part that has a curve in it is to not pull or stretch the tape too much. When the tape gets stretched it makes the tape thinner and it will not stick as well as it should. I have another trick I sometimes use on really stubborn parts. This going to sound strange, but it works. Hairspray. Hairspray contains a laquer base that when dry provides something for the tape to grip to. Spray a light coat of hairspray on a part you plan to mask and let it dry. After you are done with the masking be certain to clean the hairspray off the surrounding areas you intend to paint. Cheap stuff like AquaNet seem to work the best.

 

Thanks Jean, I'll give the hairspray a try tonight....

 

I dont do any of that masking. I pull it off the car. Paint the entire parts and wipe of the high spots with a rag soaked in lacquer thinner. works great

 

Art, I did exactly what Jean advised on a grille of a 66 Caprice. Big grill, worked great!
Dan

 

Getting discouraged, tried the hairspray thing last night. I believe it helped, but the tape still wanted to bunch up on the inside of the bend. Something so simple has turned into a headache. I'm almost ready to forget that 1/4" silver next to the headlight, think that would be noticed very much?

 

Don't worry about the bunching on the inside of the bend. That paint can be easily cleaned off after it dries and the tape is removed.

Are you using the blue vinyl like tape?

 

Yes, it would be noticed, if you have a bright molding on the hood. Been there, tried that! Good luck!

 

Craig,

You make a good point, as long as I get a nice clean "outside" edge, it shouldn't be that hard to clean the paint off what siphons under the inside edge. I'm using the automotive 3M tape (can't remember the number) but it has a slightly green cast to it, and it's 1/4" wide. I wonder if there is anything with a stronger adhesive? I've not used the blue tape before, but I did try using some 1/4" pinstriping tape (which is vinyl) but had the same problem.....

 

The blue 3m striping tape sticks more gooder in my opinion.
Dan

 

This has had me thinking, I remember doing it on my white car years ago, so I just went out to the garage and tried it, I pulled a headlight door off the shelf, rubbed it off with my thumb (no cleaner) and stuck the blue fine line tape to it, no problem, it's not very straight, It didn't take much time. Are you using the blue stuff??