Paint masks

[joa]

Anybody have any ideas for something that is sticky backed to cut out a stencil for use as a mask for spray painting. It can't be *too* sticky so it peels off the paint underneath. I'm too cheap (and in too much of a hurry) to order something from a sign supply shop. Anything that can be picked up at Home Depot or Fred Meyers (WalMart, Kmart, etc etc)? I thought of the stuff you put in the bottom of your kitchen cabinets but figured it might be too sticky.

Also, does Exacto (etc) sell a swivel knife? Any other options rather than going with a fixed blade?

Thanks!

Joa

[b1705@bellatlantic.net]

Joa, when I'm trying to do something quick/dirty like that I just use the spray adhesives that are made by a few different companies. If you spray one side of a joint ( or just the mask) it will peel off easily. If you spray BOTH sides it is like contact cement, and a real pain in the butt to remove...I think 3M has a pretty good product, about 5-6 bucks a can, which will last you a long time...

[joa]

Bill, Oh, thats good too. Hadn't thought of spraying something.

After I wrote the message I stopped by the stationary store on the way home and lo and behold I think they have just what I'm looking for. Called Frisket and I've heard it referenced but never knew what it was for. I also got a swivel knife there. Only thing I'm worried about with the Frisket is that the paint will bleed underneath (the darn stuff gets under about anything it seems.)

You know, I think I'll try to mount the swivel knife in the SB and see what happens, it should work for the size of letters I'm cutting out (N-Numbers). If it doesn't work I'll do it the old fashioned way, plot and cut by hand.

I think I'll use the Bertram font, it's different and looks neat. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Joa
"vinylcutterignoramus"

[pjldesigns@hotmail.com]

I've used vinyl that the sign shops use for making vinyl cut letters. You can get different grades (thicknesses) and grades of adhesive. I've also used MACTAC shelf liner. Both work very well. For cutting I use a very sharp 60 or 45 degree Vee bit in the router and cut through the vinyl at about .020 to .030 deep. If you plan it right that small cut will disappear when you do the final routing of the design.

I first prepare my wood as follows:
1) Plane and sand as desired to get an even surface.
2) Prime the wood with a sealer. Clear lacquer from a spray can works good. If you omit the sealer step you could get bleeding from the coats of paint down into the grain of the wood which detracts from the final result.

3) Determine which color is predominant in your design and spray that over the wood.

4) After the paint has dried cover with mactac and then cut through the area that you want for your second color and spray paint.

5) Cut the design into the wood.

6) Repeat with layers of MActac and again cut out areas to paint and then paint over them.

Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 as many times as necessary.

I will try to find my photographs and post them on the ftp site to show how I used this technique to make a HAIDA type carving in red and black and natural wood color.
Phil

[garbob]

Good idea Phil!

I'm not sure about the price of mactac, but a cheaper alternative to vinyl sign lettering is premask sold in all kinds of thicknesses, widths and tackiness. A sign wholesaler will carry all of that stuff.

[Cliff Haldeman]

I don't know if this would work,but here are a couple of ideas I thought of while I read about your other good ideas.---(1)instead of some kind of paper or adhesive maybe a peelable spray-on paint booth coating would work.It adheres good and peels off easy.I think sign painters use a similer spray-on peel off material for masking.---(2)for a quick short cut you can buy prefinished plywood in different stain colors and they ship it with a peelable film to protect it during shipping and machining!!! It's available from cabinet makers supply companys

[ditapo]

Hey, I thinking about buying a shopbot. Joa was making N number stincels so I'm hopeing he's using his shopbot for airplanes. I'd like to hear about what it has done in aviation related projects.

[birdsofplay]

Oh man !!! now you're gonna ge the FAA
involved. We'll hafta start doing 100 hr
inspections on our SBs and add those danged
encoders back on the machines !!!
Or at least get a GPS for tool navigation.

Happy Bird day :-)

[studebaker]

Yeah, but the C-checks get expensive! I would probably have to replace the servo motors every time.

Happy landings!

[epatsellis@mcleodusa.net]

as an alternative, you can buy vinyl that has a removable adhesive, I use 5-6 rolls a year, very little if any adhesive residue, ready to use, and about the same price as regular vinyl