I have been doing some fancy colored laminate jobs recently on the bottom of my boards. My question is how in the @#$%& do you get the pin line around the lap to look so tight and precise its driving me nuts. Also should I use the prefabricated tapes or just some masking tape. And what is the general consensus on just using markers as opposed to coloring a batch of resin? Please Help
G. I also have some frustrations regarding lap lines, or pinlines. They are hard to get precise, but it can be done. My best results have come with the following method: Using a marking gauge with a pencil in it, mark a faint line on the hotcoat where you want one edge of the pinline to be. Run a piece of 1/2" tape on the pencil line and press it down with a fingernail. Check it for acurracy, and pull & re-set as needed. Next, you can then lay an 1/8" piece of tape next to it, then lay down another 1/2" piece next to that. Pull the 1/8" piece out of the middle and you’ll have a taped-off 1/8" area to paint. You can also skip the middle piece and just eyeball the second piece with an 1/8" space. Then spray it, resin it, or take a tube of Liqui-tex acrylic paint and squeeze it along the line, smoothing with a razor blade or finger. Dry with a blow-dryer. The real key is to get the taping correct. Concentrate on that, and the coloring will fall into place and seem easy. Doug
do you have good luck when using the Liquitex paint? any problems when glossing?
Hey, I hear you. Resin pins are a bitch to get just right. It starts with laying out clean tape lines before doing the glassing and trimming the overlap as cleanly as possible. If your cut laps are squirrely, your pin lines will be that much more difficult. Mixing pigments and catalyst ratios and timing the tape pull can also be tricky. As pointed out above, tape off is key… close and parallel with a little flare at the ends. For a real wake up call, watch a skilled freehand automotive pinliner. I guess that’s why they call them artists!
of course the masking of the overlap must be good, and i use tongue blades to press the tape to the blank to insure no bleeding. the pinline can be run with standard 3/4" masking tape, (3m, #233 works well). press with tongue blade to stick to hot coat and then i use water based acrylic paint right out of the tube. its thick, stays where you put it and will not bleed. apply it with something that will act like a small squeegee. let the paint kick and then pull the tape, the edge will be sharp. you can then wrap 100 grit paper around a razor blade and run the blade around the pinline and clean up any irregularities. works great and the colors are completely opaque. buenas suerte.
Teddy, So far Liqui-tex has worked out well. The only problem I’ve had that I could possibly blame on the paint is when I spray a solid color on a faily fat rail. I sometimes get some sagging with the gloss coat. The deck, bottom, and pinline areas have been trouble-free. Spraying on the foam: I’ve had no problems at all. And so far I haven’t any fading of the intensity of the color with Liqu-tex. Doug
Hey Doug, Thanks, I think I’m really close, I actually created a tool that works pretty well as a line gauge. I run it along the rail so it gives me an accurate depth line from the rail. I just tried using a pencil in it and I’m happy to hear I’m on the right track. I’m sure now that its just a matter of time before I get what I’m looking for. Shaka Brothers, I love this forum. G
Doug you can shoot a light coat of clear acrylic over the liquitex and lightly scuff the surface with a red scotchbrite pad.This gives you a slightly rougher surface and prevents the gloss sag problems.I use Reichold gloss resin and it jells within 10 to 15 minutes.Silmar takes too long to jell in my humble opinion.It tend to think that glosses that sit in the liquid stage for too long on a board may possibly begin to “eat” the surface of acrylic paints.I am not sure of this…just a suspicion.Any of you guys out there think anything of this theory?Resin panels and pins are never a problem. R. Brucker
Cleanlines, Thanks for the tip. I’ll try that on my next board. Sagging gloss is an unwanted frustration, and so far it’s hit or miss. Sometimes it happens and sometimes not. Could be the weather or the paint. I’ll also try the other brand of resin. Where can I buy or order it? Thanks again. Doug
The biggest asset a shop could have is a skilled tape-layer/pinline guy,especially one with a good artistic flare.Great detail work can bring a mediocre airbrush or design alive;things like double or triple pinlines,etc.A lot of the old guys are in high demand out in Cali I hear,what with all the retro work going on now.I’m getting better with time,practice is the key. It’s just so damn slow going…does anyone know what guys get paid to do a standard outline pinline in resin or paint pen? T.Maus, I hear you’re the man out here in the East!
Since I am “retired” will do em for free,its an old addiction.We used to get One dollar per pin…Ten Dollars per shape.Actually resin pins are pretty fast,I am on break whilst the spray guy pulls all that paper and tape and cleans his gun.Also no prolonged drying time before glossing,shoot the gloss right after the pin resin kicks,no sanding if the timing is right.You can do a couple of pins,a resin deck panel job, and gloss both sides in an eight hour work day. R.B.
cleanlines, I’m leaning towards old school colored resin pins. Apply with brush? and if my timing is bad do I need to sand a bit for good adhersion.
Anyone looking for a paint pen for penlines - try “ZIG - memory system” Opaque Writer pens - work excellent with resin - super quick dry and come in different colors. Great for signing an opaque job.
Howzit Gillie! Long way from the Pauwela Cannery. Last I heard from Eddie you were somewhere in Fla. making golf clubs. Looks like you’re back glassing boards. Drop me an email at sometime if you have a minute.