How to remove raised masking edges

[Riotvan88]

Hello 

 

Is there a way to sand or remove a raise edge in paint where masking tape has been? For example along a Waterline? Without effecting the paint shine or matte level of the finish? Would rottenstone archive this?

 

I've built a boat and there is an edge that can be felt where the red paint meets the black. The paint has the finish I want so I don't want to do any polish or sanding that will alter the finish.

[Thukydides]

As a general rule it is better to remove the masking tape while the paint is still wet. You can also try to prevent the edge from happening by doing several very thin layers.

 

If the edge is already there you can use a very fine grit sandpaper to lightly sand it down. Then you can use a paintbrush to carefully fix up any parts that got sanded too far or the edge got messed up by the sanding process. The key is to have a very light touch and go slowly.

[Bob Cleek]

What Thukydides said. Very fine sandpaper. Use a hard sanding block so all you sand is the very edge itself.

 

Pumice or rottenstone will restore whatever level of finish, matte to gloss, that you want, but it will take a lot of rubbing to remove a masking tape "lip." Better to start with sandpaper in the 400 grit range and go finer from there.

 

The most effective way to avoid masking "lips" is to use a very thin masking tape (Tamiya or 3M Fineline) and apply your paint in multiple thin coats. When the paint is dry, carefully sand the edge down a bit before you remove the tape.

 

It's never an exact science. Not infrequently, you'll tear up some paint along the edge when removing the tape, or discover a spot where the tape "bled under" the tape, and so on. In such cases, there's often nothing for it but to carefully remove the defect by sanding and do the darn thing over and over again until it comes out right. This is one of the jobs that makes having an airbrush really worth the cost.

 

[James H]

I use a fine sanding sponge. 

 

This is similar to the type I use.

 

[Dr PR]

I have just used a common modeling knife and lightly scraped with the blade perpendicular to the surface. Just go slow and be careful to nhit only the high spots along the edge of the paint.

[No Idea]

I used to do a lot of spray painting and we removed the step whilst the paint was still slightly tacky.

 

We removed the masking tape and then ran a finger along the line before it had fully set.  This removed the step entirely - however after the paint had fully set....