What and how to tape up your car before polishing

Todd@RUPES

Todd@RUPES

Just a regular guy
After washing and claying your vehicle it is often a good idea to mask off certain parts before machine polishing. Machine polishes and pads are designed to work on automotive paints and gel-coats and can damage or stain soft rubber trim, plastics, rubber and vinyl convertiable tops. Additionally sharp emblems can tear and damage polishing pads as the spin over them.

It is better to take the time and tape everything that can be damaged by the machine polisher then risk the consequences of permantely damaging trim. Taping areas that are very difficult to clean dust out of can also save time in the long run.

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How To Tape​

First wash and dry the vehicle thoroughly. Inspect the paint for a rough feel and contamination. If the surface is rough to the touch use detailer's clay prior to polishing to restore a smooth feel.

Attach low tack tape firmly to an edge of the trim.

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Holding the anchor point, unroll the approximate amount of tape needed to cover the piece. Pull the tape taunt.

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Use the hand holdling the roll of tape to guide the piece as your press it into place with your other hand. Take your time and try to mask as accurately as possible to reduce clean up.

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After is complete remove tape prior to washing.

Remember that 2 minutes of time and 2 dollars of tape would have prevented over $4,000.00 dollars in damage to this Lambroghini!

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Good stuff Todd. Another reason to consider taping is to mitigate polish splatter in hard to reach cracks. You can sometimes back tape the inside of the panel to block off polish residue from entering the crevice. Minimizing the need to "brush out" cracks, crevices and body inserts eliminates potential brush marring.
 
I learned my taping lesson the hard way. :( While I was working with the Flex on the hood, I accidentally got to close to the water nozzle housing on burned it a little. After that little incident I taped everything that I could. The car looked like a mummy by the time I was done taping. lol.
 
And dont forget for those really hard to tape, short, curvey, etc., areas, its good to get a smaller tape like 1/4 - 1/8" that they sell at the automotive paint supply stores, and use this to make the line, or cover those little things easier. Or to cover those twin stripe decals they put on vehicles all the time.
I tape off the pinstripes with 1/4", do the hard compounding, then pull off the tape and gently go over that area with the lighter compound, like 205, etc., so it all matches perfectly.

I also use a hand masker from 3M that takes a roll of tape and a roll of paper and mates them together, with a blade on one end to cut the paper and tape off. This really speeds up the process, especially if you get the paper at the same auto paint supply store in really short widths.
This is also quick to put in between door jambs, etc. to keep out compound spatter and dust.

Last, if you open up a cash, etc., account at these places, they will discount their products to you so there is even more savings.

The place I went to was a Sherwin-Williams Automotive Paint Supply house, but I am sure there are local ones that carry like Dupont, R/M, Glasurit, etc., paints, and all the same supplies, etc., there, including respirators, etc..

I just finished a black Honda Element, that had never been detailed, and as you know, they have miles of plastic cladding on the sides, front, top, and back, around the door handles, etc., so my tape machine with 4" paper and 1/2" roll of tape got a lot of use.
And I didnt have to go back and try to get compound off the cladding ! :)

And then, when you are painting houses inbetween detailing, the hand tape machine makes short work of taping up windows, etc., so you can take your Binks Airless and blast the paint on quicker without having to worry - because you taped good, straight, tight lines, right ??? :)

Having been a Painter in another part of my life, I am all for taping up to keep things protected and clean. Once you get used to it you can pull a tape line down with either hand, and upside down, and go up and down with either hand, etc.. Once you get fast at this, and accurate, it doesnt really take alot of time, and will certainly save you tons if you accidently rub across something that doesnt like compound, etc..

Good luck with this !

Dan Franco
 
Todd will have to answer for himself but I find the green 3M tape to be over kill. It is great stuff for what it was created for, to mask off cars to be refinished.


The green is more expensive than blue and sticks too good. I find it will actually leave a tape pattern on some soft trim. Also if you taped up an area that had been refinished at one time, you run the risk of pulling up the paint when you remove the tape.

Good quality 3M blue is sufficient.
 
I been using the 3M low tack blue tape for a few years now. 99% of the time no residue left behind on the finish and no marks too. I ran into a few cars that were super soft and they were a headache to tape.
 
I followed Todd's suggestions for taping as I prepped my car last week for polishing. I noticed that as I polished (M205) there were tiny bits of blue tape (3M low tack) almost like dust that were on the pad and on the panel I was working. This must have been the result of the polishing pad touching the tape.

Is this bad technique on my part? Should I be concerned about the specks of tape in the pad or running over them on the panel? :confused:

thanks!
 
MB Fan said:
I followed Todd's suggestions for taping as I prepped my car last week for polishing. I noticed that as I polished (M205) there were tiny bits of blue tape (3M low tack) almost like dust that were on the pad and on the panel I was working. This must have been the result of the polishing pad touching the tape.

Is this bad technique on my part? Should I be concerned about the specks of tape in the pad or running over them on the panel? :confused:

thanks!
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I have witnessed this on more then 1 occasion ^ I beleive its just the dye that is being removed. I have never noticed it to cause any kinda marring though :2 cents:

Great write-up Helme's :money:
 
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