NEVER use Blue Painters Tape on a cardboard tube

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Hobie1dog

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Removing the tape from an airframe tube, the adhesive on blue painters tape pulled the coating/outer layer off, thus leaving me with a monumental job of getting it smooth again 🤬 :facepalm:
 
Yup, you need the "delicate" tape. If you get the cheap blue tape from some hardware store, it's going to be no better than the brown paper masking tape.
 
Also be aware of the direction of the spirals. Pull off the tape in the opposite direction or it might lift off the point of the spiral and before you know it you've got a layer of paper being pulled up.
This is true of any tape.
 
I have learned to throw away old rolls of masking tape. The adhesive gets wonky, especially if the roll has been heat cycled... It's a consumable, not gonna cry...

Well, I'm crying now!! Recently bought a roll of 3M blue 2 inch masking tape. $10!!! Oh man, at that price it gets to live indoors on a velvet pillow under a crystal pyramid.
 
I tried 600 grit then 1000 grit but there's too much damage. So now it's going to take a layer of lightweight body filler to smooth things out, and more sanding 🤬
 
Post a pic.
p3EAKCX.jpg
 
Hmm? I was expecting to see cardboard tube fibers?

Looks like it pulled off the previous paint / primer / filler?
 
Do NOT pull the tape off at 90 degrees to the surface. Pull the tape off over itself.
Exactly! Look at the picture in post #8 – that's how they show it being done in the photo. However, there are surfaces that once it tears, there is nothing you can do except try and start at the other end.

The 'pant leg trick' Lee mentions in post #16 sounds like it would also work well with delicate surfaces, but it may take some practice to get consistent at it.

Bummer that you have to spend time repairing it, one of those unexpected delays in getting to the fun part.


Tony
 
Well, I'm crying now!! Recently bought a roll of 3M blue 2 inch masking tape. $10!!! Oh man, at that price it gets to live indoors on a velvet pillow under a crystal pyramid.

Another thing...

Masking tape that is actually going to be used for masking should be kept in a ziploc bag so it can't pick up debris and have that stuck to the edges, because said debris would end up embedded in the paint line or lifting the edge and creating a masking failure.
 
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Removing the tape from an airframe tube, the adhesive on blue painters tape pulled the coating/outer layer off, thus leaving me with a monumental job of getting it smooth again 🤬 :facepalm:
Ouch. I’m not sure whether to blame the adhesive on the tape or the binder in the cardboard. Probably both. I never put tape directly onto paper. I always shoot primer first but even then I’ve sometimes had issues with the primer lifting.
 
I took 1000 grit paper and spent a long time on it, but I've got it relatively smooth again. The one member has below his avatar "I refuse to do spirals", and I'm right there with him. There's no reason a person should have to waste the precious remaining time left in their life filling in something that could be prevented, if the mfg. would part with some of that revered corporate profit.
 
if the mfg. would part with some of that revered corporate profit.

🙄

In all seriousness though, Marty. Have you seen the post yesterday about the technique of stretching a leg of a pair of womens (or mens....?) nylons and then saturating in Minwax Polycrylic, allowing to dry and then brushing on Epoxy? Pretty slick TBH and while the nylons do cover the spirals, you get a nice even "mesh" from the nylons. Then brushing on epoxy, that fills the pores in the nylons leaving a silky smooth surface. Each to wet sand and then paint.

Honestly, I thought that was a great idea to thwart the evil spirals. I am with you on spirals BTW, I hate them......but.....they.....must.....be.....FILLED!!!

I might try nylons with epoxy on a test tube to see how it works.......


Zero gap tube winding yields a lot of scrap and is a very special setup. I don't think there is any corporate greed involved, more so what the market is willing to pay for kits vs what it costs to make the tubes without spirals.
 
BTW, I have found the green tape at Menards to be the absolute most forgiving painters tape. No matter how long I leave it on bare open grain cardboard, I can peel it off without stripping the fibers.

+1 on the idea of sticking tape to the leg of your jeans before the tube to reduce the tack. Though I only do that on normal masking tape. Green tape, never have had to do it and never have had a problem with it.
 
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