Poly Tone headaches

[cubnut93]

I am painting a Super Cub inmilitary colors using the Poly Fiber system. After I applied the Poly Tone(olive drab) and then masked certain areas for the insignias, I was surprisedto see that the masking tape was leaving marks on the olive drab. The Poly Toneinstruction manual says that you should wait 12 hours before applying anymasking tape to Poly Tone--I waited about 30 hours. I used a good qualitymasking tape (3M fine line vinyl tape -blue). The temperature was in the upper80’s and the humidity was about 45% on the day that I sprayed the Poly Tone.

I talked with the Poly Fiberpeople out in CA and was told to let the Poly Tone dry at least one week beforeapplying any masking tape. Great news since their manual says wait 12hours---what else is wrong in the manual????

I moved the fuselage out intothe sun and let it get a good exposure for two days and the marks were hardlyvisible. They seemed to melt away.

Has anyone out there hadtrouble with masking tape marks on Poly Tone???

Just one final note toclarify my description of “masking tape marks”. The areas where I appliedmasking tape changed the finish appearance from semi-gloss to a flatfinish--the marks were NOT tape adhesive from the masking tape--the marks canNOT be removed with any type of “Final Wash” or Poly Fiber C-2210.

BTW--I used the Poly Tone asit came without adding any reducer. Poly Tone comes pretty thin to begin with.

[Tim]

maybe you should have used the reducer. I think you can get it to shine after a week or so if you polish it with the fine ( white ) compound

[Dan Gervae]

You should use the 8500 reducer when it's above 80. Also...the blue masking tape was not compatible with my polytone L4 project either....the green stuff worked...I had the same problem as you with the blue 3M. I rubbed it out later with mixed results.

[Ole Bob]

I have experienced similar problems with the 3M "blue tape" and have concluded that some of the solvents we find in our paint/dope damage the adhesive and leaves marks. It appears from talking to 3M that they may have had water based "house paints" in mind when they "invented" this tape. Have never used it subsequently.

[cubnut93]

The blue 3M tape that I used was 3M's fine line vinyl tape--it was recommended by the Poly Fiber Tech's.

Who makes the green tape that you mentioned? I have tried the blue paper tape--the blue vinyl tape--the old style yellow tape and an orange tape that we picked up at a auto paint supply store---they all leave marks on the paint. This is driving me nuts!!

BTW-- we are spraying the paint it hopes of obtaining a semi-gloss/satin finish--we seem to be achieving that goal--so buffing out the marks may not be an option for us.

You should use the 8500 reducer when it's above 80. Also...the blue masking tape was not compatible with my polytone L4 project either....the green stuff worked...I had the same problem as you with the blue 3M. I rubbed it out later with mixed results.

[cubnut93]

The "blue tape" that you mentioned---is it vinyl or paper???

I have experienced similar problems with the 3M "blue tape" and have concluded that some of the solvents we find in our paint/dope damage the adhesive and leaves marks. It appears from talking to 3M that they may have had water based "house paints" in mind when they "invented" this tape. Have never used it subsequently.

[bob turner]

One of the down sides of the Poly process is you pay more for the thinner, because it is already in the paint. I put dope over the poly spray in the late 1960s and had no problems at all with adhesion. Then about ten years afterward, I sanded and put acrylic enamel on, and had no problems. It still shines like a hand rubbed lacquer finish. I now just use dope, because acrylic enamel is 100x as expensive, and not as good as it used to be. Water base is the future, whether I like it or not.

[sierra bravo]

Scotch/3M painter's tape for lacquer and other solvent based coatings is green. The adhesive is different.

[Dan Gervae]

The "blue tape" that you mentioned---is it vinyl or paper???

It was paper...sorry, I misunderstood you the first time....the vinyl should have been okay....i know that the adhesive reacted with the polytone on the paper type blue tape causing me some grief. I will check on the brand of the green stuff.....I think it was also 3M...i don't remember. I had the most trouble on my rudder because of the multiple colors. The blue was nice and shiney until I taped it off to paint the red.

[Dan Gervae]

The instructions for Polytone say to mix 4 to 1 polytone to reducer and to use the 8500 in warm to help get a shiny fininsh....also you can chill your polytone in the fridge overnight to help get a shine.....the cooler it is when you spry polytone...the shinier it will be.

[Fortysix12]

3M 233 is the best professional grade mask

[supercub24a]

I am painting a Super Cub inmilitary colors using the Poly Fiber system. After I applied the Poly Tone(olive drab) and then masked certain areas for the insignias, I was surprisedto see that the masking tape was leaving marks on the olive drab. The Poly Toneinstruction manual says that you should wait 12 hours before applying anymasking tape to Poly Tone--I waited about 30 hours. I used a good qualitymasking tape (3M fine line vinyl tape -blue). The temperature was in the upper80’s and the humidity was about 45% on the day that I sprayed the Poly Tone.

I talked with the Poly Fiberpeople out in CA and was told to let the Poly Tone dry at least one week beforeapplying any masking tape. Great news since their manual says wait 12hours---what else is wrong in the manual????

I moved the fuselage out intothe sun and let it get a good exposure for two days and the marks were hardlyvisible. They seemed to melt away.

Has anyone out there hadtrouble with masking tape marks on Poly Tone???

Just one final note toclarify my description of “masking tape marks”. The areas where I appliedmasking tape changed the finish appearance from semi-gloss to a flatfinish--the marks were NOT tape adhesive from the masking tape--the marks canNOT be removed with any type of “Final Wash” or Poly Fiber C-2210.

BTW--I used the Poly Tone asit came without adding any reducer. Poly Tone comes pretty thin to begin with.

Scotch3M 218 Fine Line Tape is what i have used and never have had a problem this is what i think some are calling green fine line the blue is no good !

[Dan Gervae]

Scotch3M 218 Fine Line Tape is what i have used and never have had a problem this is what i think some are calling green fine line the blue is no good !

Yep....that's what I used....Fine Line. The glue in the other stuff reacted with the solvents somehow.

[cubnut93]

I am not looking for a gloss finish--military airplanes were mostly flat OD. We did't want flat either--we wanted a semi-gloss/satin finish--we are getting the semi-gloss without using reducer--Poly Tone is really thin right out of the can--Poly Fiber must be adding reducer at the factory!

The instructions for Polytone say to mix 4 to 1 polytone to reducer and to use the 8500 in warm to help get a shiny fininsh....also you can chill your polytone in the fridge overnight to help get a shine.....the cooler it is when you spry polytone...the shinier it will be.