stenciling questions

cleverlyj

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so i'm gonna be stenciling my robotron, and using spray paint to do it. my question, how long do you have to wait between stencils. if i do the blue, can i give it an hour or so to dry and then do the red over it? or will that cause the blue to peel up?
 
Very hard to answer question. SO many factors.. temperature, humidity, type of paint.. etc etc.

Go for automotive paints first, then it's not a concern. Latexes probably the worst option, oils better than latex but hard to get metallic. The best thing to do is test your paints. Use some simple painters tape, paint the layers and see what kind of drying time you need in your environment and ensure that the paint type sticks well to the type below it.
 
If you are not using automotive paint, I would never apply another stencil layer without giving at least 24 hours (and I'd recommend 48 or more) between coats. Too much risk of paint peeling.
 
yeah, let me just say cancel the plans of doing it quick. i'd rather do it right. i did the blue, and i'm gonna do the red tomorrow night after work. i am using rustoleom spray paint and it is coming out pretty nice. the only complaint is that i didn't wait until one stencil was tacky enough before pulling it off, and while pulling it off it folded in and did a half dollar sized blue blob on the grey. so, i'm gonna do the red, and then touch up the grey after that to clean it up.
 
When I did my burgertime, I painted the base color with Latex.. It ended up drying for 2-3 weeks before I got time to start stenciling. I used Rustoleum spray bombs for the colors and waited a week in between colors. This was part not wanting to rush and part not having any other time to do it sooner. I chose to stencil on the weekends so I could take my time with the stencils. Don't rush it..
 
When I did my burgertime, I painted the base color with Latex.. It ended up drying for 2-3 weeks before I got time to start stenciling. I used Rustoleum spray bombs for the colors and waited a week in between colors. This was part not wanting to rush and part not having any other time to do it sooner. I chose to stencil on the weekends so I could take my time with the stencils. Don't rush it..

How soon after painting do you remove the stencil?
 
How soon after painting do you remove the stencil?

If spraying lacquer - probably a very short time after the last coat, as it dries quickly, etc..

If spraying oil-based, you're probably waiting 10-15min between spraying very thin coats, and probably 4 coats to get it opaque. I'd wait that long or a little less before pulling the stencils. It should be tacky, but still soft enough that if the stencil vinyl you're pulling folds back on it, or you touch it by accident, the paint will be screwed up. Wait too long and you might tear the paint.

If spraying latex for the stencil layers, don't bother. I have used latex/water based for the base with awesome results..very slick finish, BUT..using same for the stencil layers, not happy at all - as in redo/start over.
 
I waited until the paint was soft but not sticky. I touched the overspray on the stencil, not the cabinet of course.
 
If spraying latex for the stencil layers, don't bother. I have used latex/water based for the base with awesome results..very slick finish, BUT..using same for the stencil layers, not happy at all - as in redo/start over.

I'll take this to heart on my next stencil job :)
 
I used the Rustoleum 2x rattle cans for my stencils.
I found that when removing the stencil you should pull it at an angle away from the fresh paint and not up.
I also cut the excess stencil material as I went to make it easier to handle.
Just take your time.
 
I'll take this to heart on my next stencil job :)

My experience has been - even after scuffing the area inside the stencil with a green or grey 3M pad, then wiping a few times with Naptha - with latex, I'd get tearing when removing the stencil, no matter how long I waited. On top of that, even spraying thinned thru an HVLP gun, the latex in the stencil areas just didn't look as smooth as I wanted. With the factory finish being lacquer with no discernible 'bump' between layers/stencils, it was quite a difference.
 
+1 to this thread as i'm planning on tackling this same project this summer.
 
I used latex as a base, and spray bombs for the stencils, and i stilll have ridges. I didnt want to attempt the razor blade and trim the edges. I notice it, but nobody else that has seen it has noticed it until I point it out..
 
I used latex as a base, and spray bombs for the stencils, and i stilll have ridges. I didnt want to attempt the razor blade and trim the edges. I notice it, but nobody else that has seen it has noticed it until I point it out..

Once you clear coat it the ridges should become much lees pronounced.
 
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