Van's Air Force
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Masking a Checkerboard Pattern
- Thread starter tinman
- Start date
DaX
Well Known Member
Never done a checkerboard, but when laying out the stripe on my old car, we used a string to get the lines straight, then measured off the string. We first taped the edges of the stripe with 1/4" blue tape then went back over that with 2" blue tape and paper where necessary. You may need an exacto knife to trim. We painted the stripe, let it dry, taped over the stripe, then sprayed the red so that both paints were at the same depth. We then went over everything with clearcoat - turned out nice.
N908RV
Well Known Member
2 tips
Recommend using 3M Fine Line Tape (this is professional painters tape available at Aircraft Spruce) for your squares. It's great stuff and it is really the only thing you want to use for any paint lines. It's apparently what the pros use - I'm not a pro, but I did paint 3 planes so far - so I at least know what not to do by now.
Regular tape bleeds through easily.
Definitely want to paint the white first. In fact anytime you paint yellow it usually comes out better if you paint a white base coat first or at the very least a light primer. Yellow can be tricky because of the depth.
To do traditional squares, I would recommend painting it white first, then marking it with a pencil and then using fine line tape to mask off the white squares. Took 13 hours for me to paint the rudder - masking and all. Tedious but worth it. Here's a pic of mine just after the painting process to give you an idea of the layout:
http://www.taildraggersinc.com/Images/Gallery/N908RV/Rear Quarter View.JPG
Happy painting!
Rob
Recommend using 3M Fine Line Tape (this is professional painters tape available at Aircraft Spruce) for your squares. It's great stuff and it is really the only thing you want to use for any paint lines. It's apparently what the pros use - I'm not a pro, but I did paint 3 planes so far - so I at least know what not to do by now.
Regular tape bleeds through easily. Definitely want to paint the white first. In fact anytime you paint yellow it usually comes out better if you paint a white base coat first or at the very least a light primer. Yellow can be tricky because of the depth.
To do traditional squares, I would recommend painting it white first, then marking it with a pencil and then using fine line tape to mask off the white squares. Took 13 hours for me to paint the rudder - masking and all. Tedious but worth it. Here's a pic of mine just after the painting process to give you an idea of the layout:
http://www.taildraggersinc.com/Images/Gallery/N908RV/Rear Quarter View.JPG
Happy painting!
Rob
OR
You might talk to someone who does vinyl lettering. You could go with vinyl for the yellow and save lots of time and money, or you could have them cut the masks for you. Then it is a simple matter of lining up the mask, pressing it down and pulling off the transfer paper. Should take only a few minutes per side. I have done masks for several airplanes including a Swift that was pretty complicated and they work very well, no seeping under the mask or anything. Shouldn't cost much, either, as cutting the mask would be VERY simple.
Bob Kelly
You might talk to someone who does vinyl lettering. You could go with vinyl for the yellow and save lots of time and money, or you could have them cut the masks for you. Then it is a simple matter of lining up the mask, pressing it down and pulling off the transfer paper. Should take only a few minutes per side. I have done masks for several airplanes including a Swift that was pretty complicated and they work very well, no seeping under the mask or anything. Shouldn't cost much, either, as cutting the mask would be VERY simple.
Bob Kelly
az_gila
Well Known Member
Dumb idea?
OK... perhaps a dumb idea....
...but why not do it in two steps, painting alternate squares in each step?
This way, wide masking tape can be used in long, straight lengths with no trimming or cutting. One the first set is painted, just use their edges for the second lot of tape....
gil A
OK... perhaps a dumb idea....
...but why not do it in two steps, painting alternate squares in each step?
This way, wide masking tape can be used in long, straight lengths with no trimming or cutting. One the first set is painted, just use their edges for the second lot of tape....
gil A
KTM520guy
Well Known Member
Not such a dumb idea but here is the down side. You would end having to layout and mask twice. Checkerboard is a lot of work. You really only want to do it one time. Also, don't make your squares to small. More squares equal more work. A good size that fits the airplane well is 3.5 inches square. How did I come up with this size? A customer said to me once "can you make the squares on my rudder about this big?" and handed me a 3.5 inch floppy disc. Remember those? Some people like to checkerboard the under side of their flaps. 3.5 inches gives you 3 nice rows.
randylervold
moderator
Use 1/16" 3Mm fineline tape to lay out your grid, then cut blue masking tape to fill in the non-painted squares. You won't even notice the 1/16" gap between the squares when you're done. Easy to get both sides to match this way also. Here's one we did that way...
rv969wf
Well Known Member
Practice on cardboard or something. Just an idea..
Heres a picture of my -6 that has airbrushed checkers. It took 2 cases of masking tape and several months. The guy that painted my RV primed the entire airplane, base coated solid red, wet sanded the red, masked, shot the white checkers then the black, wet sanded, buffed and clear coated, with sanding and buffing again. Ugh....
Heres a picture of my -6 that has airbrushed checkers. It took 2 cases of masking tape and several months.
The guy that painted my RV primed the entire airplane, base coated solid red, wet sanded the red, masked, shot the white checkers then the black, wet sanded, buffed and clear coated, with sanding and buffing again. Ugh....
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L.Adamson
Well Known Member
Prefer around 6" squares myself; and there are lot's of RV's, Harmon Rockets, and F1's with larger squares of this type that look great!
My checkerboard rudder is black on white, as half of the plane is yellow. I painted all white first, and then masked off the squares.
I use 3M "green" tape, as it's much better than the cheaper blue masking tape.
I mask off the squares, then fill the centers with two sheets of computer paper. Then shoot the complete rudder with black. Pull the tape as soon as possible when paint is still semi wet, to minimize ridge lines.
You should also pull the tape towards the newly painted surface, so the paint coming off the tape, lays back onto the just painted surface.
And, the squares on both sides of my rudder line up with each other. Still trying to figure the scheme on the cowl, though...
L.Adamson -- RV6A
http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/9089/dsc04927reducedke3.jpg
My checkerboard rudder is black on white, as half of the plane is yellow. I painted all white first, and then masked off the squares.
I use 3M "green" tape, as it's much better than the cheaper blue masking tape.
I mask off the squares, then fill the centers with two sheets of computer paper. Then shoot the complete rudder with black. Pull the tape as soon as possible when paint is still semi wet, to minimize ridge lines.
You should also pull the tape towards the newly painted surface, so the paint coming off the tape, lays back onto the just painted surface.
And, the squares on both sides of my rudder line up with each other. Still trying to figure the scheme on the cowl, though...
L.Adamson -- RV6A
http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/9089/dsc04927reducedke3.jpg
gmcjetpilot
Well Known Member
Some checker examples
(be patient, its 155kb 8.5x11 pic and the server can be slow)
Looking at examples above I see 5 to 20 squares vertically on the rudder at the hinge-line. About 8-14 squares looks good to me, to each his own. Waving flags look is cool. Sorry I have no references or credits, just a few RVpictures with CB's I saved. Cheers to all the builders, nice paint jobs.
(be patient, its 155kb 8.5x11 pic and the server can be slow)Looking at examples above I see 5 to 20 squares vertically on the rudder at the hinge-line. About 8-14 squares looks good to me, to each his own. Waving flags look is cool. Sorry I have no references or credits, just a few RVpictures with CB's I saved. Cheers to all the builders, nice paint jobs.
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Using a lazer line in a neat way to mark your first lines. whether vertical, horizontal, or on a bias, the line will be straight thru curves in the fusalage. You can then either measure from that line or even change the angle of the lines by leaving the lazer instrument stationary and moving the airplane.
Nothing is new or original with me. I read this method somewhere.
We did the checker job on nose of my friends -8. This is how it went. Darkened the hanger enough to see the lazer line. Leveled the airplane. Measured forward of the axles and marked a line on the floor for a reference line to palce the tripod. You will need this line when you mark the other side of the cowl. Position the lazer level on a tripod and adjust the verticle lazer line plumb. Now adjust the lazer tripod (tripod should be adjustable) up or down to align the horizontal line (use the crosshair mode) with the center of the spinner. There you are, you now have the reference points to do what ever you want. We then used blue thin line 1/4 inch tape and just placed on the lazer line. It was sraight. The other side of the plane is done be placing the plumbob (?) over the floor line and adjusting the lazer line so that the top and bottom of the line meet the line on the other side. We then measured form the base line an the result was a square job. Sort of hard to explain !
I hope you get the idea. John
Nothing is new or original with me. I read this method somewhere.
We did the checker job on nose of my friends -8. This is how it went. Darkened the hanger enough to see the lazer line. Leveled the airplane. Measured forward of the axles and marked a line on the floor for a reference line to palce the tripod. You will need this line when you mark the other side of the cowl. Position the lazer level on a tripod and adjust the verticle lazer line plumb. Now adjust the lazer tripod (tripod should be adjustable) up or down to align the horizontal line (use the crosshair mode) with the center of the spinner. There you are, you now have the reference points to do what ever you want. We then used blue thin line 1/4 inch tape and just placed on the lazer line. It was sraight. The other side of the plane is done be placing the plumbob (?) over the floor line and adjusting the lazer line so that the top and bottom of the line meet the line on the other side. We then measured form the base line an the result was a square job. Sort of hard to explain !
I hope you get the idea. John
SHORTRV7
Well Known Member
Checkerboard Lip Stick
I chose to polish and paint a checkerboard rudder using 1/16 fine line tape. After polishing the entire rudder we taped off the polish squares and painted the blue squares. Then pulled all tapes and clear coated the whole rudder,,, No more polishing took three tries to get it right... All of the polish on airplane has clear coat with Blue Ice put in clear. An excruciating 13 step process.
I chose to polish and paint a checkerboard rudder using 1/16 fine line tape. After polishing the entire rudder we taped off the polish squares and painted the blue squares. Then pulled all tapes and clear coated the whole rudder,,, No more polishing
took three tries to get it right... All of the polish on airplane has clear coat with Blue Ice put in clear. An excruciating 13 step process. 
I spent a whole winter hand cutting my vinyl checkerboards for the wings and tail. my theme was to have the leading edge of the checkerboards to start pealing back, a little along the leading edge to a lot by the trailing edge. I discovered that purposely cutting the checkers out of square looked better and was certainly easier. I ended up going back and removing many fine, skinny triangles. I don't know if this applies to you, but wanted to suggest it. sometimes what you take for granted isn't true.
Paul K
Well Known Member
With any luck, I will be in HBC with my 7a. I did three different types of checkers and ribbons, all using computer generated paint mask and different paint techniques. I would be more than happy to bring a photo book of how this was done and go into detail if anyone is interested. I don't sell the stuff, just really easy to use and I can show you just how easy it is! Plan to be there Sun-Wed.
Larry DeCamp
Well Known Member
Paint adhesion prep ?
I always have concerns about scuffing the first coat of paint to prepare for stripes or checker. Assuming scotchbrite abrasive. The edges of the tape/mask can be roughened, and debris is sure to find the edges of the adhesive on the tape/mask. Or, the base coat is not roughened near the tape/mask so adhesion of the trim color is compromised. Any wisdom to share??
I always have concerns about scuffing the first coat of paint to prepare for stripes or checker. Assuming scotchbrite abrasive. The edges of the tape/mask can be roughened, and debris is sure to find the edges of the adhesive on the tape/mask. Or, the base coat is not roughened near the tape/mask so adhesion of the trim color is compromised. Any wisdom to share??
