Front Grill

[Marco Polo]

When I checked my front grill to answer Pommie Stag's question I noticed mine is looking a little tired. I intend to chemically strip the paint and respray it.

I would like to get some tips on how to mask it so I can retain the shiney bits on the front of the slats.

Thanks in advance,

Raoul

[DJT]

imported post

H Raoul,

When I did one years ago I laid lengths of masking tape on a glass surface and used a 'Stanley' knife and straight edge to cut strips of the correct width to mask the front edges. You may be able to get a roll of pin-striping tape from a paint supplier which would do the same thing.

Etch primer is needed on the bare aluminium before painting with satin black.

Dave

[samp5679]

imported post

i painted my full grill in matt black then a coat of clear coat, when it dryed i rubbed the fron edge back down to reveal the silver looks mint

[Pommie Stag]

imported post

Very Carefully with electricians Tape cut into half width using the manufactured edge as the top (narrow slat at the top)and the leaping stag right way up))
Then very carefully scalpel the underside edge to the correct width.

I used Supercheap Auto's paint stripper worked a treat taking off the layers of brush paint and the original finish no problem.

Its much easier with the small segments as the extrusion has a ridge you can cut into and get a great straight line.
Etching primer would be good too.

Mine took flipping hours to do and i used gloss black, not as it should be, but it does look the dogs naggers and you have to use something shiny in Aus to reflect the sunshine.

[mjheathcote]

imported post

PVC insulating tape but two strips, one strip on each side so 80% of the tape sticks to each other, if you know what I mean:?

[Dazza the Stag]

imported post

Did mine a couple of years ago in the same method as DJT above ie masking tape. It worked a treat!

[Marco Polo]

imported post

Thanks for the tips guys, I ended up using masking tape cut to width by a stanley knifeafter laying it out on the glass coffee table. (My wife was out today ).

I'm now recoveringfrom the etchprimer fumes. Satin black top coat tomorrow.

regards,

Raoul

[richardthestag]

imported post

When I did mine years ago I stripped everthing off - smeared vaseline carefully along the shiny edge and without any further masking primed and painted with a satin black. Once it was all nice and dry I seem to recall that I used an old rag to carefully rub along where the edges are and it removed paint, primer and vaseline leaving a nice shiney edge which just needed very little tidying up with the blunt edge of a craft knife. I used a craft paint brush to tidy up tiny imperfections.

When I painted my wheels I used a similar process as it seemed a tedious shed load of work to mask up the 5 spokes.:?

Rivet counters :P may scream in horror but for my humble vehicle it gave very presentable results.

regs

Richard

[jbuckl]

imported post

This was a recent ish question before.

Best way might probably be no masking......carefully remove the paint from the edge using a rag with thinners when the paint has just been applied.

This has one not so obvious advantage.... the grill is clear anodised.

Once the anodising had been removed the alloy will corrode.

Any scratches or polishing that goes through the anodising will allow corrosion to begin.

Sorry if this counts as rivet counting

[alan230752]

imported post

jbuckl wrote:

This was a recent ish question before.

Best way might probably be no masking......carefully remove the paint from the edge using a rag with thinners when the paint has just been applied.

This has one not so obvious advantage.... the grill is clear anodised.

Once the anodising had been removed the alloy will corrode.

Any scratches or polishing that goes through the anodising will allow corrosion to begin.

Sorry if this counts as rivet counting

best way

paint it ,wait till paints tacks off,then use a flat block of wood or metal, tightly wrap a piece of cotton rag around it .lightly dab thinners or white spirit onto it and gently rub front edges,that way you wont take off paint unevenly,

alan

ex detail aircraft painter

[pterelli]

imported post

Hi! I bought my Stag late last year and the first job I did was to respray the grill. (My avatar is before respray). I masked it with masking tape, using a strip or bits of strips along the top edge, then turning it over and using more tape masked the top and then sticking the two sticky bits stick together.

Any surplus paint came off using my thumbnail!

I used Halfords Satin black spray paint and am very pleased with the results. must take a new pic.

[StagnJag]

imported post

I've done mine this weekend as well. I masked mine as pterelli has described, and used Halfords Satin spray paint, but with an etch primer underneath. It came out really well.

(Pic of masking attached. Thin strips of insulation tape used.).

Regards

Dave

[StagnJag]

imported post

and the finished article.