Valve Cover Lettering

[Decibel]

Ok, I tried to dig around for a good thread to append this question to, but needle in a haystack.

When you paint something like your valve covers, should you try to tape off the letters or do people simply sand the paint off afterwards?

Seems like sanding the paint off afterwards is probably the way to go.

 

[LowerMyCG5]

Put oil or vasoline on the letters, samding is way too hard

 

[Chris Vu]

Chap stick it

 

[JEER42]

Paint the letters, then sand the paint off. It's not hard at all and the results are much better.

 

[Chris Vu]

Paint the letters, then sand the paint off. It's not hard at all and the results are much better.

if you would, please elaborate on why this method is much better ?

 

[cfox28]

I thought of the same thing when i was painting mine. I heard vaseline works well.
I don't know if you have a 4cycl or 6 but for my 6 i just taped of the whole rectangle:

http://s1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee387/charlesfox28/?action=view&current=GEDC0184.jpg

I liked the contrast of the red black and silver and it was alot easier

 

[Accord2Show]

I taped off the letters.

 

[slowrider87]

i sanded the paint off afterwards. seriously took like 3 minutes and a wood block.

 

[JEER42]

if you would, please elaborate on why this method is much better ?

When you sand off the paint it looks much cleaner than if you would tape the letters off and it would probably take you longer to tape them than to sand the paint off.

When sanding the paint off, you can get right to the edge of the letters since they are raised. You can also polish the letters after they have been sanded.

 

[Sketch o5]

i just took my letters off. much easier


you could tape them off or sand them though. taping would take more prep work, obviously, but if your lettering could use a fresh refinishing, you might as well just paint them and block sand them after.​