masking engine fins

[jsharpphoto]

I'm starting to plan the paint job on my motor, and i was wonder the best way to accomplish this look....

Mask off the edges of the fins with thin pinstripe tape?

Spray the whole top end and wipe off the edge with a rag while the paint is still wet?

Or paint the whole thing and sand the edges back to raw metal?

 

[Sonreir]

Filing or sanding the fins is probably the best way to accomplish this.

I cheated a bit on my engine though:

 

[jsharpphoto]

i wouldn't say that's cheating. I'd say that's working smart, not hard. Looks great! I might try a combination of masking with pinstripe tape, and sanding to smooth the transition.

 

[o1marc]

Sanding afterwards will give the cleanest sharpest lines.

 

[taggat]

Filing or sanding the fins is probably the best way to accomplish this.

I cheated a bit on my engine though:

sharp good job

 

[MJPriceisright]

yeah just get a small hand file and go to work.

 

[jsharpphoto]

i assume it's best to let the paint completely cure first? I know it'll be harder to file, but maybe it won't chip and flake off as bad?

 

[Scruffy]

Where'd the high heat paint marker come from? Or is it regular paint over engine enamel? Hard to tell w/o seeing the entire tube.

I repainted the barrel and head on one of mine recently, cleaning the edges with 100 grit and an exacto knife for the tight spots.

 

[teazer]

Filing or sanding the fins is probably the best way to accomplish this.

I cheated a bit on my engine though:

Matt, how do those SteelDraggon stacks work for you?

 

[Sonreir]

I got the full taper ones so help with the midrange problem the Keihin CVs have. It did help (when compared to pods), but not as much as I'd hoped. The length was about right though... I'm catching 4th wave at 9,000 RPM or so.

 

[taggat]

ive seen guys paint the entire thing and then take a dremel to get a diamond cut look by just etching them carefully.

 

[Flugtechnik]

I painted then sanded the edges with a dremel tool. Then used a paintbrush and put clear on the edges.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

I find that a detail sander works really well after the paint is cured.

http://www.harborfreight.com/oscillating-multifunction-power-tool-68861-8493.html

 

[Sonreir]

And just to clarify... "dried" is not the same thing as "cured". Do that on dried paint and you're gonna have a bad time.

 

[johngofast]

I just drive really fast and the wind and debri in the air just etch the fins on my motors like that.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

And just to clarify... "dried" is not the same thing as "cured". Do that on dried paint and you're gonna have a bad time.

Excellent clarification.

 

[jsharpphoto]

Agreed. I meant cured.

 

[Bert Jan]

smart thing to do is to vile the edges before painting. it makes it easier to get them the same width afterwards.