Painting between fins on valve covers?????

[FRITZ]

Ok I wanna hear how you guys have done it and how successful your job was. I have a set of brand new Edelbrock fined valve covers and im gonna paint between the fins with house of kolor paint, and prime. the block looks like it came out ok. im felling so,so about how good it'll last though.
FRITZ

[Upchuck]

tape off the outside that you don't want painted and just spray away then with some fine sandpaper sand off the tops of the fins to reveal the aluminum again

[47lincsled]

Paint the whole thing then wipe it down with laquer thinner,paint stays where you can't wipe.

[Foul]

I remember reading a while ago about using something like petroleum jelly on the places you dont want painted, then wipe the gunk off when you're done painting.
havent tried it mahself.
dan

[bigron]

[ QUOTE ]
Paint the whole thing then wipe it down with laquer thinner,paint stays where you can't wipe.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is how i've done it also. works well. fritz being the painter gooroo you should make it look awesome

[IntrstlarOvrdrve]

Hrm, I have sprayed them down before and just taken a slightly damp rag and wiped them down. I didn't use the paint thinner like someone said above and mine turned out decent, i just wiped it off a few seconds after I sprayed the valve covers. Although I might try the paint thinner thing next time, I was just afraid it might mess up the chrome..

[Dooley]

There was a post where someone used Chapstick.

Rub the chapstick, I think it was cherry, so you can see where it is (red) then spray and remove.

[FRITZ]

Chapstick, thats a good idea. I dont have a problem with the "wipping the fins" down part, how did everyone else prep to paint, ya gotta have some kind of primer on them first. \epoxy, self etch ...........anyone try this.
FRITZ

[Nads]

I just painted a paif chromed Cal Custom jobbies. I scuffed up the valleys real good with a scotchbrite pad. I did mine in candy apple red over a silver base. I didn't use any primer. I used Dupli Color lacquer spray bombs. I used acetone on a rag to remove the paint on the fins.
They came out great, I hope they stand up to the heat and chemicals. Time will tell.

[Petejoe]

Here's the links..
fin painting (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=507530&Forum=A ll_Forums&Words=Fins&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchp age=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=507479&Search=tru e#Post507530) fin painting 2 (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=410093&Forum=A ll_Forums&Words=painting&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Sea rchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=410025&Search =true#Post410093)

[Gas_Tires_Oil]

Great tip on using Cherry Chapstick! I wish I knew about that last time I did some of this type of detailing. It would have saved me quite a bit of time.

Thanks http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[tommy]

I use the chapstick. Every time I tried the rag trick I'd get a fuzzy or something in the wet paint. When I get a paint job looking nice I get the hell out of the garage quickly before I screw it up somehow. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Rand Man]

I like the Chapstick idea. Whenever I try to wipe off excess paint with something like urethane reducer, I'll likely mess it up.

[Paul]

I painted a pair with black wrinkle not too long ago,

and cleaned the fins with sand paper for a brushed look.

they looked great till I got brake fluid on them..

if you want to remove paint from your valve covers without harming the aluminum

try brake fluid, it actually works quite well http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Paul

[REVEREND JAKE]

I've done the thinner thing. But I have also used a buffer to buff off the tops to expose the fins. Works well, especially if your covers are chrome or polished.

I will say, you should etch your covers. The paint doesn't like to stick to unprepped surfaces for very long. I just stripped an oil pan on the car that wasn't prepped. The paint just flicked off and I blew off the rest that I couldn't reach.

Reverend Jake

['Flyin' Dutchman']

[ QUOTE ]
tape off the outside that you don't want painted and just spray away then with some fine sandpaper sand off the tops of the fins to reveal the aluminum again

[/ QUOTE ]


That's kinda how I did it...

Here are mine:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/75hotrodder/valve_covers_2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/75hotrodder/valve_covers.jpg

[FRITZ]

Petejoe<
hey thanks, I tried to serch for an old post on the subject but didnt come up with anything. I think im good to go now.
Thanks
FRITZ

[Baron Von Mike]

I just finished mine using Vasoline on the ridge tops. Just used my finger to wipe a small amount of Vasoline on each ridge.

I cleaned my aluminum heads by using solvent and a wire brush. I just shot the black right on without primer. Wiped the paint off the top of each ridge with a wire wheel on a drill.

Since I used the wire wheel to take the paint off, I probably didn't need to bother with the Vasoline, but the stuff sure came off easily.

Mike

[Gas_Tires_Oil]

Bump - here's a thread worth bringing BTTT! Just used this trick again recently.

[alvisoroadsters]

I used masking paper & tape on the sides,used a exacto knife on the ends
between the fins & on the eldebrock.used some blue fine line tape on the tops of the fins themselves.after you paint & pull the paper, take a q tip with a little thinner to sharpen up the line edges & dial in the lettering

[Ford Freak]

I masked off the fins with some pinstriping tape. 3/16ths, I think it was. Took some time, but came out great.

[langy]

I tape off what i can first then put on 2 light coats of Epoxy primer, Then wipe with thinner, Then the colour and lacquer, wipe with thinner again. I don't use a rag but use paper towel.
Using thinner will give a much nicer edge.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/stevelangylang/Flakevalvecover2.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/stevelangylang/FlakeValleyCover2.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/stevelangylang/FlakeOilFilter1.jpg

[MIKE47]

Scuff between the fins. Then polish the top of the fins. Clean well with thinner to get all the polish crap off. Tape off the tops with blue fineline tape. tape off surrounding area. Light primer. Then paint. Less chance of f'n up the paint trying to polish later.

[theHIGHLANDER]

This is really an easy task. Tape the big areas, wipe the small ones like the fins. The best way to wipe with solvents is to stretch a rag or a piece of leather over a flat block and dampen with the solvent you need. Simply "erase" the paint off you want removed. The only secret is to not soak whatever you put the solvent on. For adhesion, there's only certain self etch products that work for aluminum, usually the clear goldish looking stuff from PPG. Alway use light conservative coats. Painted parts like this peel easier the thicker the coating gets.

[thewildturkey46]

I scuffed the valleys real good, masked them off, primed with DP90,***** the first time I did not prime them and they flaked off before I got them on the car ( about 3 months)****** I used single stage Omni for the color. I think the real key is the primer.

[gbones32coupe]

just paint them cause the primer will show on edges I painted mine then sanded the paint off the fins that way I was able to get good strait lines.

I have pics of it here............ http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=152266 (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152266)

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff28/gbones32coupe/IMG_2124.jpg http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff28/gbones32coupe/coupeandmustang018-1.jpg

[marvbarrish]

I would definitly recommend using SEM acid etching primer before painting. Comes in a spray can and I just mist it on and paint my first coat of paint before the primer dries. This method really bites into the metal and holds real well. Scuffing the areas to be painted with a scuff pad is also highly recommended.

[KATFISH]

I just painted a paif chromed Cal Custom jobbies. I scuffed up the valleys real good with a scotchbrite pad. I did mine in candy apple red over a silver base. I didn't use any primer. I used Dupli Color lacquer spray bombs. I used acetone on a rag to remove the paint on the fins.
They came out great, I hope they stand up to the heat and chemicals. Time will tell.

I think this is the best method,I never use primer anymore for this because when you wipe away the excess there was allways a faint line of primer showing at the edge.

[Irish Dan]

I used Plasticote red on mine. I just taped off most of the valve cover, shot the paint, let it dry, then used 1000 steel wool to clean off any excess paint or overspray. It worked real well! Good Luck!

[Gasser 55]

Paint the whole thing then wipe it down with laquer thinner,paint stays where you can't wipe.

thats how i did it

[Chris Casny]

Same way you do car club plaques, mask the big areas you don't want paint on, spray, then wet sand the "high" spots, with like 320 paper, then 600, next 1000, 2000, last aluminum polish. You can stop at any time before hand, if you are not into the shiny look.

[safariknut]

Fritz:
Some time ago I had to do a mural on an aluminum horse trailer with 1-Shot.The sign painter who had sub-contracted the job to me recommended scuffing the surface thoroughly and then applying a special etching primer.This stuff was a transparent purple and dried really fast.Smelled like lacquer.You had to paint over it within 6 hours or the paint wouldn't adhere.
I'll see if I can find out what the name of it was;the sign guy is out of business now and I haven't seen him in awhile.

[Lugnut II]

I always wipe with vinegar, let it dry. Next tape off ends, and sides. Then spray paint fins,raised letters. Then let dry, wipe the top of fins etc. Using soft cloth with acetone. Works great.

[RustyBolts]

I used "Bulldog Primer" first on the clean aluminum, then painted them, then wiped off the tops of the fins with a paper towel with lacquer thinner after each coat of paint. I masked everything else. Bulldog Primer sticks great to aluminum.

[Fullblast]

I used hardened alk enamal that I just brushed in the fins. Wiped out first with brake clean. Has held up for over 5 years and is not comming off.

[fordhaulers]

I painted my hubcaps by masking off the biggest part of the cap. Then painted the ford lettering. After it dried used a rag wrapped around a paint stick sligthly dampened with thinner. Takes a couple of times but does a nice job.

[desoto]

<a href="http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2245002590028908655PfhLDg"><img src="http://thumb15.webshots.net/t/63/463/0/2/59/2245002590028908655PfhLDg_th.jpg" alt="DSC_0261"></a>

This cover has been on the engine for quite a few years and it needs buffing pretty badly by now but it was painted by taping off the tops and carefully trimming the tape with a sharp, single-edged razor blade.

I've painted 40 or 50 pairs of valve covers using the "tape on the top of the fins" method and prefer it over the "drool down the edge sime coating" method. (which I gave up on years ago when the thinners attacked the top coating and made it run down the fins)

yea, the heads are off to get the improperly-sized, (they were oval) NEW last spring, valve guides replaced. 7-1/4 gallons of oil went down the guides lasdt summer. Yea, GALLONS.

[BBobb]

I just finished up an older set of cals.I took them home one night grabbed a role of blue 3-m tape then applied it to the top of the finns pressed down has firm has i could Then i took a hair drier and heated the tape up let it cool off then used a strait edge razor to trim out the fins sprayed them out with rust olem and let that dry next day pulled the tape BAMMM they look great

[primed34]

I masked off the main areas, painted the fins with hi temp engine paint, then cleaned the top of the fins with laquer thinner before the paint dries. Never had a problem with the paint coming off, but it will fade after a few years.

[AlbuqF-1]

I saw on an Mercedes-Benz site of all places an article on re-painting the centers of their hubcaps (stainless with painted center, but the three-pointed star is to be left SS). The "official" way to do it there is to use some stuff called Art Gummi. It's a latex product that you paint on what you want to mask, let dry, paint over it, then peel the stuff off. Haven't tried it yet but it sounds like a good idea. It is sold in art supply stores.

[HOTRODPRIMER]

I just cleaned the valve cover and brushed the paint on,,,let it tack and used a paper towel soaked in lacquer thinner to remove the overlap on the fins,, HRP

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/tinkerbb/Picture015.jpg

[Gas_Tires_Oil]

Looks great HRP!