Masking Tape

[evilwrx]

Those of you that masking tape off your car before polishing, what is the most common size that you would use? 1/2", 3/4" etc....

[Joshs2013MSAltimaSL]

I use 1". I know a lot of people will have various sizes depending on what they're taping off.

[wn1998]

when you tape, how do you polish the surface that is underneath the tape (ridges and along seems)?

[Joshs2013MSAltimaSL]

You only tape off sections that you don't want to polish such as around the edge of a tail light or around rubber moldings and emblems.

[Z06-Goose]

I keep both 1" and 1.5"
I use the wider one for emblems, and body side molding.
Around the windows on the doors if I'm using compound. Keeps the dust off the rubber seals.

Also, use the blue tape ideally. It has less adhesive transfer than the green masking tape

[zinc02gt]

I like the blue painters tape. I like the 1" and the 1.5". I've been using the 1.5" lately thoguh because it was free and I can cover 90% of the stuff with one strip of it.

[Wax Gorilla]

1" and 1 1/2"

[Wax Gorilla]

Try the Green Frog tape also I have found that it sticks well and removes easier with 100% residue free removal!

[TMD]

We're stocked with every size imaginable. Some moldings are just too skinny to waste 1" tape on.

[evilwrx]

when you tape, how do you polish the surface that is underneath the tape (ridges and along seems)?

This is a great question also. If you are using a rotary, a lot of detailers tape off the seams and high spots because that is where you can get burn through. Do you go back over these areas by hand?

It seems that 1" and 1.5" are the most common sizes used, but I can also see the advantages to having more sized than that for different needs.

[Joshs2013MSAltimaSL]

This is a great question also. If you are using a rotary, a lot of detailers tape off the seams and high spots because that is where you can get burn through. Do you go back over these areas by hand?

It seems that 1" and 1.5" are the most common sizes used, but I can also see the advantages to having more sized than that for different needs.

Ideally, if you're using a rotary on someone's car, you should be good enough that you won't burn the paint. Around edges etc, you just need to be more careful. This is coming from someone who has used a rotary before and burned paint so trust me, I know. Since then I've been able to practice on scrap pieces.

[wn1998]

Ideally, if you're using a rotary on someone's car, you should be good enough that you won't burn the paint. Around edges etc, you just need to be more careful. This is coming from someone who has used a rotary before and burned paint so trust me, I know. Since then I've been able to practice on scrap pieces.

When you watch the video's on you tube even the pros have a line of tape going vertically down the hood of the car (over the gap between the hood and fender).

If your using a rotary on a car, you should be good enough that you won't burn anything but I guess that is why they use the tape.

[Joshs2013MSAltimaSL]

When you watch the video's on you tube even the pros have a line of tape going vertically down the hood of the car (over the gap between the hood and fender).

If your using a rotary on a car, you should be good enough that you won't burn anything but I guess that is why they use the tape.

I have seen that...but most of the pros will not put tape on edges. Some do it on the cracks to keep the dust out...but you don't want to place tape on the paint and have that section not polished. It is true though that you have to be a little more careful around edges. I guess better safe than sorry. :)