Painting Plastics - Vinyl Melting - AARRGGHHH

[redgriff500]

Hoping someone can help...

I hate painting as it always goes wrong and this has not been an exception.

I want to spray some rear lights so they look like a later model which have circular lenses.

I cut circles out of "sticky back plastic" stuck them on the lights, painted - all good so far.

Then removed the circles (to reveal the original colour below) and all the glue has become an ultra thick sticky mess. I presume the paint has melted the plastic.

I thought it might be because I left the plastic on to long or because I left the paint on too long.

So I tried again - only a thin coat and immediately pulled it off - same result.

I couldn't remove the residue with anything less than nail polish or glue remover and both also removed some of the paint.

So I either need a different paint (unlikely) different covering material or a different remover.

I tried using a sticky foil tape but I couldn't cut the circles out cleanly I was wondering about using proper car graphics vinyl but I can't image the result would be much different.

I tried white spirit, meths and several other cleaners and they wouldn't remove the glue.

Any helpful suggestions ?

Thanks

[vincenz]

Petrol to clean off residue, or ebay for the later model year items.

[redgriff500]

vincenz said:

Petrol to clean off residue, or ebay for the later model year items.

Admittedly I didn't try petrol.

Very rare and they go for £150+ so it's worthwhile.

[snuffle]

use this to mask the edge line that you will paint upto,cover the rest with masking tape.
Pull out the fine line while paint is still tacky.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-06404-3mm-x33mtr-Fine...

[redgriff500]

snuffle said:

use this to mask the edge line that you will paint upto,cover the rest with masking tape.
Pull out the fine line while paint is still tacky.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-06404-3mm-x33mtr-Fine...

Thanks but I don't think that will work - the circles are only 75-90mm dia plus I'll still have to remove the glue on the rest.

Basically I need a sheet version of that or a 90mm wide roll.

[Captain Muppet]

redgriff500 said:

snuffle said:

use this to mask the edge line that you will paint upto,cover the rest with masking tape.
Pull out the fine line while paint is still tacky.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-06404-3mm-x33mtr-Fine...

Thanks but I don't think that will work - the circles are only 75-90mm dia plus I'll still have to remove the glue on the rest.

Basically I need a sheet version of that or a 90mm wide roll.

Stick masking tape on to a sheet of vinyl (overlapping strips if needed to get the right size), cut to shape, peel the masking tape off the yinyl, stick masking tape circle to thing than needs painting, paint, remove masking tape.

[TheTurbonator]

This thread is usless without pictures of the mess you've made

[redgriff500]

Captain Muppet said:

Stick masking tape on to a sheet of vinyl (overlapping strips if needed to get the right size), cut to shape, peel the masking tape off the yinyl, stick masking tape circle to thing than needs painting, paint, remove masking tape.

Cheers, now kicking myself that I didn't I think of that !

Albeit I'd prefer to use a single material as it's something I'd going to do regularly.

[redgriff500]

TheTurbonator said:

This thread is usless without pictures of the mess you've made

I did it a couple of times and the end result looks acceptable on the car but close up isn't to my standards (I'm a fussy swine)

I bought a spare set of lights as I suspected it might go wrong based on my usual success with paint.

[Captain Muppet]

redgriff500 said:

Captain Muppet said:

Stick masking tape on to a sheet of vinyl (overlapping strips if needed to get the right size), cut to shape, peel the masking tape off the yinyl, stick masking tape circle to thing than needs painting, paint, remove masking tape.

Cheers, now kicking myself that I didn't I think of that !

Albeit I'd prefer to use a single material as it's something I'd going to do regularly.

Peel the masking tape of your first light carefully and you can use it again.