Repainting Raised Name on Back of Truck Tailgate

Stovebolt Site Search ' Oh Lord, I just gotta find it.... Forum Statistics Forums60 Topics125,620 Posts1,014,672 Members45,286 Most Online1,229 Jan 21st, 2020 Image Posting Policy Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate? #1382225 Mon Oct 26 2020 03:56 AM I just finished shooting a coat of paint on the bomb before the winter hits after por15-ing some surface rust. Running out of daylight, i just painted over the tailgate CHEVROLET letters, which had been red before, even after i masked the whole center area around those letters last time i "painted" the truck. (the faded black paint left unpainted sort of made the red letters stand out, with new black on the rest of the gate. Anyway, I want to repaint the letters red to match the wheels and pinstripes. I want to spray it on, not brush it, but i need to figure out how to mask it off to do that. But i'm pretty sure just using light masking paper would let overspray in around the loose paper. Any body have any ideas how to accomplish this? Or is there a pre-made cut out for that? I used some thin masking paper the other day and 'etched' over the letters with a pencil, sort of like they do with tombstones to get the letters off of them. I figured I could try to cut them out and then transfer that to a heavier paper or light cardboard as a stencil. But with the raised letters I'm not sure how the edges would look. Anybody have any better ideas on how to mask off those letters on the tail gate? Thanks, Lee "When I rest, I rust" 1951 3100 5 window w/ '56 235 Re: Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate? Joined: May 2015 Posts: 4,586 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums I think some of the vendors have stick-on stencil material. That would make things a lot easier. You do know that on your truck, painted CHEVROLET letters were not stock, right? But go for it if that's what you like. [on edit] They sell decals, but you might be able to use them to paint the letters first, apply decals, paint the body color and then peel the decals off to reveal the lettering color underneath. [Another edit] I've made some window decals from a clear plastic static cling material. Possibly that could be used for stencils that would stick on the base coat after it's dried to keep the spray from getting underneath. I haven't tried using it for painting, but it might be worth looking at. Last edited by klhansen; Mon Oct 26 2020 04:49 AM. Kevin First car '29 Ford Special Coupe #2 - '29 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. Newest Project - 51 Chevy 3100 work truck. Photos [flickr.com] Busting rust since the mid-60's Re: Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate? Joined: Mar 2014 Posts: 2,570 'Bolter Mostly what is sold today are white stick-on "decals". These look ok when you apply them, but if you live where the summers are hot, you'll be better to cover the white decals / rest of the tailgate with a layer of clear catalyzed urethane. Once upon a time, an adhesive stencil sheet could be bought from GM, but that hasn't been available for 30 years or so. It was pretty neat. All you had to do was carefully apply it, mask around it and spray white or whatever color you wanted. Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 T5 with 3.07 rear end Re: Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate? Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,086 'Bolter I did it the way the coke cooler was done ,you just have to be careful taking the tape off as the paint will be thick on the tape in the low spot and can peel Off with the tape .I have yet to figure out if it is better to take tape off when paint is wet or to wait for it to dry both ways you have to be patient Re: Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate? Joined: Mar 2014 Posts: 2,570 'Bolter Just dawned on me that in a few weeks I'm getting a used computer-assisted cutter which is currently equipped with a router appliance and which can also accept a laser cutter. I wonder if a laser could cut the individual letters (from wide masking tape). Can't imagine why not. As for de-masking, all the paint I've used gives you a time when it is safe to remove masking tape and not risk edge bleed. Most catalyzed urethane I've used lately is 4 hour mask time, but on a breezy day with low humidity, you can lower that to 3 hours. Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 T5 with 3.07 rear end Re: Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate? Joined: May 2015 Posts: 4,586 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums I have a friend who has the equipment to do vinyl wraps (a printer that will also cut out shapes.) I think that would work to make a stencil for all the letters in one piece. Once painted the vinyl could be carefully peeled away. I'll have to talk with him. I don't plan on painting the letters on my tailgate, but we might be able to come up with a stencil for others to use. Kevin First car '29 Ford Special Coupe #2 - '29 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. Newest Project - 51 Chevy 3100 work truck. Photos [flickr.com] Busting rust since the mid-60's Re: Any tips on painting the letters on my tailgate? Joined: Nov 2014 Posts: 619 'Bolter Yeah, that's what I've been trying to locate. Either a stencil that would lay flat on the gate either magnetically or adhesion, so that no overspray could get around it and could then be easily removed. I went ahead and ordered some vinyl letters to fit, but I'd rather paint it. No worry about mismatched reds or the eventual fading and edge peeling of a decal. The roller idea is a possibility, too. But a stencil would be a time saver and give the ability to shoot the paint on, which would be smoother. Thanks, guys! "When I rest, I rust" 1951 3100 5 window w/ '56 235

Repainting Raised Name on Back of Truck Tailgate

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