Hubcap painting mask

[AudioGuy]

I was thinking that many of us paint our hupcaps and it is always a pain to do it correctly and timely.  Unfortunately Mercedes no longer sells the hubcap mask.  If we can find an original tooling, it may not be too difficult to have it cad cam and make several sets.  Would anyone be interested in a group purchase, that is if we can find an original for the model?

[IXLR8]

Benzrestorer has the center star mask,new, in plastic for $49 on eBay.

Joe

[mdsalemi]

When the wheel covers are painted by professionals, the masking of same does not seem to be an issue at all.  I had 8 wheel covers painted (4 of mine and 4 of Tom Rose) some years ago locally, and a "replacement" 2 years ago.  They were different shops, neither batted an eyelash.  I mentioned the mask and the second place knew about it and said no, he'd prefer to mask himself.  It was a non-issue.

Prep, masking and painting ran about $40-50 a wheel cover.

If you are doing it yourself that's another story.

[stickandrudderman]

Well, if you want 100% originality, you'll have to use the original mask. Close examination of an original trim usually reveals a slightly softer edge to the colour then the hard masking gives.  You could try the trick of folding your masking tape along the edge to try and replicate the slightly elevated position of the original mask but this would be very tricky to do properly.
The difference is a tiny detail that most won't notice.

[mdsalemi]

You are only 100% original once.  If you replace, or repaint a wheel cover, it is, and you are no longer, original.

If the painter wants to mask by hand or using the variety of tools out there available to him, that's what I let him do.  The two painters I specifically used wanted nothing to do with that mask with which they were familiar with.

[Ulf]

I'm very clumsy and usually not very good at delicate work, but yet I managed to mask and paint my hubcaps myself using the slightly bendier blue masking tape and a scalpel - it took me roughly 2 hours doing all 4... :-)

[perry113]

The mask does not work well. Frankly, there boat anchors that float.
First off, you have to prime each cap first (otherwise your paint will fall off).
Try priming each cap with the masking tool (removing the mask from each cap to the next).
Now the hard part, when your ready to apply color try getting the mask on again exactly over the primed surrounds. Guess what it doesn't work.
I used fine line masking tape. Its flexible and it bends easily. You can also do what others have done by using masking tape and a scapel.
My 2 cents.
Good luck with the caps.
Peter

[49er]

  I don't need to paint mine but wondering if anyone has tried using a Frisket for this job. Back in my model railroading days it was a very useful method of masking.

John

[dseretakis]

The mask does not work well. Frankly, there boat anchors that float.
First off, you have to prime each cap first (otherwise your paint will fall off).
Try priming each cap with the masking tool (removing the mask from each cap to the next).
Now the hard part, when your ready to apply color try getting the mask on again exactly over the primed surrounds. Guess what it doesn't work.
I used fine line masking tape. Its flexible and it bends easily. You can also do what others have done by using masking tape and a scapel.
My 2 cents.
Good luck with the caps.
Peter

It's true that the paint will adhere better with primer but it is my impression that the factory did not prime the wheels prior to painting. I have never used the masking tool but there is no doubt that using the proper tool sans primer is the only way to get the correct, original look. For a driver it doesn't matter what you do but for a show car you definitely need the proper tool.

[dseretakis]

You are only 100% original once.  If you replace, or repaint a wheel cover, it is, and you are no longer, original.

True that the car is original once but that doesn't mean that we should not strive to achieve as close to original results as we have the means to do.

[mdsalemi]

  I don't need to paint mine but wondering if anyone has tried using a Frisket for this job. Back in my model railroading days it was a very useful method of masking.

John

John, I saw 2 means employed on my wheel covers from different painters.  One used a paint-on "frisket" as you say (not a sheet); the other used painter's masking tape(s).  After painting the frisket pulled off.  They don't let the paint dry very long before removing the masking--too easy to pull up your paint job!

[wwheeler]

I don't know if this has been discussed before but, painting on chrome or other very smooth metal surfaces usually requires an adhesion promoter and not regular primer. Most promoters I have seen are clear and spray on very thin. The thin part is good because you don't want a high build level at the tape line. Because it is clear, you won't see it if the paint coat doesn't line up perfectly. The brand "Bulldog" comes to mind but it has more orange peel than I would like. Most good auto paint shops have adhesion promoters available.