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| Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=22324 |
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| Author: | radsboy [ Sun May 10, 2009 7:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
The tape is quite embedded in the finish - which is brushed on varnish - Should I carefully slice around it? I am afraid of going thru into the top. But I am also afraid if I try to just pull it off it will lift the finish outside the bridge outline. As always, I appreciate the helpful answers I have been getting here, thanks a lot! David |
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| Author: | Mark A Thorpe [ Sun May 10, 2009 7:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
I always score it lightly close to the tape edge and then remove it slowly. You don't want to pull it up without scoring it. |
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| Author: | Andy Birko [ Sun May 10, 2009 8:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
So far, I've not had to score all the way through the finish - that guarantees you don't cut into the top. Be careful while lifting, and perhaps use something to hold the finish down by the tape like a thin steel ruler or something. |
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| Author: | Alan Carruth [ Sun May 10, 2009 10:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
The tape should cover an area smaller than the bridge, of course. Use a SHARP knife to just score the finish. This is especially important on cedar and redwood tops; woods that have low splitting resistance themselves. We saw the bridge come off a Lowden in the shop with 100% wood shear. The glue line did not fail; the cut around the back edge went into the top wood, and the bridge simply peeled up. My partner and I decided that whoever was doing the bridge scribing had probably put a new blade in their knife, and was not calibrated to the sharper edge, so they cut too deeply. Thus the advice to always use a fresh blade for this. |
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| Author: | TonyKarol [ Sun May 10, 2009 11:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
One reason why I route the finish off now.. using the die grinder that John hall and Dave Nichols sell .... its simply too easy. |
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| Author: | David Newton [ Sun May 10, 2009 4:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
Having had a nick in the finish from pulling tape even after scoring, I would rather not mask and just scrape the finish off. I have a dedicated chisel with a hooked edge, like a card scraper. |
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| Author: | joe white [ Sun May 10, 2009 5:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
You shouldn't have to score the finish in order to remove a bridge mask unless you are having adhesion problems and if you are having adhesion problems they should be addressed/worked out before moving forward. That said, I use an exacto knife to catch the very corner of a mask and then grab the corner with tweezers and peel the mask. |
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| Author: | Dave_E [ Sun May 10, 2009 6:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
I concure with those who remove the finish after all is done. But I think either way, you have pro's and con's. Dave |
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| Author: | Mark Groza [ Sun May 10, 2009 7:32 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
I sand the finish down somewhat on top of the masking tape, then i score lightly and remove the mask without peeling the finish up. It comes up easier without damage when made thinner that way. |
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| Author: | Chris Paulick [ Mon May 11, 2009 3:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Removing masking tape from bridge location after finishing |
This might be over kill but I just finished my bridge and what I did was to make a vacuum locating clamp. I goes around 3 sides of my bridge and using my centerline finder I locate the bridge and turn on the vacuum and set the clamp. Then I remove the bridge and put the front piece on the clamp in place and then score the line and scrape the finish with a flat point exacto blade. This bridge is already glued on but you get the idea of haow it works. I like Tony's idea and may route the finish off next time and use the clamp as the router template. This clamp also allowed me to put two small pieces of a staple in the bridge and press it down to the top to give me a location point when gluing it on so it doesn slip on me. It's a pinless bridge and there aren't any pin hole to help set the bridge. I glued the bridge in place with the clamp on and then removed the clamp and put the vacuum clamp on it. |
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