# Why do you tape up the car?



## Luke667 (Jun 22, 2006)

When you machine polish, why is it necessary to tape up headlights, glass and trim?


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## Dank84 (Feb 10, 2006)

I usually tape up rubber/plastic trim to stop the polish or product from marking/discolouring it. I also use it on panel gaps or lights etc sometimes so that polish doesnt get between the gaps and then when i wipe down pull polish back over the paint in huge lumps.


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## james_RScos (Mar 13, 2006)

Ye just to protect seals and trims from the pad if you catch them with the pad you can dicolour them and burn plastics. so if your plastic trims are textured you can take the texture off.

and if you get polish on trims its hard to get off if untreated instantly.

as has been said its good for stopping compound and polish getting in gaps saves alot of cleaning.


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## mattm (Jun 1, 2007)

I guess that if using a Rotary/PC at high speed near panel edges/gaps, taping over the panel gaps also helps prevent taking off too much paint and going through to the primer.


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## Timmo (Mar 21, 2006)

the only bits i mask up are the trim sections if not colour coded and any visable rubberness, basically anything that can stain with compound! you know how difficult it is to remove normal polish off of trims, try removing whats been put on at 800-1000rpm!!! 15 mins taping up saves a lot of grief that way!
i dont and never have bothered with taping panel gaps and tbh its a bit of a waste of time! if your cleaning the car propeerly your going to do the panel gaps anyways!! and unless your considerably stupid your not going to burn through the edges!
and believe it or not, you DONT need to use 3m blue tape! normal std masking tape is fine! 3m actually make a low tack beige tape which is significantly cheaper than the blue! (the blue is the cool detailers tape though! )


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## L200 Steve (Oct 25, 2005)

Headlights and tail lights - I normally mask these if they sit proud of a panel edge. Even though I tend to polish out most light lenses as part of a detail, I prefer to do this in my own time as a individual task, rather than at the same time as the paint correction, and with a dedicated pad.

The rubber trim around windows etc - Again, if there is chance that the buffer may catch the trim whilst polishing, it gets masked. By being able to run the buffer over the masking tape, it makes the job of polishing right to the edge of a panel so much easier. It's not too hard to buffer burn some rubber trim, and the masking makes it easier.

The window seals at the bottom of each window - This stops any dust from getting into the gap between the glass and the seal, making clean up easier.

Any plastic trim - Some of the polishes stain trim badly, rather spend 15 minutes masking, than 45 minutes cleaning trim.

The blue 3m 3434 masking tape seems to stick better to the various car parts than certain other tapes that I have tried. I also deals well if the car is still slightly damp. It cleans off without reacting with the Menzerna polishes (which certain other tapes react badly to) and handles being polished over without pulling away.

It looks nice too:thumb: :thumb:


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## megaboost (Feb 4, 2007)

Pfft! It's all about the "tron effect" - any talk of protecting trim is just smoke and mirrors 

Nice picture though, that's a very sexy looking car, quite possibly the nicest I've seen this week.


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## PETER @ ECLIPSE (Apr 19, 2006)

dont like the alloys :waver the spoiler


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## Averroes (Dec 30, 2007)

That spoiler is standard and the wheels if im not mistaken are from a GS300


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## megaboost (Feb 4, 2007)

Averroes said:


> That spoiler is standard and the wheels if im not mistaken are from a GS300


Ignore him, he has spoiler envy and the same wheels 

Yes, standard spoiler and the wheels are the same as the ones found on the GS300 Sport, optional wider rears and "Toyota Team Europe" branded rather than Lexus (but made by Borbet I think), a good quality single piece forged wheel that doesn't weigh as much as a small house.


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## PETER @ ECLIPSE (Apr 19, 2006)

have we got a smilie with a hook and line lol:lol:


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## rapidseven (Apr 26, 2007)

imho, its a waste of time, money and preperation, well it is if your proficient with the machine.

For the inexperienced just starting, yes by all means. But for the experienced, pointless.


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## Paul-T (Nov 2, 2006)

I don't agree with that. I don't use very much tape, in fact I'd prefer not to use it where possible. But there are certain situations where its much better to use it. For example, Aston Vantage Roadster has a grained rubbery plastic trim around the bottom edge of the roof where it meets the body. In order to effectively polish right up to it, the edge of the pad will inevitably touch it. At best it creates dust that sprays all over, but its going to leave polish on the trim, and potentially on the hood material which would just be a nightmare. So easier to tape it and be done with it.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

^^ As above, some cars are "over-taped", but its not a waste of time of "for the inexperiences" to tape up things like grey plastic trim that can be a ball ache to remove polish stains from... Chances of catching the pad on them are high when you are cutting right the way up to the edge, you dont want to leave swirls at edges to avoid staining trim, so I tape them up to avoid having to spend ages with trim detailer removing polish stains.

I will also use masking tape after taking paint reading and inspecting a car... if there's areas that cause concern, I mark them with a little tape... very thin spots for example, so keep the machine off them and deal with them differently later...

Its a personal preference thing in many ways, but the tape does come in very useful indeed - especially grainy trim and highlighting thin spots which is why I use it. 

Just to re-emphasise what Timmo has said earlier - 3M do a low tack version of the tape, its beige, and I prefer this to the blue tape personally... haven't had any problems with machine removing the tape, seems to stick perfectly well but removes with less force which feels safer to me - have seen an example of the 3M blue tape removing clearcoat once before, and that was enough to put me off of using it. That, and the beige tape is much better value for money for something that works just as effectively for me.


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## never ready (Dec 12, 2007)

Taping up cars is nothing new, Automan was at it back in the 80's
Pimpin' his Lambo


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## Affection to Detail (Jul 6, 2006)

rapidseven said:


> imho, its a waste of time, money and preperation, well it is if your proficient with the machine.
> 
> For the inexperienced just starting, yes by all means. But for the experienced, pointless.


Sorry make that 3. You wont find anyone that can polish right up to the edge of a piece of rubber or plastic trim without touching it. I wouldn't fancy burning any on a super car either as you'll soon find the cost of the work won't cover the replacement part.


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## xyber (Jan 4, 2008)

Yeah it saves time and grief, but for some reason I really like doing it aswell??? especially when you get good at it


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## Onibas (Nov 27, 2007)

Hello!
And with badges? Pointless or depending on the situation?


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## kk1966 (Aug 8, 2007)

Onibas said:


> Hello!
> And with badges? Pointless or depending on the situation?


Personally i will take the 'depending on the situation' option.

Example: 
BMW: Bonnet and boot circulars...I dont bother taping these up as i usually run the polisher over them anyway. But the 320, 745's etc i do as a) you will rip a foam head edge apart on them or b) you will rip them off.

Porsche: Tape them all up as they catch and i'll admit to having replaced a couple of the 'S' badges at my cost


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## rapidseven (Apr 26, 2007)

Maybe I should have explained myswelf better, as sometimes I do mask certain area's. I was just refering to the extreme that ive seen some members on here go to, thats what I was refering to as pointless :thumb: 

Detailing Aston Martins or supercar's is definately in favour of the minority on here and in real life, most of us work on sheds to make a wage. I would probably use tape on expensive cars, or in circumstances where common sense tells me to use it on any vehicle.

Hope that makes more sense, sorry guys.


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## Luke667 (Jun 22, 2006)

rapidseven said:


> Maybe I should have explained myswelf better, as sometimes I do mask certain area's.* I was just refering to the extreme that ive seen some members on here go to, thats what I was refering to as pointless :thumb: *
> Detailing Aston Martins or supercar's is definately in favour of the minority on here and in real life, most of us work on sheds to make a wage. I would probably use tape on expensive cars, or in circumstances where common sense tells me to use it on any vehicle.
> 
> Hope that makes more sense, sorry guys.


such as?


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## Affection to Detail (Jul 6, 2006)

I would assume those with sheds wouldn't pay £3-£600 to have their cars sorted either though


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## rapidseven (Apr 26, 2007)

Each to there own guys anyway, if you want to mask up the entire car covering every single little apature, then so be it.

Just my opinion, no offence to anyone who takes care and time masking.

cheers


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