Painting boat name

[richardh10]

Instead of using vinyl lettering, I am thinking of painting the name on my boat using a stencil. My question is this. When I have used masking tape previously, I have always removed it before the paint dries, but in this situation, I am going to have to use an undercoat first, so will it be ok to leave the stencil in place before I put the topcoat on?

Any thoughts welcome.

Cheers

 

[Seajet]

I've read of people using talcum powder along the edges of masking tape and / or stencils to prevent the paint creeping underneath, but don't do enough of that sort of painting - or the memory - to have tried it myself.

 

[savageseadog]

Any thoughts ............

Cheers

Why bother?

 

[richardh10]

Why bother?

I was under the impression that you had to have the name of the boat on it. Is this not so?

 

[Tempus]

I was under the impression that you had to have the name of the boat on it. Is this not so?

I think the question was "why bother with painting". Vinyl lettering is cheap, looks great, allows complete font and colour control

Painting will be hard, look much worse, difficult to remove if/when you mess it up.....

Have a look here - names seem to be about £15.
http://www.funkymonkeyboatnames.co.uk/

So why bother painting?

 

[cryan]

The way to do it is to print out the lettering you want on paper then you take a pin and perforate the edges of the lettering. You they tape the paper in the correct position and rub chalk dust or graphite dust over all the holes. You then remove the paper and you will find an outline. You then get yourself some pinstripe brushes and a steady stick and go over the outline and fill in the letters. You won't get it right first time and vinyl letters are certainly easier.

 

[single]

You can use a vinyl template/stencil and quick drying primer then paint then remove stencil. As said vinyl letters are easier unless its a rough surface?

 

[richardh10]

Hmmm. Thanks all. I think it's one of those situations where I'm making things more complicated than they need to be. Vinyl lettering it is!

Cheers

 

[maby]

We tried painting through a stencil on our first boat and it was very difficult to avoid paint creep.

 

[Blueboatman]

The name is painted on my 'ansom transom.

I re-did it from a scaffold plank using computer printed letters from which I pencilled the outline onto the grp and some wee brushes from an art shop. Undercoat, yacht gloss.And a bit of a shadow line too..

Takes time but curiously satisfying too. Think sunny morning and a cuppa and no rush, it will really look the biz.

I agree most people just go for vinyl, to each their own.

 

[richardh10]

The name is painted on my 'ansom transom.

I re-did it from a scaffold plank using computer printed letters from which I pencilled the outline onto the grp and some wee brushes from an art shop. Undercoat, yacht gloss.And a bit of a shadow line too..

Takes time but curiously satisfying too. Think sunny morning and a cuppa and no rush, it will really look the biz.

I agree most people just go for vinyl, to each their own.

Damn you blueboatman! Just when I had made up my mind you sow the seeds of doubt again.

And it could be sunny this weekend

I think the stencil idea is a non starter though

Cheers

 

[single]

Stencil is ok for spray.

 

[maby]

Stencil is ok for spray.

We still got some paint bleed - the paint does not dry instantly and you inevitably get some build up along the edge of the stencil.

 

[single]

We still got some paint bleed - the paint does not dry instantly and you inevitably get some build up along the edge of the stencil.

Maybe wrong paint or type of stencil then.

 

[cryan]

To avoid paint creep with masking tape get a tin of clear enamel varnish for models(humbrol etc). Then with a brush seal the edge of the masking tape. When you paint over you will get a perfect line with no seepage.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Definitely vinyl. Try www.stickair.com
They have a tutorial video on their website.
Just a satisfied customer

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

We still got some paint bleed - the paint does not dry instantly and you inevitably get some build up along the edge of the stencil.

One can usually succeed in avoiding that by starting with the hull colour. If this bleeds under the stencil it will usually prevent the succeeding colours from following them.

Re stencils: Use PVC packing tape, applying overlapping strips to cover the area. Draw the name on it with a permanent marker and then, very carefully, cut out the letters with a sharp craft knife and remove them. Rub down the cut edges (using a teaspoon or similar). Proceed with the paint using spray or soft artist quality brushes.

 

[Breizh]

Having been a sign writer/maker in the past, and have sign written more boats than I care to remember, forget paint, go with vinyl, preferably cast. There are 2 main types of vinyl, cast & calendared. Cast is much softer and lasts way longer and slightly more expensive, calendared is thicker and not as pliable.

Remember when you are painting onto a gelcoat finish, it will need to be on a keyed surface otherwise it will flake off after a short while. Also the paint may react with the gelcoat finish too. Also painted names usually come off way sooner than vinyl. But if you do actually want to paint it, then you would need a china-graph pencil to draw the letters outlines and use car striping as the straight lines for the base of your letters, and straight edges. That doesn't bleed. If you can't draw the lettering with the china-graph pencil, believe me you won't be able to paint them!

You can have dropped shadows in vinyl too, in any font style & almost any colour. In the end I only ever did vinyl lettering on anything, no point in painting any more, and when done badly they look awful and ruin the finish of any boat, as it will be the first thing you will see every time you look at it.

Breizh

 

[alan_d]

Giles cartoon:

 

[Seajet]

I always use SAC Graphics, they're very good on both quality and quick results . No connection etc.