Masking Tires for Paint

I am getting ready to begin spraying my m35. I have everything taped off execpt the tires. Is there an easy way to mask them off? I am having one hell of a time .

Tom

Body supplies places do offer these rolls of paper that are about maybe 6" tall that have tape on one end and as you unroll, the tape is ready to be applied. Think of a roll of toilet paper with tape on one end.

They work really well. It's easy to shape it to conform to the curvature as needed, then you can apply some sheets of newspaper over that and tape as needed.

Thanks Clinto,

The newspaper route is killing me.

I found it easier to paint the wheels with a brush.

TKLM539: What color are you painting your truck? If you are painting it either 383 CARC or 3 color camo, just paint the rims black and don't worry about a bit of overspray. The military does it all of the time. I've had numerous trucks painted...you can't see a bit of overspray on the tires.

About 75% dish-washing liquid and 25% water mix: brush onto the tires and allow to dry for a few minutes. Paint wheels and when the paint is dry, wash off tires. The paint won't stick to soap and they'll clean right up.

Spray Pam the tires
or I went to homedepot and bought a 6" wide sheet of thin duct/flashing sheetmetal and had someone hold/cup it around the wheel bead while I painted the rim

When I use a rattle can to paint a wheel and tire assembly I make a hand held cardboard shield that will cover approx 1/3 of the diameter area where the tire mates to the wheel. This is easier to do with the wheel & tire laying flat on the floor but can also be done with the assembly mounted on the hub.

Simply lay the piece of cardboard on the wheel and use a hammer to peck away the cardboard at the outer area on the wheel like you would do if you were pecking out a gasket. You don't have to peck at the wheel very hard to either mark or cut the cardboard.

If you size the cardboard shield so it covers about 1/3 of the area where the tire meets the wheel you can hold the cardboard snug against the tire with one hand and paint the wheel with the other. simply move the cardboard shield around the tire/wheel as you paint.

I hope this makes sense and works for you. It's worked for me.

I was just going to post this subject after finishing painting my 10 new tire and wheels that I got for my deuce. Luckily mine are not on the truck yet which helped make it a little easier. I used the pam spray and it worked great. I made a quick cardboard cut out of the rim and layed it over the rim and then sprayed a healthy coat of pam around the tires. Sprayed the paint and flipped them over and repeted the process. Once the paint was dry you could see it start to lift up off the tires. A quick wipe of one showed that the paint and pam just wiped away easily. Tomorrow I plan to hit them with the hose to see if that is enough to just wash the paint and pam right off.

Jones said:

About 75% dish-washing liquid and 25% water mix: brush onto the tires and allow to dry for a few minutes. Paint wheels and when the paint is dry, wash off tires. The paint won't stick to soap and they'll clean right up.

Click to expand...

Hey now there's a great one for the tips and tricks book.

In the hot rodder world after spending hours cleaning the spokes on wire wheels we'd spray
Adorn Hair Spray on them. When you wash the car the water based hair spray would wash off leaving beautifully clean wires, dry and repeat with the hair spray.

Haven't seen a Deuce with wires lately though........................ unless someone like Clinto Photoshop's one.

Thanks for the kind words. I first saw the trick used when I was working for the S.P.R.R. Auto mfrs. would do that to new cars before they loaded them for transport by rail. Then when the cars get to where they're going, the car lot detail guys wash the cars and any road grime, locomotive exhaust soot, bird stuff, etc. hoses right off.

I cover the whole assy when painting the truck with pink bed sheets I bought at PNSY a few years ago... then I borrow the wheel sheilds in various diameters from a local body shop to shoot the wheels... But you all must remember wht the tires looked like when you got em from the military.... to be original the tires have to have a bunch of overspray in many colors on them....other than that in combat class get points off... even new from the factory... touch up was on the tires...

I just painted the tires black when i was done. I know it sounds crazy but they stay shiney for weeks. When you get them dirty just hose them off and they look like they have armor all on them.

Bill W said:

Spray Pam the tires
or I went to homedepot and bought a 6" wide sheet of thin duct/flashing sheetmetal and had someone hold/cup it around the wheel bead while I painted the rim

Click to expand...

This is the best way and does a perfect clean job. Do it all the time however, it is easier when you have a second pair of hans. No tape, no hassle, and looks the best. plus you can keep re-using the flashing.

The sheet metal strip is by far the best way I found to do it. If you do not have new tires just spray the rims the color you want them stick the sheet metal arond the rim in the grove and spay the over spay over with flat black. In all actuallity you give the tire some UV protection while your at it. looks good an is really easy.

The sheet metal ring works great. I have also used an old scrap of lenoleum. Anything, that is stiff enough to hold its shape. On little stuff, smooth a coat of grease on it. After a couple of days, the paint is dry, and the grease will blast off with a pressure washer (be careful), or maybe even a hose.

Lee in Alaska