Correct way to pull up masking after V carve

[nick]

I am making Vcarved signs. I paint the basecoat, mask, rout, paint Vcarved area and remove my mask.

Currently, I am using a Exacto knife to weed out the ID cutout.

On occasion, I tear the paint from the knife...Not to often, but often enough to look for a better method / tool.

What is the tool of choice for weeding out ID cutouts in letters?

Thanks,

Nick

[jhicks]

Nick, a trick I learned from Dale Kerr at a Jamboree a few years bck was to paint the panel, mask before cutting, then apply a coat of good paste wax to the vinyl mask and let it dry 10 or 15 minutes.
Now cut the V carve artwork, then prime paint the interior raw stock and let cure.
When done, lightly sand over the mask to break away the mask/paint from the paint on the top surface from the paint in the well of the V carved letters.
The wax prevents the paint from sticking to the mask at the surface edges.
Once done, the mask can easily be removed.
I can lift the mask by simply forcing it to move away from the painted surtface with my finger nail and you wont pull the paint from the interior well of the V font with it.

[joe]

Tweesers

[harryball]

I'ved used a needle when tweesers didn't work. I just poked through and pealed up. Not enough damage to the workpeice to notice but I suppose you could touch up with an artists brush if you were very picky or it was going outside etc...

/RB

[kerrazy]

Hey Nick,
A valuable piece of info Jerry missed, is to fill the carved areas with a thin coat, just one of the original panel colour just to ensure all your edges are sealed. Then Prime and paint.
I use a #11 exacto knife and pick the edge of the mask. In the event of a break through into the paint, it just takes a quick dab with the wood end of a lettering or artist brush.
BTW, Jerry must have written all my stuff down, as that is very good recall of info

Dale

[jhicks]

Hey Dale, as they say, first impressions are lasting and you were the one who inspired me to get into sign making. Not sure if I should thank you or curse you but we're still pluggin away and have learned a lot since that Jamboree way back then.
Glad to see you active and engaged.

[kerrazy]

Still grinding away myself after a 2 year hiatus from the production side to work with the good folks at CADlink, but have recently signed on with a Sign company here in Ottawa as Fabrication Manager. It sure feels good to get back on a shopbot.
D

[sebago_signworks]

Dale,

How do you like Cadlinks carving software, call me if you wish to anwser 1-800-490-2181....ohhhhhh, I almost hit a drunk guy in Clarion with my test truck, darn these square steering wheels! (Dale will understand!)