Masking tape recommendations

J

Joe 73

OK, its getting quiet around here, so here's a question.
From what I've been reading, the most common recommended masking tapes are ( not in any specific order)

3M Yellow 6652
3M highland (dont have a part number)
3M 233 (old model but still good stuff)
American Tape PG-27
Hystik Purple

and Auto Graphix by TCP Global

The tape would be used for general masking. I have to purchase some tape and just wondered what you guys were using. If you have any additional tapes please supply the part number so its easy to locate the correct one.

Hows the list look??
 
I use the 3m green tape for important stuff and yellow for not so important stuff the green wont bleed like the yellow, and anytime your taping a stripe or flush mounted part (like door locks) use 3m blue fine line
 
I'm in the green 3M camp (thanks again to Jim C). It's sticky enough to stay put, but doesn't leave much if any residue (and the little it might comes right off) but durable enough to come off in one piece. Nothing wastes more time that pulling cheap tape off in little pieces.. That alone makes the extra cost worth it. Never had good luck with the blue painters tape, just doesn't stick good enough for me.
 
BTW when I said blue tape I meant the vinyl stuff not the cheap blue paper tape
 
I cant stand that Green tape. It never tears right for me. Last year I bought a couple rolls of 3M 2025 and I really liked it. I bought it at the hardware store for some not so important masking jobs. I don't think its for automotive painting but I liked it a lot compared to the green. I was hoping the yellow would be better but have not tried it. I'm almost out of the green.
 
i used to use green but moved to yellow a long time ago. i like it alot better. according to the 3m rep its the same exact adhesive as on the green just the paper is a little different. never had a bleeding issue with it. even with candies and most of those bleed like a sob. for the fineline, i never could stand the original blue stuff. the new purple stuff 3m is replacing it with, 471+ i think...that stuff is bad ass. great fineline tape. 3m also has some new stuff as of a year ago i guess. its a paper type of tape. here is a link.

http://3mcollision.com/products/masking/tapes-1/3m-precision-masking-tape-1-inch-06620.html

this stuff is really interesting. i had a 1/2 roll given to me which wasnt really enough to give a good test or anything but i did really like it. supposed to leave a sharper line than any of 3m's other tapes.
 
I like that 3M precision tape, I've been using it in 1/4" and didn't know they made it in wider versions. You can't make curves with it but it sure has a sharp edge and is very thin. Never cared for the thickness of the green tape. The 3M yellow works fine along with the original style 233. American PG27 works fine along with the hystick purple. I use Sherwin Williams for general masking, primer etc...and it's available in 4" at a decent price.
 
Jim I didn't realize they had a new purple fine line tape ill have to try all these out,always looking for something better
 
Bob, is that 3/4" stuff good for general masking as well? That looks like a great deal on Amazon. 12 rolls of 3/4" (60yd.) for $9.13 and free shipping.
 
yeah its priced in between the 233+ green an the yellow. tcp global has it for 4 bucks and change for the 3/4. they have it up to 2" i think

art...the purple fineline is night and day from the blue. its very much like electrical tape. less plastic like and more like rubber. it doesnt really shrink or pull back like the blue did. atleast not as bad.
 
Yea thats my biggest problem with the blue I always stretch it to far and it shrinks
 
I also started on the 3M green and some people here pushed me away to the yellow, and there's no going back to the green for me now. Painted a whole car and a horse trailer with the yellow and haven't had any bleed. In fact it still leaves a quite nice line, but bends and contours easier than green. I also don't think it's as sticky as the green.
 
I've never liked the 3m yellow. It doesn't like to stick imo, especially in colder conditions. Always found it wanted to lift back after you think you have it down. 3m green is better but I think they recently changed it (just a guess on my part) to be thinner which I don't particularly like. Still it sticks better than the yellow. Old 3m beige was the best all around tape imo.
 
Back
Top