Opinions on paint striping techniques

[Rob]

Ok...so should be shooting color next weekend on my RCR. Starting thinking about striping technique and decided to toss it out for opinions. For as long as I have been painting cars I always laid my base color then painted the stripes over the base color, then clear coat. After wet sanding it provides a perfectly smooth finish (i.e. no raised edge). However, I know there are others who lay their stripes first, then mask them off for color spraying. So.....looking for opinions ....who does which and why?

Thanks,
Rob

[Bill D]

Stripes first. Less masking

[MReid]

Rob,

I did exactly as you described (base coat then stripes). It was the best way for me given I applied a single main stripe in blue followed by red pin stripes on either side. If I was applying a single color, I would paint the stripe first and then base coat as it is faster with less masking required.

Base:



Look at all the masking required (masked for blue first, then red):





But it looks great after clear and wet sanding: