JHunter
10-20-2013, 01:38 PM
Hey guys, thought I'd share a little trick/tip I came up with for taping off body lines on my 68 Camaro.
I can't draw a straight line to save my life, and I sure as heck can't seem to tape one. As most know, it's helpful to tape off the opposing side of the body line when blocking so you don't inadvertently change the shape of the line.
What I found that works is to use fishing line. I put some tape on either end of the body line and mark the high point of the natural peak. I actually use a putty knife, hold the blade vertical to the car, a light press against the tape leaves a small indention in the tape, then use a fine tip pencil to mark the middle of the indention, theoretically marking the vertical center of the body line. I do this on both ends of the body line. Then I tape down a long piece of fishing line with a loop tied in one end. On the Camaro, the body line curves inward at the back of the door, so I also tape the fishing line down in this area, making sure that not only does the fishing line meet up with the two end marks, but also follows the natural peak of the body line. I do this because on the ends of the body line they tend to flatten out, so I want to make sure the fishing line is running on top of the peak the entire way.
Pull the end of the fishing line, being held down with the tape on both ends (and middle if needed) to get any possible slack out, and make it straight and tight.
Then I put a strip of wide tape on top of the fishing line, and after I gently tape it down (without changing the straight fishing line), I run my fingernail along the top and bottom edge of the fishing line to make sure the tape is stuck down as good as possible.
Then I pull the fishing line out away from the body, trying to stay perpendicular to the body and pulling it out at a 90 degree angle so it cuts the tape.
Then if I'm working on the top half of the panel, I remove the top half of the tape.
And now for some pics and video:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/10/IMG_43581_zps644c9218-1.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jaf31a/media/IMG_43581_zps644c9218.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/10/IMG_43591_zps8be6c4c9-1.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jaf31a/media/IMG_43591_zps8be6c4c9.jpg.html)
eusLhG4QBf4
I can't draw a straight line to save my life, and I sure as heck can't seem to tape one. As most know, it's helpful to tape off the opposing side of the body line when blocking so you don't inadvertently change the shape of the line.
What I found that works is to use fishing line. I put some tape on either end of the body line and mark the high point of the natural peak. I actually use a putty knife, hold the blade vertical to the car, a light press against the tape leaves a small indention in the tape, then use a fine tip pencil to mark the middle of the indention, theoretically marking the vertical center of the body line. I do this on both ends of the body line. Then I tape down a long piece of fishing line with a loop tied in one end. On the Camaro, the body line curves inward at the back of the door, so I also tape the fishing line down in this area, making sure that not only does the fishing line meet up with the two end marks, but also follows the natural peak of the body line. I do this because on the ends of the body line they tend to flatten out, so I want to make sure the fishing line is running on top of the peak the entire way.
Pull the end of the fishing line, being held down with the tape on both ends (and middle if needed) to get any possible slack out, and make it straight and tight.
Then I put a strip of wide tape on top of the fishing line, and after I gently tape it down (without changing the straight fishing line), I run my fingernail along the top and bottom edge of the fishing line to make sure the tape is stuck down as good as possible.
Then I pull the fishing line out away from the body, trying to stay perpendicular to the body and pulling it out at a 90 degree angle so it cuts the tape.
Then if I'm working on the top half of the panel, I remove the top half of the tape.
And now for some pics and video:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/10/IMG_43581_zps644c9218-1.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jaf31a/media/IMG_43581_zps644c9218.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/10/IMG_43591_zps8be6c4c9-1.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jaf31a/media/IMG_43591_zps8be6c4c9.jpg.html)
eusLhG4QBf4