Red Bull Racing RB7: Step by Step
™
After the third blue paint layer has dried, apply a coat of
white paint. This acts as a reflective layer and gives the
blue paint an added lustre.
TAPING AND TRIMMING
After cleaning, the next stage in preparing the body for
painting is to mask off the areas where the different colours
will be applied. First, place the body the right way up on
your work surface, then cut several pieces of masking foil
and stick them onto the outsides of all the openings in it.
Then take a fine-tipped, water-soluble black marker pen
and, from the outside, draw the outlines of those areas that
will later be painted yellow (see the photographs above
and on page 489).
Next, turn the body over and, from the inside, cover all
the marked-off areas completely with masking tape. Note:
always make sure that the masking tape is pressed smooth
and flat against the body at all points. There must be no
wrinkles, and in particular, no gaps between the pieces
of tape – the paint spray is extremely fine and can easily
penetrate such gaps. The result would be traces of blue
colour that will bleed into the yellow areas.
Now use a craft knife to cut through the masking tape
along the external outlines that you marked earlier. When
the last cut has been made, peel away all the surplus tape
from outside the marked areas (see photographs top right).
With a sharp blade, cut though the masking tape along the marked lines.
Work slowly and carefully, because these cut lines will later correspond to
the edges of the different painted colours. Then gently remove the excess
masking tape, leaving only the masked areas within the marked lines.
Now cover the marked areas by applying masking tape to the inside of the
body. There must be no gaps.
Apply the blue paint in three thin
layers, the last of which should make
the coating completely opaque. Allow
each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes
before applying the next one. The inset
photograph shows the final result.
490
