Will using a soft graphite pencil on primer affect adhesion or cause any other problems?

Trying to layout a symmetrical pattern on curved motorcycle parts is difficult without some lines for guidance. Designing just one side takes me seventeen tries. I want it to look good, but have never done this before. I over work the tape and put finger prints all over the part.

So here is what I have in mind. Design/layout one side using fine line tape. Next step is to make a rub of the design. Tape paper in place over the design and use the edge of the pencil to make a copy. Then use an exacto knife to cut the design out. Remove overworked tape from the part and wash thoroughly. Tape the template down to the left side and lightly trace the design onto the part using the graphite pencil. Flip the template for the right side and trace again. Then just follow the pencil marks with fresh fine line tape.

I have tried this on the front fender and laying the tape with the marks was a breeze.

whilst im certainly not a pro, graphite is used for lubrication so that could possibly cause problems. i have used something like acrylic paint pens (posca) before without issues painting over.

you are starting your graphics over the primer ?

Yes, that’s the plan… simplified:

Step 1 – Black, effects, and protective clear on one side of the fineline.
Step 2 – Red, effects, and clear on the other side of the fineline.
Step 3 – Pull the fineline and lay crunchy big silver flake in the trench between the red and black.
Step 4 – Clear the crap out of it.

Sample:

what i would do is this

paint silver and clear.
sand 800
use your fine line to design your flames over your silver flake
mask off all but where you want red and spray your red then after good flash time use some dbc500 and spray a few light coats on the red.

then mask up your red and spray the black unmask everything and then clear.

your lines will be nice and even all the way around instead of the larger and narrower gaps you got in sample. cut down and clear a few more times.

also i use a pounce wheel and pounce chalk to duplicate my flames.

relooking at your photo your lines look great. think it was the reflection lol

If it was just base coat silver I would definitely go that route. But the silver metal flake is large... comes out like 60 grit sand paper after the first session. Lots of work to get things smooth after metal flake. If I went that route there would be nothing but candy going over it. That's the next bike.

put your flake in some DC2000 clear. how big of flake you using ?

Here is some pounce work

Flake is a mix of sizes, largest is .015. Shooting for 90% coverage. I have tried using 2 intercoat clears, HOK SG100 and SW Ultra 7000. Both have caused problems. 80% of the time they will do fine. But it's that 20% that kills me. One part will be fine, but the next part (same paint laid at the same time) will wrinkle like crazy. Sometimes it wrinkles what it's going on top of. Sometimes it wrinkles underneath the next step... applied a week later.

Too hot, too much material, material too thin, solvent too fast, solvent too slow, polyester versus acrylic base coats??? I don't know, can't figure it out, too many variables. All I know is several pieces have been ruined using it. And I have read numerous reports where others have the same problem.

Rather than deal with it directly, I just avoid it by using the regular 2K clear. Good solid barrier between steps. Zero wrinkle problems.

Maybe one day I will work it out.