Well, just when I didn’t think that I could ask many more basic rookie weekender hack questions…

I made some small dash speaker trim pieces for my C30 project and finally got around to painting them. They are small and made of acrylic so they are very light.

I was painting some other stuff also, so I was using a Sagola Mini Gun. I was worried about the air pressure, so I tested spraying just air on the pieces as they were just sitting on the table and I was correct, they wanted to take off like a Southwest flight to San Diego.

So then I had the great idea of rolling some tape around in a donut, kind of making my own double sided tape and taping them down to some sticks that I was using to lift them off the table.

I sprayed two coats of Envirobase followed by about three coats of some cheapy satin clear. It was getting near the end of the day and it was stinking hot (105) in the Pig Barn Shop.

After cleaning up my gun and other junk, I went to move the trim pieces as I didn’t want the tape sticking overnight and having a dry paint bridge (?)

That is when all went to…. The little light pieces stuck to the tape too well and I ended up screwing them up with finger prints (just to remind me that I am still a basic rookie weekender hack). I do have to admit that I was hot, tired and run down and that I should have just left it alone and maybe used a razor knife the next day. Luckily I am now good at sanding down my screw ups.

• So, now my question: Any tips or tricks on holding down small lightweight pieces?

I initially used 1 1/2” wide tape as it was what was sitting close, is it as simple as switching to something like 1/4” or 1/2” wide tape? Or is there some other trick?

I also included a couple of photos of the dash for size reference.

I do what you've done, rolling the tape over itself so the sticky surface is on the outside.

But, I try to shape the tape so that it doesn't extend over or past an edge. That way I can leave until dry rather than putting fingerprints all over the painted surface. I also make sure that the edge of what I'm painting doesn't sit on the table/paper/wood stick, for the same reasons.

Sometimes the piece is too fine to make this work. In those instances I use hot melt glue (the low melt temperature one) to glue matchsticks or paddle pop sticks to the back of the piece. The glue can be removed later with alcohol or gentle heat. Obviously, don't use more than is absolutely necessary.

another suggestion to try
on the trim pieces hollow in the middle- maybe try setting them on painters pyramids- them yellow things in the pics.
for the solid ones, a block of 2 by 4 (or some other dimension of lumber that fits in the underside and lifts the edges off of the surface) with a piece of tape like ya did on it to set them on.

I use hot melt glue, it pops off easily when I'm done.
I keep a couple of these 2x4 Tee's just for this.
I can pick the tee up and spray under the lip real good too.
But this is only when the underside is not going to be painted.

i lay them on expanded metal most of the time, let me see if i can find some pics