Author Topic: Applying RSPro Rail Tape  (Read 19959 times)

ford

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #15 on: June 06, 2016, 06:32:48 PM »
This thread helped me apply my RSPro today. Just finished about thirty minutes ago.

It is warm here in Texas so I laid it out on my car about an hour before applying... it was pretty pliable by the time I was ready to put it on.

Put my lime green SupATX Scout board on some saw horses....

Went to find my masking or painters tape... none to be found...

Went to find my hard rubber/plasticy squeegee I bought over the weekend... oops left it in my wife's car which is now five hours away at her parents.

At this point you would think I might decide to wait for another day... NOPE. Found a hard plastic putty knife and got to work.

Examined the rails closely... figured out my starting point with the help of some graphics to guide me that are on the top of the board.

The first side took me about twenty five minutes. The first attempt had way too many bubbles... so I peeled off the very front slowly... putting the RSPro end on the putty knife and peeling it off... no problem with the finish. Reapplied... much better. Did the same thing with the back end.

It wasn't perfect but I stepped back a few feet and it looked just fine. The second side when on in about ten minutes... and that was with me really being careful, so I improved a lot. There were very few bubbles on that size, though there is one dead nat that was applied. I tried pulling him off, but no good. Just looks like a tiny dark spot near the front.

I used the plastic putty knife to apply a few inches to the widest point of the rail then smoothed out the bottom and top from the middle. I used the rounded handle of a plastic paint brush to smooth it out and that worked great.

I didn't use water except to clean the rails before applying, but I dried them afterward.

I've already ordered some more for my board arriving this week. I'll be much more confident this time.


LeeBee

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #16 on: June 06, 2016, 07:04:23 PM »
Having done it several times, you want to apply it wet so you can squeegee out the bubbles. Water and a little soap or about 10% isopropanol both work, but I prefer the alcohol. You can buy it at the drugstore. The key is to be sure the solution wets the surface of the rail. Be sure to stretch the tape out starting at the middle as you pull it out. Be sure it is warm out (over 70 F.)
They have a good You Tube video showing you how. You will like the product. I also also use the paddle guard edging, you need to stretch it quite a bit so the inside edge of a curve does not wrinkle.
The rail tape works great on the catch area of a surf ski or kayak, and for under your heels on the bottom to minimize scratching.
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sxrracer

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #17 on: June 07, 2016, 05:10:34 PM »
I had no problem applying it dry..

It only took a few minutes to do..

If I do another board I might try the water thing and see how that goes..


Aside from ease of installation.  That video was awesome.

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WhatsSUP

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #18 on: June 07, 2016, 06:01:17 PM »
Continue to pick up tips and tricks.....I applied wet first go but will definitely try dry next time....

And Freaking-A DJ, those ride lengths are just ridiculous......Song selection of Led Zep's "Going to California", which is an amazing tune in its own right, has me thinking more "Going Down Under"

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blueplanetsurf

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #19 on: June 07, 2016, 07:28:56 PM »
This is how we apply the RS pro tape at Blue Planet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYZF8uFwmos
Robert Stehlik
Blue Planet Surf Shop, Honolulu
Hawaii's SUP HQ
http://www.blueplanetsurf.com

ford

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #20 on: June 14, 2016, 02:31:25 PM »
I did my second board yesterday with the jumbo clear tape.

It is super easy on a bigger touring style board where the rails have less curve. I finished in about twenty minutes for both sides and that was really taking my time. Very few bubbles at all.

toolate

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #21 on: February 03, 2019, 01:16:59 PM »
This is how we apply the RS pro tape at Blue Planet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYZF8uFwmos

Hey Robert:
That video says wet wont work on RS pro. But RS pro says it is ok. Did they cahnge the formulation?

toolate

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #22 on: February 17, 2019, 09:55:18 PM »
did a dry application of Extreme RSPRO
easy! only two bubbles. just go slow, a warm day helps

mrbig

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #23 on: February 19, 2019, 05:17:00 AM »
More than one way to skin a cat as they say.

Did another RSP install on my SMIK.

Bring it inside. Crank up the heat. Warm soapy water spray one side, spray the RSP, tape the end near the
schnozz. And play with it. It looks like you have made a horrible mistake as it won't stick at all.

Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch, Niagara Falls.

Starts to stick, but floating. All of a sudden it's in place. No bubbles, no lumps, and still moveable. Boom !

Repeat for the other side. No one in the world would admit to doing it this way!

But it absolutely works! Never a bubble and you can adjust and mess with the rocker line to your
heart's content!

Even trimmed the end so the hipster plaid wouldn't get covered!
« Last Edit: February 19, 2019, 05:29:37 AM by mrbig »
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eastbound

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #24 on: February 19, 2019, 05:24:31 AM »
OK BIGGIE! ill try it wet next time already....

just did my new starby dry--i still think that there is benefit to tensioning the tape to conform to the rocker shape--and my starby came out perfectly--just saying

what swings me to try wet, tho, is biggies description of the tape as floating around for a bit, then slowly adhering, such that it can be adjusted, bubble free, to good final position--ok already ill try it

need another new board..............

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RideTheGlide

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #25 on: February 19, 2019, 05:40:50 AM »
I am going to have to redo mine when it is warm. I got my son and a friend to do it indoors back around Christmas and they got it pretty well centered but slightly high. I have some paddle marks below it from the maiden voyage. I got a new paddle also and didn't control it well first time out.
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spirit4earth

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #26 on: April 10, 2019, 03:28:03 PM »
Where on the jumbo tape is the RSPro logo?  I don‘t want to cover my board’s logos.

toolate

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #27 on: April 10, 2019, 04:54:47 PM »
most of the way on the back.

by  the way, i did mine dry this time and it was easy. just take your time. squeegee as you go from center wide point. i had like 2 bubbles small on each side and used a pin to pop em

burchas

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #28 on: April 10, 2019, 05:15:17 PM »
Where on the jumbo tape is the RSPro logo?  I don‘t want to cover my board’s logos.

That's a lot of money to become a billboard. Another option is to go with Helicopter tape:
double the material, various widths to choose from, really clear with no logos and cheaper.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BZWRIY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I use it on all my boards. Soap water wet application you don't even notice it's there.
in progress...

Area 10

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #29 on: April 10, 2019, 05:17:22 PM »
Where on the jumbo tape is the RSPro logo?  I don‘t want to cover my board’s logos.
The clear jumbo rail tape has only one logo, which isn’t that big. You can put the logo towards the front of the board or towards the back. So you’d be unlucky for it to clash irretrievably with the board’s logo.

https://www.rspro.org/collections/sup-rail-protection/products/clear-jumbo-rspro

 


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