In 2016 I think it was the end of October, I had run out of the normal tape we used; the white crepe automotive clipper. I had used them for years … It was all I could get my hands on and all the firms I had sub contracted to had bought the cheap 30p a roll that had the adhesion of a warm mars bar!
I always went to ALPARTS SW in Exeter, it’s a scrap yard that I used to get a good deal on masking paper and tape. I had a great relationship with Chris the counterjumper who did all the special mix car paints, lacquers and masking.
So, into the shop I go!! Its a bit of a standing joke with these guys really, “1 box of your finest 1-inch tape I usually get please”! Chris, the counterjumper went “are you sure? We have this great new tape, it’s a tad cheaper and worth a punt..!” So, I thought what do I have to lose, cant be any worse than the warm mars bar adhesive I had been using before so into the back room I go. Chris hands me a box of what I can only now describe as “yellow gold”. I tried a couple of pieces of tape on my work bench, grabbed a spray can and went to work. Low and behold to my surprise it had stuck, very well I might add, when I later peeled off the Q1 tape I was really impressed with the laser line that it had left.
On the 4th March 2017 I was excited to be invited to attend the grand opening of the PAINTTECH Training Academy in Preston, which is run, staffed and owned by my good friends Ian and Pete whom I had been chatting to for some time on social media and over the phone. We had built up quite the relationship so I thought why not introduce them to the “Yella Gold Q1 Tape”..
Pete and I were masking the floor in the academy so I asked my lad to bugger off and go to the car to get the full sleeve of Q1 1-inch tape whilst Pete and I placed the correx onto the floor. When my lad had finally made it back one cuppa later, we used the Q1 2-inch tape to keep the individual pieces of correx together and stuck to the floor. We then used the Q1 1-inch tape with the masking paper to protect the rest of the floor which was not covered by correx – for example the gap between the wall and the pieces of correx. We then sprayed over the Q1 tape which remained stuck to the floor with no curling unlike other tapes of a much higher price which I have used before.
After the Beta test of the Introduction to Spraying Course I divided the tape up between Ian and Pete who didn’t take much convincing to snatch the Q1 tape off me. From then on I told anyone that would listen to me that Q1 was the better choice of masking tape. It was set at a good price making it affordable for everyone from the novice sprayer to the most experienced! Win, Win..
It does what it says – what more can you ask for?
.Q1 is the only tape I use and trust to give me that next level finish. For me it performs exactly as I want it to but most importantly it helps me to give that finish we know the Customers love! There are no obstacles I have found that Q1 can’t overcome, both on internal or external projects.
With all my years of experience I can see that Q1 will be the market leaders compared to all other masking manufacturers and as I progress into more training at my own academy in Exeter I will be able to impart with my knowledge to other sprayers in both the UK and into Europe which is really exciting.
I was lucky enough to have the honour of receiving a visit from none other than Casey Walker of Q1 – the yellow gold lady herself as few months ago. This was the first time any firm I have met so far has had the gumption to listen to a Sprayer.
Questions to ask:
What is needed from a tape?
How well does it work?
What are the drawbacks?
Come and see us on the SprayZone at the Painting & Decorating Show at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on the 27th & 28th November where we will be using the Q1 masking tapes.
