To trim, or not to trim..

[NJSoundMan]

Well, I guess a better question is, WHEN to trim. What's the general consensus about when to trim the excess lexan away from the body? Before or after painting is done?

I would think that after would be best, but does sanding down the cut edges rough up the paint too much?

[GramdeGixxer]

I drill body post holes first and cut and trim after paint. as long as you are careful when cutting it out you will be fine.

[Kuya]

Though many say trim afterwards, I'm more inclined to trim before. When you trim after painting, you have to be extra careful when trimming, because the underside of your scisscors may scratch the paint when you're cutting the corners thus giving you a gash in the paint. But that occurance is a rarity. Trimming before or trimming after really makes no difference, the end result is still the same.

[NJSoundMan]

Thanks for the great info, everybody. I'll just be wicked careful when cutting, that's for sure..

[Holst]

I find that overspray is much easyer to avoid with the body uncut.

I mark body posts.
Then paint.
Then cut out.

I cut out by scoring the body with a scalpel then snap off the edges, this gives a single line that is very smooth and straight.
Waiting 24hrs for the paint to try stops any chance of it peeling ot cracking off when you snap the lexan.

[ApriliaRacer]

Personally, I've found that I've screwed up more paint jobs cutting AFTER painting. Whether its mis-alignment of mounting holes or scratching the inside of the body with the tip of the scissors.

So, I always cut and fit first, then paint. So far no problems, and no screwed up bodies....