3M™ 501E Masking Tape

3M 501E is a high-temperature masking tape. It is designed for operations where the masked part goes into an oven after application: baked paint, powder coating, stoving varnish.

Specifications

• Use: masking in painting and finishing with baking.
• Widths: 18, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 100 mm.
• Length: 50 m rolls.
• Log rolls: 1,526 and 1,560 mm wide, for cutting.
• Removal: residue-free.

The problem with baking

Heat is the enemy of ordinary masking tapes. Their adhesive softens during baking, migrates into the surface, then hardens as it cools. On removal, the tape tears or leaves a sticky deposit that has to be cleaned off with solvent, at the risk of damaging the fresh paint.

A high-temperature tape keeps its adhesive stable during the oven cycle, then comes off cleanly in one piece.

The wide formats

The 72 and 100 mm widths protect a surface in a single pass, without overlapping several strips. The log rolls over 1.5 m wide are for workshops that cut their own widths or masking templates for production runs.

Good practice

Apply the tape to a clean, degreased, dry surface. Press down the edge that borders the paint. Remove the tape after baking, once the part has returned to a handling temperature, pulling it back on itself at a sharp angle.

For a long bake or a very high temperature, check the tape's performance on a test part before starting a run.

See also our masking tapes, our PTFE tapes and our 3M products.